Mind Erasure is a Greek blackened death metal band. As we know, they published their first album called “Connive” in 2022, which we recently reviewed in our magazine. In this interview I will be talking with them and I am honestly honoured because they left an excellent impression on me and not many bands these days can do that in the ocean of generic copy/paste bands.
Hello, Mind Erasure! First of all, welcome to Abaddon Magazine! Thank you for this opportunity to talk about the band, its ideas and future. There are some informations your fans, and me among them, want to know so let’s start with the simplest question. What were the first impressions among your fans about the long awaited first album? Are there many fans from Greece or from other counties?
Lampros: Good evening, this is our first album so we do not have a huge fanbase, but, since the release we are receiving very positive feedback. I am very pleased with that and it gives my will and strength to continue making music.
Vasilis: Hello and thanks for having us, some of the reactions were that, because we don’t really play the one or the other style only, the album keeps the people focused until the end because it’s never exactly the same style.We have a lot of different influences and we tried to put them together in a natural way that they work together in a song.So far we have very good reviews and I have to say the one you wrote for was the most detailed and to the point.
As a person who notices the lyrics the most and as a fan of myths and history I must ask. In the last three songs the subject is apocalypse as we know it. How come you came to the idea to make songs about Apocalypse as a Christian term but not about your Greek myths, Gods and legends? Are you a fan of myths or not?
Lampros: At CONNIVE i did write all the lyrics, it is not something that i like to do by myself, i believe in teamwork and i want all members to contribute in every aspect of the band. Since am not religious at all the term apocalypse has nothing to do with religion. It means a massive life ending event. I enjoy reading mythology especially Greek, Norse and Christian. I enjoy imagining the hints of truth behind every story.
Vasilis: It’s kind of weird because I had some of those since 2008 or something when I went to see live Bolt Thrower in Helsinki where I was living at the time,and they really influenced me,but I never got to use those riffs.So the title was from that old demo, I always give names in order to remember what’s in that file or whatever…Then we talked at some point that it would be a cool idea to write about what it’s really close to happen those days,a nuclear war, with all those crazy paranoic people that we have as leaders on the planet.You can definetaly hear Bolt Thrower in there but then it developed itself to the lyrics so I wrote more music to fit the catastrophy.
Songs like “Connive”, “Cataphasia” and the band-titling “Mind Erasure” are dedicated to mankind and our minds that are easy to wash. Are those songs some kinds of a criticisms to modern society?
Lampros: Yes it is, it is a criticism in how media and social media are “installing” ideas, diverse the masses and most of the times, hiding the reality and the truth.
Vasilis: It’s been like this forever.But especially after the electricity came here in Greece and people got TV’s it was much easier to control people that way as it was the only way to ‘’hear the news’’.That’s why it is so shitty the situation here and I don’t see many things changing.The other way around we go backwards.Right now we have the worst ‘’Gang’’ we ever had as a government in the country.
My suspicious senses are telling me that there is always more than we can hear and see, so is the meaning of the song “Cataphasia” connected only with the pathological state of repeating the words or is there some secret meaning or message? Can you explain?
Lampros: I found it amusing of how different generations are using a number of different words that characterize them. The same set of words again and again. For example nowdays in Greece the kids are doing and extended use of the word Cringe, in a way that it has lost its real meaning. I also found interesting and at the same time stupid the way people are using foreign words in their vocabulary.
As a person who is a big fan of creative cover pictures I am always curious about this. Your cover picture on the album is a bit confusing to me. Does it have something with the message of your new album? What does it represent actually?
Lampros: the directions we gave to the artist was, take the lyrics of the song mind erasure and creat something about it, and also that it will not have to black and white or grey. She came up with this image and we loved it.
The band was not so active with new material from your last demo until this album. Are there some specific reasons for that?
Lampros: Life happens, not any specific reason.
Vasilis: This has definetaly changed and we’ll have new material released faster.We already working on it!
Is there some subject besides the ones on your first album that you would like to sing about? What would that be?
Lampros: i write notes for lyrics all the time, some of them will become songs. Sometime am getting inspired by the music. It is like it guides my to the subject of the song and how it is meant to be singed.
Vasilis: I’m very bad on writting lyrics but I can much easier give titles or ideas that Lambros will develope into something.Like ‘When First Light’’.I will try though and see what happenes.You can get ideas from anything, the every day life is full of influences.Most propably we won’t change much our themes but take them further with more aggression.
Let’s take a break from the album. What is the situation with the metal scene in Greece? Do you have many young metalheads and bands like you which can offer something good? Any recommendations for listening?
Lampros: Greece has a strong scene with hi quality. Besides the world famous rotting Christ and septic flesh, there are many bands you should listen to, and there are also options for every taste. I will give you few for example, Deviser, Kawir, Hail Spirit Noir, LLOTH, W.E.B. Aherusia, naxatras.
Vasilis: Lot’s of people think that now days the young people don’t get into metal that much,but after I went to see Septicflesh and Hypocricy playing in Athens last October I have to say that it’s not like that.There was a non stop moshpit going from start to finish mostly made by young people.
Metal is getting better and better here and more bands take the risk to go out and play anywhere they can. There’s so much info and new releases every day that is imposible to follow like it used to be back in the 90’s.Check out ‘’Yoth Iria’’, ‘’Winter Eternal’’, ‘’Macabre Omen’’…
Symphonic details are a great part of “Connive” and they made specific atmosphere here. One of the facts I couldn’t miss were the choirs, “Proem”, symphonic orchestra parts. Will those diversities in the genre be your trademark in the future or just this time?
Lampros: I cannot tell because i do not like to put limits and borders into music!
Vasilis: The idea was to add some atmosphere here and there, but it came out more than that.We have a new guitar player now so we’ll let our creativity leads us.Personal I like the use of synths in general just enough.
Can you explain why people should listen to this album? Or what should new listeners pay attention to? And what do you particularly pay attention to when you listen to new music?
Lampros: I believe that CONNIVE is fresh and has something to give. We did not try to copy or mimic any band, mind erasure have their own character! Listen to our album pay attention to the small details. When i listen to new music i like to pay attentions to the melodies and the atmosphere.
Vasilis: Like I said earlier we like different styles and not BM or DM or whatever, it’s extreme metal definetaly, but it’s melodic,brutal,atmospheric,doom,all at the same time.From my side I’m kind of tired listening to albums that they try to play like, let’s say Mayhem,or Behemoth or any band.Everything has been done in music I think, and the only way to put something fresh on the table, is to blend the influences of the band members to create something unique.A good song is a good song of course, and if it’s on the style of Accept, let’s say, and it’s good, I’ll enjoy it.
Speaking of music, you as a band are talented to play any genre of metal, so why this specific blackened death metal, what is the main reason for that and what are your influences?
Lampros: For me there is not a specific reason, it is just the music i like to play!
Vasilis: The reason I joined the band back in 2016 was because we talked that there are not going to be any limits in what we’re was gonna play.I liked that because I listen to any kind of rock and metal music,it depens of my mood.But for some reason lately I enjoy more extreme metal, so expect some brutal heavy riffs from me on the new album.
Have you been to Serbia sometime maybe? Are you familiar with some of our famous bands?
Lampros: No i haven’t been to Serbia, but it is in our plans to visit. I know tit is a beautiful country and i would like to ride there with my motorcycle. I think Consecration are from Serbia, i have listen to their songs before.
Vasilis: I have been only for one night while was driving through to get to Talin.We only stayed for a night in but I really loved the architecture and those huge buildings in the center of the capital.Hopefully we’ll get to play there one day.I don’t know any bands to be honest, you could let us know what we should listen to…
One last question that requires the opinion of the entire band as fans of metal and musicians. What way of promoting music you find the most effective and the best? Also how do you, as a band, give effort to promote your first album?
Lampros: social media and you tube, it is the first step then you have to find a good promoter to make sure your work will be listened. So we did that!
Vasilis: For me always has been the live gigs.I have been in so many in my life that I didn’t know the support band, and I loved their music straight away and went to the merch and bought it.Socials are necesarry of course now days, but the live gigs that you actully see the band playing can really get you.
Thank you for your time and answers. We are hoping for further collaborations with you in the future.Until then, we are waiting for your new music and hopefully a show in Serbia. Abaddon Magazine and I wish you a creative year and many concerts!
Thank you very much and hopefully we’ll meet up one day.All the best for Abaddon and for the great review and this interview.Yamas!!!
