GRAVEBANE

Who are you and what do you do in your band?

Hello! This is Andrew and I am the guitar player and main composer of Gravebane. The band consists of two other members, Marios on vocals and SD Tragos on fretless bass.

When/where was your band formed? 

The band actually came up as a side-project in the late 2012. I also play in Alter Self which is my main band and I do session bass work for Mallediction. Marios does vocals for Necrorgasm and Kinetic and SD Tragos also plays in Xaos Egeneto, Lloth and Black Soul Horde. The story is simple. I just wanted to do something different and write pure death metal music close to the bands that inspired the genre at the first place. The other guys happened to hear the already written material and convinced me to make a project. So here we are now, ready to release our first EP ‘Mortify The Grave’.

Why did you choose to play Death Metal?

I simply grew up with death metal and this is something you can’t easily overpass. In Alter Self I try a more sophisticated and artistic extreme metal approach that combines many genres. In Gravebane it was like going back to the roots. A more simple and brutal approach that rises straight from the human extreme instincts. Just like death metal used to be when it first emerged.

How do you compose your music? Does only one guy do everything or does everyone contribute?

I write all the music and lyrics and then the other guys just add their parts. Of course that is not the rule. The songs for this EP were written long before I considered the possibility of a project. So if we decide to make an album in the future, I will be glad to accept help from the other guys. Actually we have already talked about Marios taking over the lyrics and vocal lines. He is a great death metal lyricist. Listen to Necrorgasm and you’ll see why.

Tell us about your lyrics, writing, inspiration etc.

Inspiration comes from extreme feelings like tension, sorrow or anger that invade your life and you somehow want to let it all out. At this exact point music comes as a vessel helping you channel out all the bitter feelings and transform them into extreme art. The songs were written in a very short time because I wanted to catch the vibe of the moment. As for the lyrics, they mostly deal with the dark side of human psyche from a brutal point of view. No gore clichés at all, just a raw view of humanity through everyday life’s experiences.

Is there an ideology behind your band?

Not really. We just like to deliver quality music to express ourselves and share it with anyone who might like it. Brutal music of course.

How do you see the state of Death Metal music these days in your country and in general?

Death metal rises up once again. We see bands from the old days returning to action and putting out killer works that prove they still have it and many new bands that push the limits of the genre over the borders. As for Greece, I believe that it has one of the most dedicated death  metal scenes worldwide. We have many quality bands that release excellent works that have nothing to envy from the international scene. I am a huge fan of greek death metal myself and I advise you to dig it. You will find many unknown gems that will blow your mind.

What are your long term plans as a band? What do you want to achieve?

No particular plans at the moment because we all have obligations with our main bands. We have discussed the possibility of releasing an album in the future but it’s a bit early for this right now. The main plan is simple. We just want to pay our respects to the genre by putting our own little stone on the huge wall that death metal is.

Name an other Death Metal band from your country that everyone should hear.

Just one? No way! I will give you a list of the first that come to mind…Dead Congregation, Sickening Horror, Inveracity, Resurgency, Birth Through Gore, Mallediction, Mortal Torment, Head Cleaner…also be sure to check our own main bands Alter Self and Necrorgasm. I could go on forever so if you want more type ‘GREEK DEATH/GRIND SCENE’ on facebook and start digging!

Free word.

Thanks for the interview and the support! Our EP ‘Mortify The Grave’ is now available for free streaming on YouTube and Bandcamp and  in digital download. Of course there will be an actual CD release soon enough. Check out the links below and don’t hesitate to contact us. Support the underground!

Bandcamp: http://gravebane.bandcamp.com/releases

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gravebanegr

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsu4tfoJLgK_YqKXfGhgCBQ