View Ism of Karawan's interview at Bastard Webzine by clicking here.
Interview translated in english:
The Bastard Webzine: I welcome you to the the Bastard Webzine! Let's learn some things about the start of the band. Drop some words...
Miltos: We thank you for this interview, guys. Be ever well. Well, as it is already known through the bio section on our MySpace profile, Ism of Karawan was almost a band since 2003 but took its complete form three years later. The band's first name was "Ism" and its members were Tasos, Yiannis and me. We have recorded nine tracks under the "Abyssus Abyssum Invocat" designation. There's nothing important further than these.
TBW: Were you friends and later on members of the band or vice versa?
M: I and Yiannis have grown up in the same place and we've been friends for countless years. Tasos, who is the main composer of the band, has his roots from our place, too, and he's been in the clan many years before the band was created. Our, god, bassist player is from the same birth place and, being the biggest fan of the band, he exchanged the bass position with another person who helped us at our first live shows.
TBW: Who found out the name of the name of the band?
M: Tha band's initial name, "Ism", refers to a general ideology, dogma or heresy. It was me that proposed that name to the kids and they instantly agreed with it. The meaning hidden behind this name yells out to the rest of people to stop acting and thinking as assholes and urge some of them to lead some others into becoming more humane.
TBW: When was the band formed with this line-up?
M: The band took the form it's in now this very fucking year. Yiorgos (bass) made his virginal appearance on a legendary live performance with Natural High (now Reversed Nature), Routes and Drunk Motherfuckers.
TBW: Would you like to tell me whether it's hard or not for bands to record a Demo nowadays?
M: See, pal! We're inappropriate to answer this. We live in our own world and the recording we've made is simple without having been proceeded into having a better sound or what. You know, scratching of the strings, a bit more growling and the rest semem like heaven to us.
TBW: Do you think the evolution of a band depends on where it is from?
M: I'm not sure I can answer this. I don't think so, though. The only thing we've found out so long is that those coming from the borough may drink a bit more of alcohol, so there may be a bigger delay in what a band wants to create. Of course, there are exceptions. Concerning the bands themselves, it doesn't matter whether you're from the capital city or not. As it's commonly said, you just got to have it.
TBW: How exactly would you describe your sound?
M: That is still tested. Our friends Natural High call us a sludgecore band. Another friend, Spyros of Spit the Sun, mentioned Pantera when he listened to our stuff. This is what most of the people do, in fact, and we don't actually know why. Others mentioned two of the most sacred words: BLACK SABBATH. We're even supposed to play like Darkthrone of "F.O.A.D." era. What can I say? For sure, we have at least a small sense of South due to our birth-place.
TBW: What are your musical influences?
M: Oh God! Well, in Tasos's car both "NOLA" and "Use Once & Destroy" are being constantly played. Yiannis, overfilled with Crowbar, Down and Kyuss, these days he enjoys the company of Dead Congregation's "Graves of the Archangels". This summer, Yiorgos attended a live performance of Down in Germany and he is still in shock. I, instead, won't ever finish this interview if I start talking about my likes. For sure though, these days my time is mostly dedicated to Unearthly Trance and Ramesses.
TBW: Which, according to your opinion, is the best greek band?
M: Dead-fucking-Congregation, my friend. Categorically and utterly. On the other hand, there are many great bands such as our friends Natural High is, Routes also, Bag A Head, Earth of Distrust and of course the cult, rotten Necrophobic Revulsion. All they discern through the domestic scene. BUT. The greatest record ever released by greeks still may be "And Voices, Words, Faces, Complete the Dream" of Sun of Nothing.
TBW: Your lyrics are in english. Have you ever created songs with greek lyrics some time in the past?
M: Hell yes. We always rehearse and cover artists such as Efi Thodi, Vassilis Terlegkas and Sotis Volanis are (all of them are national assholes).
TBW: Any live performance that is still memorable?
M: Of course, the one of September, 9 along with Natural High, Necrophobic Revulsion, Spit the Sun and Schizogony. A hell of a show. Our bassist player was a bit more drunk with Ouzo, beer and a german alcoholic death named "Stroh", so he was shattered on stage.
TBW: Any message for our page?
M: First of all, be all well. Thereupon, keep on supporting the domestic scene without short-mindness and prejudice. Besides, what is ridiculous for some, for some others may be the whole world. Moreover, interview Asa Akira also and take her phone number if you please.
TBW: What shall we expect from Ism of Karawan? Your plans for the future?
M: We've completed four off of the eight tracks of the forthcomiing album we're going to record. Everything flows slowly. It will be called "Ex Oriente Lux" and we wish that it's going to be even more shitty than its predecessor. This kind of stuff generally. More live shows, of course.
TBW: The last words belong to you...
M: Get drunk! Even if it's with virtue, grit or wine. That is somehow written from Baudelaire, huh? So, get drunk!
