You
have performed live with many foreign bands such as Clan Of Xymox, Garden Of
Delight, Voices Of Masada, Moonspell, Nosferatu, Type O Negative, Paradise
Lost, Fields Of The Nephilim, Rhombus and The Faces Of Sarah. How is it being
able to play together with such bands? Do you have any special moments you
would like to share with us from any of these shows?
Hanging with these people whose music
actually followed us through every day…
Getting to know the bands with which
we‘ve grown is truly an amazing experience.
The whole thing of meeting the bands is
the “special moment”.
In
2016 you released your second, and latest, album "Buried In Rain".
Why did it take 12 years to release it after your debut "Occult"?
If you count the "Tides" EP
which was released in 2012 it’s actually 4-5 years until the "Buried In
Rain" album. Opened Paradise is our passion. Our inner child and shelter
of our souls. We do not gather under pressure nor because we have to. We do as
our heart feels fit. I believe this explains the reason why the releases took
place at the times they did and not earlier.
The
album "Buried In Rain" was a great piece of work that showed the band
mature in sound, performing some really memorable songs and with great
production. How was it creating this album in the studio and how did it feel
performing it live after its release?
Thank you for your kind words Nick.
As we’re getting older, we mature
through our experiences in life. We evolved as individuals and that had an
impact on our sound.
The album was recorded and produced at
Top Floor studios of Panos Tsekouras. They worked together with Babis Nikou and
the result is presented in "Buried In Rain". Both are really cool
guys and great to work with. The whole recording/production session turned out
easier than expected.
"Buried In Rain" is emotional.
Anger meets regret. Bitterness and loss of hope. It is a reminder that mankind
is destined to wither. There are no joyous moments there. This is what I felt
the first time we presented the album live and this is what I feel every time
we’re on stage. Even while just listening to the songs.
How
do you see the Dark scene in general? Every few years the music genres in scene
shift and we also have various revivals. Are Opened Paradise open to experiment
with new sounds and styles according to what is going on today?
I can’t say that I’m following the scene
nowadays. Nostalgia has gotten into me lately and I mainly focus on past
releases.
We don’t really mind of “what’s going on
today” as far as it concerns our sound. We’re not into trends. If an idea pops
up, and seems to fit to our overall image of the project, we follow. We
experiment and see how it goes. If the outcome is satisfying, we keep it. If
not, we discard it. All sounds are welcome. Quite frankly though, I can’t
imagine Opened Paradise experimenting with electronic sounds.
Your
live performances are rare the last few years. Is this something that the band
has decided for itself or is it the difficult for a band like you to find
venues and a wider audience to appear to? Would you be interested in performing
live in other countries?
We wouldn’t want to give a live
performance just for the sake of a live performance. We believe that we need to
have something new to offer/give to the people who pay money to watch us on
stage.
Greece is a small country. Our shows
take place mainly in Athens.
I can’t say that we ever had a problem
to find a venue here. The people who are into this kind of music are few but
they’re dedicated. Black hearted and loyal. Least that’s the feedback we
receive.
We once played abroad in the UK.
Throughout the years there are several times that we received messages from
fans asking us to play in their hometowns. Surely, we would gladly do that.
Unfortunately (?), Greece stands as the
last frontier of Europe (we’re located in the southern/eastern part) and this
makes things difficult for the promoters. I guess that booking a band from
Greece is costly.
What
is the band up to at the moment? Are you preparing a new album?
We
recently welcomed in our ranks our second guitarist Gregory (Anima Triste) and
we’re currently preparing for the live show alongside with “The Nosferatu” at
The Temple on the 22nd of February.
The
same time, we’re working on ideas for a new project.
Interview by Nick Drivas
Categories:
INTERVIEWS
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