Untitled Document


	<<back Great band from Greece, Psycho Choke never had the luck to find a proper deal from a label until now, so I contacted them to talk about on this topic and to find more about them generally. Salutes from Romania! Welcome to Tempest Music & More Portal! How are you today? Greetings from Greece. We’d like to thank you for hosting this interview as well as for the review of our albums – we really appreciate your interest to support new upcoming bands from around the world. When I first heard of your band I've instantly thought of a grindcore band. Why did you choose this name and what does it symbolizes? We came up with our name back in 1999 overwhelmed by our common passion for hardcore music. It symbolizes the wrath of suppressed feelings and inner voices. Tell us when did the whole story begin and what did you do until 2001. The whole story goes back in ’99 when Argy (guitar) started searching members for a new band. One year later the first line-up was ready and immediately started working on our first songs. In 2001 you released your debut album, but why was it self-released and no label helped you? We made major efforts contacting labels to help us record our debut album, but for us, all our struggle was in vain. So we decided to record and produce our songs on our own expenses and believe us it wasn’t easy at all. Do you think that at that time you were skilled enough and your tracks good enough to be released by a strong label? This is a question that can easily be answered by anyone who have listened to our debut. How would you characterize that album and how was it received by the public and by the media? It was the essence of our personal influences of hardcore and nu-metal music of that time. The response of the public was so intense and encouraging that made us walk through all difficulties and the media reviews gave us hope for a better chance in the music business in the future (“release of the month” /Metal Hammer –Greece). After "Choke on This" you released nothing until this year. What did you do these 4 years? Actually was 3 years cause our debut was released in the end of December 2001. We continued composing new songs, giving many Gigs all over Greece and trying to release “Choke on this” officially with a label. During this period of time the band had to face the departure of our first vocalist, who was replaced by another that also left the band after 8 months! Finally after many auditions the curse (sic) broke when Alkis joined the band in 2004 and woke up the band’s kicking-lust for a new beginning. This year there's a new demo out. is it released to get the attention of a label? I myself think it's impossible not to find a good producer with this material. We too (laughter). The main purpose of course is to give labels the new taste of our work, as well as give our fans the new songs they so long waited for. Please tell us about these 11 tracks. How has your band progressed since the previous release? The innovation of our new tracks is the flexibility of Alkis to sing both clean and aggressive. The new songs are the result of a more mature work, with more complicated compositions. We believe that our fans will embrace it. Who writes the lyrics and what are they about? The lyrics are written by Alkis. They stay far away from politics, religions and all kind of discriminations, describing the feelings of the journey into the darkest psycho side of our personality. What's the actual line-up of the band and what can you say about each of you? The today’s line up is Argy (he’s always late), Alkis (even more late...) Phantom (where is this muthaf*r, has anybody seen him?) Bax (the unstoppable laughter machine) and Junior (the Grandmother. Never gives up yelling at us ) How's your live activity until now? Some big tours or concerts with big names until now? Ever played outside the country? Unfortunately we haven’t played outside our country yet (unless you invite us), but we gave many concerts all over Greece with highlights our support to Soulfly (Athens and Thessaloniki), and Stamping Ground. Do you think it's important for a band to have their own merchandise (t-shirts, long-sleeves, stickers, hats and stuff)? Of course we do, cause in the beginning of a band it consists their bigger income as well as a good way of letting them become known. What can you tell us about the scene in your country, as you see it? What bands would you recommend us and why? We have pretty cool underground scene here in Greece such as Rafferty Rules, Homo Iratus, Out of the Lair, Negative Creeps, Nightstalker, Into the gore, Horizon’s end and many more that all they need is a label to just listen to them!! A good example is Nightrage, Firewind and Rotting Christ that have already been found by labels outside Greece and they are kicking ass. What are you listening to at home and which bands are closer to Psycho Choke's musical style? We try to stay open minded in listening music and our influences vary from bluegrass to Grind core. Closer to our style we feel Slipknot, Machine head, killswitch engage, System of a Down, Soulfly, Pantera (R.I.P. Dimebag) and Pro-pain . Thanks for the answers and hope to hear from you again really soon! Good luck!** We thank you, and we hope to play in Romania really soon. Insanity makes the world go around. Keep it up! www.psychochoke.com

<<back

Great band from Greece, Psycho Choke never had the luck to find a proper deal from a label until now, so I contacted them to talk about on this topic and to find more about them generally.

Salutes from Romania! Welcome to Tempest Music & More Portal! How are you today?
Greetings from Greece. We’d like to thank you for hosting this interview as well as for the review of our albums – we really appreciate your interest to support new upcoming bands from around the world.

When I first heard of your band I've instantly thought of a grindcore band. Why did you choose this name and what does it symbolizes?
We came up with our name back in 1999 overwhelmed by our common passion for hardcore music. It symbolizes the wrath of suppressed feelings and inner voices.

Tell us when did the whole story begin and what did you do until 2001.
The whole story goes back in ’99 when Argy (guitar) started searching members for a new band. One year later the first line-up was ready and immediately started working on our first songs.

In 2001 you released your debut album, but why was it self-released and no label helped you?
We made major efforts contacting labels to help us record our debut album, but for us, all our struggle was in vain. So we decided to record and produce our songs on our own expenses and believe us it wasn’t easy at all.

Do you think that at that time you were skilled enough and your tracks good enough to be released by a strong label?
This is a question that can easily be answered by anyone who have listened to our debut.

How would you characterize that album and how was it received by the public and by the media?
It was the essence of our personal influences of hardcore and nu-metal music of that time. The response of the public was so intense and encouraging that made us walk through all difficulties and the media reviews gave us hope for a better chance in the music business in the future (“release of the month” /Metal Hammer –Greece).

After "Choke on This" you released nothing until this year. What did you do these 4 years?
Actually was 3 years cause our debut was released in the end of December 2001. We continued composing new songs, giving many Gigs all over Greece and trying to release “Choke on this” officially with a label.
During this period of time the band had to face the departure of our first vocalist, who was replaced by another that also left the band after 8 months! Finally after many auditions the curse (sic) broke when Alkis joined the band in 2004 and woke up the band’s kicking-lust for a new beginning.

This year there's a new demo out. is it released to get the attention of a label? I myself think it's impossible not to find a good producer with this material.
We too (laughter). The main purpose of course is to give labels the new taste of our work, as well as give our fans the new songs they so long waited for.

Please tell us about these 11 tracks. How has your band progressed since the previous release?
The innovation of our new tracks is the flexibility of Alkis to sing both clean and aggressive. The new songs are the result of a more mature work, with more complicated compositions. We believe that our fans will embrace it.

Who writes the lyrics and what are they about?
The lyrics are written by Alkis. They stay far away from politics, religions and all kind of discriminations, describing the feelings of the journey into the darkest psycho side of our personality.

What's the actual line-up of the band and what can you say about each of you?
The today’s line up is Argy (he’s always late), Alkis (even more late...) Phantom (where is this muthaf***r, has anybody seen him?) Bax (the unstoppable laughter machine) and Junior (the Grandmother. Never gives up yelling at us )

How's your live activity until now? Some big tours or concerts with big names until now? Ever played outside the country?
Unfortunately we haven’t played outside our country yet (unless you invite us), but we gave many concerts all over Greece with highlights our support to Soulfly (Athens and Thessaloniki), and Stamping Ground.

Do you think it's important for a band to have their own merchandise (t-shirts, long-sleeves, stickers, hats and stuff)?
Of course we do, cause in the beginning of a band it consists their bigger income as well as a good way of letting them become known.

What can you tell us about the scene in your country, as you see it? What bands would you recommend us and why?
We have pretty cool underground scene here in Greece such as Rafferty Rules, Homo Iratus, Out of the Lair, Negative Creeps, Nightstalker, Into the gore, Horizon’s end and many more that all they need is a label to just listen to them!! A good example is Nightrage, Firewind and Rotting Christ that have already been found by labels outside Greece and they are kicking ass.

What are you listening to at home and which bands are closer to Psycho Choke's musical style?
We try to stay open minded in listening music and our influences vary from bluegrass to Grind core. Closer to our style we feel Slipknot, Machine head, killswitch engage, System of a Down, Soulfly, Pantera (R.I.P. Dimebag) and Pro-pain .

Thanks for the answers and hope to hear from you again really soon! Good luck!
We thank you, and we hope to play in Romania really soon.
Insanity makes the world go around. Keep it up!