Blackened Horde: How did the band get started?
Kostas: We are Piranha from Greece and we were formed in 1987. We are one of the oldest metal bands in Greece and we have played death/thrash until 2001(dissolution). The band during its 14-year participation in the Greek metal scene received great reviews from the music press around the world – but also managed to play together with many Greek bands such as SEPTIC FLESH, ACID DEATH, NIGHTFALL, FLAMES, DEATH COURIER and also with major international names such as DESTRUCTION and MALEVOLENT CREATION. In the end of 2017 we are back after 16 years of silence with a multi-year record deal with 7hard. Our new album “Arise from the Shadows” released worldwide on August 14 (2020) and it is our most aggressive release ever.
Blackened Horde: What kind of music do you play?
Kostas: We play Death/Thrash metal with some atmospheric/dark elements.
Blackened Horde: How has the fan response been?
Kostas: The response of our fans for our new CD was incredibly warm even though we had a very long period of absence from the metal scene.
Blackened Horde: Where did the band name come from?
Kostas: We took our name from the well-known carnivorous fish (piranha) because we believe it represents the style of our music… fast, aggressive and deadly!!!!
Blackened Horde: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
John: Guitars & vocals
Kostas: Bass
Dennis: Guitars
Andreas: Drums
Blackened Horde: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Kostas: We have released two demos and 4 records (LP, EP & CD).
Blackened Horde: Tell me about some of the songs on the latest CD?
Kostas: Well Nuclear Disease is old school death/thrash song about a nuclear war that decimates humanity, Eternal Night is a fast death metal song about a horror story, Rotten Mind is a classic death metal song about a journey into the paranoid mind of a serial killer, Dead Boat is an epic death/black piece describing a warrior’s journey of no return, Haze is a typically metal song about Faustian one-man story.
Blackened Horde: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Kostas: The music of our songs is written by John and Dennis, the lyrics by John.
Blackened Horde: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Kostas: When it comes to the subject matter of our songs, we don’t have a particular way, we just write what piques our interest.
Blackened Horde: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism? (If this applies)
Kostas: Satanism and Occultism are two big chapters of metal music but also of music in general with their own history from the beginning of humanity.
Blackened Horde: Do you have any side projects?
Kostas: Our guitarist Dennis plays with another great Greek band called Acid Death (plays progressive Death Metal) and also our drummer plays with another Greek band called Albert (plays classic Thrash Metal).
Blackened Horde: Who are some of your musical influences?
Kostas: Some of your musical influences are Death, Sepultura, Kreator and Children of Bodom.
Blackened Horde: What is the band like when you play live?
Kostas: Fast drums with heavy aggressive riffs and hellish vocals ….full energy… total chaos!!!!!
Blackened Horde: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Kostas: Not yet but we hope to do a mini European tour in the near future.
Blackened Horde: How big of a crowd do you normally get?
Kostas: The average number of people who come to our concerts is around 700.
Blackened Horde: How is the crowd response when you play?
Kostas: Full headbanging with a lot of moshing and some mosh pits ….. total mayhem.
Blackened Horde: What do you think about the underground scene?
Kostas: Underground RULES….we believe that underground scene is the ultimate expression of metal music without restrictions and censorship with awesome bands that deserve to be heard.
Blackened Horde: What are some of your new favorite Extreme metal bands?
Kostas: Some favorite Extreme metal bands are Amon Amarth, Behemoth and Arch Enemy.
Blackened Horde: Since the Covid Pandemic has that hurt the band in making music at all?
Kostas: The pandemic has made our daily lives difficult as citizens but also as musicians. It was very difficult to move around with all the prohibitions that existed and also even more difficult to be able to finish the songs and record and mix our new CD “Arise from the Shadows».
Blackened Horde: What advice would you as a musician give to a fellow musician just starting out?
Kostas: Our advice for new bands who want to enter the very demanding world of music is that they have to work hard on their songs and pay a lot of attention to their sound because the competition is very high.
Blackened Horde: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Kostas: It is early to say that we are preparing songs for our next release because we have given all our attention to the promotion of “Arise from the Shadows”, but to tell you the truth I have recorded some new riffs and I put them aside so that we can use them when the time of our new creation has come.
Blackened Horde: What does the future hold for the band??
Kostas: Our priority for now is the concerts and the promotion of our CD “Arise from the Shadows”, as well as a new music video for our track “Eternal Night”.
Contact them at:
https://www.facebook.com/piranhagreekmetalband/
https://www.instagram.com/piranhagreece/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9jaODzEK7XNFjMwL-TogEg
