Summon: How did the band get started?
Astraeos: I think it was summer of 2009 when I captured the idea, and till the end of the year I had my first recorded song for Morbid Fog.
Summon: What kind of music do you play?
Astraeos: I had started with pure, raw black metal, but now, as you can listen to the newer songs, I’ve enriched my music with more ambiance.
Summon: How has the fan response been?
Astraeos: At the beginning was very difficult to promote my music ‘cause the only way I had was social networks and a few friends interested for black metal. Now and after some releases much more people are interested about Morbid Fog.
Summon: Where did the band name come from?
Astraeos: No lies, I’ve inspired the name from another band, Morbid Anal Fog. From the first time, I thought that was the perfect name.
Summon: Introduce the band members and what they do in the band.
Astraeos: Morbid Fog started as a solo project and I’ve never had any thought to make it full band. Some friends will join as session musicians in case of a live show, some artists also will be featured at the recordings(for example guest vocals in a song from the upcoming album by Gareth from Mortuus Caelum, Diabolical Principles and Dizziness). Maybe I’ll be in a band one day but MF will remain as a solo project.
Summon: Who writes the music? Lyrics? And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Astraeos: All music ideas are mine. The lyrics are written by me and occasionally by some good friends. The basic idea is based in Ancient Greek Paganism and Mythology, Necromancy and Black Arts. I also like to use ancient hymns of Orpheus, and nihilistic, pessimistic poems by Kostas Karyotakis and various Greek poets.
Summon: What is your view in Satanism and Occultism?
Astraeos: In my first songs I had some satanic influenced lyrics but I am not convenient to tell something about Satanism I think. As I said my influences are based in Ancient Greek Darkness, which is linked with the “Greek version” of Occultism.
Summon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Astraeos: Till now I have released a full length, an EP, a best of double CD, two split CD’s and the first demo tape. The full length will be re-released on tape soon. The second full length “Archaegono Skotos”(in Greek means Primordial Darkness) will also be released on tape soon as well as the CD version in the early 2013.
Summon: Tell me about some the songs on the latest CD?
Astraeos: The upcoming album is a concept album, narrates the trip of a soul from death to the last part of underworld. The music is more ambient than the older releases ‘cause I preferred to capture a primordial, a dark feeling.
Summon: Do you have any side projects?
Astraeos: I have one heavy metal side project/band but we’re only performing, we don’t have any stuff yet. I also have a solo project too, in the sounds of depressive black/doom metal.
Summon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Astraeos: With no doubt, Burzum is the master of my ambiance as well as Kawir, my best Hellenic black metal band with ancient Greek influences. My music also has many elements from Acherontas, Satanic Warmaster, Darkthrone and Nargaroth.
Summon: What do you think of the US Black Metal/Death Metal scene?
Astraeos: Regarding US Black Metal scene, I think that’s one of the biggest scenes all over the world. Moreover some of the greatest bands/projects(Judas Iscariot, Demonic Christ, Weltmacht, Grand Belial’s Key, Xasthur, Kult ov Azazel) are from America. As for Death Metal, my knowledge range is not sufficient although I can distinguish the bands Six Feet Under and Cannibal Corpse.
Summon: What do you think of the Overseas scenes?
Astraeos: The greatest(???) black metal scene, Norwegian, for me is so overvalued due to murders and churches’ burning. Of course some of the world’s biggest band are Norwegian, but more and more less good or extremely bad bands can find “open doors” only ‘cause they have the label “Norwegian”.
Summon: What are some of new favorite black metal/death metal bands?
Astraeos: This period, I am listening to Hellenic scene. Some relatively new bands I like a lot are Dizziness, Aasgard, Windstorm, Wolfhowl and the awesome death metallers Veil from Greece too.
Summon: When do you guys plan on writing any new material?
Astraeos: As I said before, there are some releases on the run and now I’ve started writing some new stuff for a new EP and for a 4-way split.
Summon: What does the future hold for the band?
Astraeos: As many stuff I can release and a live show in the near future.
Contact them at:
http://www.facebook.com/morbidfog
http://www.myspace.com/morbidfog
http://www.reverbnation.com/morbidfog
