Interview with Enemy of Reality: Join us on this global celebration of music and artistic expression!

Interviews:English
  Van Muylem    18 juli 2016

Some people have a history and some are making history.  Well, Iliana Basileios Tsakirakihas combines both! With her ‘new’ band Enemy of Reality she reaches out for more! We will see her on stage at The Metal Female Voices Fest in Wieze. Be sure: it will be a must see! Now is the right time to ask some questions about the how, with whom, when and what ...


My logic starter when I interview a band for the first time, what’s the meaning of the band’s name? Is there a certain philosophy/idea behind the name?

With this name, we are trying to make reference to the real world and the impact our actions have upon it. On one hand, life is not fair, but this does not mean people have to accept this reality and not try to change it for the better. Sometimes they are their own worst enemy, creating and being responsible for their reality that often is the product of wrong choices.

 How did it all start for you?

The band started out in April 2013. I was the one that brought the guys together, a few months after I left my previous band. We spent the first few months discussing and planning for the future and we started gathering ideas for a demo track. In September, we became more active, recording of our first demo, One Last Try, and launching an Indiegogo (crowd-funding) campaign. At the same time, we did our first rehearsals and entered the studio with plans to finish our first album by May and produce the copies by June. We are all very passionate about music and this passion pushed us to work hard and within a tight schedule and achieve what we have, so far.

 How would you describe your music and style anno 2016?

Symphonic metal with operatic vocals and progressive elements. We hope that the listeners will notice a slight change in our style on the new record, in comparison to our debut album.  The first reason is that songwriting always becomes better the more you write, more mature if you will, and the second reason is that we had a new member in the band, Leonidas on the keyboards after Marianthie 's departure a few months before.

"It is time to reveal to you the album cover of Arakhne, an artwork by Tonymidi Artworks(Paparoach,Asking Alexandria,Suicide Silence,Parkway Drive). The cover illustrates the transformation scene of young maiden Arakhne, into the original spider, by Goddess Athena, as per ancient Greek mythology." Can you unveil more about this? How did it all happen? Who thought about the ideas? What about the lyrics/red line on the album?

We all wanted to make a concept album based on Greek mythology, so that was mutual. As for Arakhne 's myth I don't remember if it was me or Steelianos or Thanos who through it on the table, but I liked the story instantly and convinced the guys to base our new album around that story. So I made a plan on what each track was going to talk about and how the plot would unveil, and Thanos wrote the lyrics. As for the album cover, we knew exactly what we wanted, and described it to Tony, a great artist by the way, and he made it happen!

Will there be more collaborations on the album, like you did in the past?

We have already announced our guests on the new album. We had the honor to work with Jeff Waters (Annihilator), Fabio Lione (Rhapsody) and Chiara Malvestiti (Therion), on different tracks.

Can we expect at least one new videoclip and can you already unveil something?

A video clip is planned to be released but we can't give you a date or other details, as right now it 's more important to us to release a lyric video first!

How was it to work together with Aylin Giménez (on Needle Bites)?

It was great, we first met her during the MFVF 2013, and later on the collaboration came pretty easily. Aylin listened to the song, she liked it and agreed, and after that we wanted to make a video clip for this song so we thought it 'd be nice to have her in it, since she sang it. So we shooted the video together and hanged out a few times, even after she left Greece, at festivals we played together etc. We all love her, she is a wonderful person!

You also worked with Maxi Nil on Step Into The Light.  She's another star from MFVF.  Was the meet and greet in Wieze the trigger or did you meet her on another occasion?

Actually Maxi is one of my closest friends here in Greece, she was many years before we formed our bands or met in festivals and worked together. She is one of my favorite people on the planet.

On My Own Master you worked together with Mike LePond, how did that happen?

Thanos, our bass player was acquainted with Mike LePond. So we thought it would be a nice idea, we contacted him through Thanos, he liked the music and accepted to participate. Nobody agrees to appear as a guest if they don't like the music.

In October you will launch the new album and come back to the Metal Female Voices Fest in Wieze (Belgium), how much of a party will it be and can you already tell us what to expect on stage?

Indeed our new album will be launched in October. I believe we 're all going to have great times there, again. The people are great,passionate and friendly, we already have a lot of friends and plan to make some new ones! You can expect a powerful live show, that will feature some guests sharing the stage with Enemy Of Reality!

In the past you also worked together with Karolina Pacan, is there a chance it will happen again during the 2016 edition of MFVF?

Karolina is one of my dearest friends as well, although we don't live close, we are close and hang out a lot whenever we meet. But a collaboration for this MFVF edition isn't scheduled. Maybe another time, and to tell you the truth, sometimes if something is repeated too many times it loses its uniqueness. But in the future I 'm sure it will happen again!

If one band has to cancel and you have the possibilities to replace this band by one band of your choice, who might it be and why? Or can you throw us some interesting bands you recently met and are worth giving stage at MFVF?

We wouldn't replace a band by another, cause it 's unfair to the people who really want to see that band in the first place. As for interesting bands we've met a lot. Two of them are Rainover and Aonia.

How is the situation in Greece for a band like you? We hear a lot of financial troubles? How hard is it to be a vocal coach during this financial drama? Are there famous people that you coach?

The situation in Europe, and that includes Greece as well, is hard, not just for a band like us, but for everybody. For us specifically things are hard due to the geographical location of Greece, firstly. As moving to other countries to play live is more difficult and expensive than it would be if we lived in, say,  central or northern Europe, in order to promote our music.

It isn't hard for me to be a vocal coach at this time, I can tell that things are more difficult for everybody but I can't complain. There are people with no jobs, no houses, and don't know where the next meal is coming from, or when. So I really am grateful that I can work doing what I love in these times.

As for famous people that I 'm coaching, it depends on what you mean by famous. There are many well- known singers in Greece, from many different musical genres that I 've coached and/or still do.

Do you have a dream that you want to realize before death takes you away from this world?

Yes, to find a way and become immortal! Hahahaha

Which is the artist that had the biggest influence on you that passed away in the last 6 months and why?

No doubt, Lemmy. The man was a living legend, the rock 'n' roll in flesh.

Any last words for the fans and the crowd who will attend the MFVF?

We can't wait to see you all, honestly we 're counting days! Join us on this global celebration of music and artistic expression!

 

More MFVF-related interviews:

interview Mercy Isle

interview Jaded Star

interview Bergtatt

interview Ancient Myth

interview Battlelore

interview Crescent Lament

interview Evig Natt

interview Whyzdom

interview Helcanen Val

interview Skeptical Minds about MFVF

Discover the line-up of the 2016 edition of the Metal Female voices fest in Wieze:

http://www.metalfemalevoicesfest.be

Leaves' Eyes Official with their amazing Viking ship show!

Tarja Turunen

Battlelore (come back!!!)

Spoil Engine

Savn - Official

Artrosis

KONTRUST

WHYZDOM

MaYaN

Crescent Lament 恆月三途

Blackthorn

Mercy Isle (Usa)

Mourning Sun

Tristania

Enemy Of Reality Official

Feridea

Skarlett Riot (Uk)

Ancient Myth