The Loneliest Sound : avril 2016

mardi 12 avril 2016

INTERVIEW : NEW ZERO GOD by Mike Pougounas.

Links :

https://www.facebook.com/NewZeroGodPages/

http://www.newzerogod.com/

https://newzerogod.bandcamp.com/

https://www.reverbnation.com/newZEROgod

https://www.youtube.com/user/newzerogodgr

1. Can you present your band in a few words? When and how did it all begin ? Where are you from and does it have an influence on your music? Did your line up change since the beginning?

My band’s name is New Zero God. I am Mike Pougounas and I do the singing, Harri Stavrakas plays the bass, Akis Nikolaidis plays the guitar and Babis Efthimiou plays the drums and does the programming. There is also John Psimopoulos, our live gig drummer. We play a dark kind of rock’n’roll, which has nothing to do with our native country’s language or popular musical style.

It all started in 2006 in Athens, Greece, when a few of us decided to put together a band for fun. We were playing together before with two other bands: The Flowers of Romance and Nexus. We started playing covers of songs from these former bands of ours, coming up with a new tune every now and then. The first time we were booked for a gig, we had to come up with a name for the band, so we came up with this. People believed this was a Flowers of Romance reunion but it wasn’t. It was the birth of New Zero God and many line-up changes followed to end up with the one I mentioned above.

Pic By Georges Lab

2. How many albums have you already released ? How did you manage to release it ?

We released our first album, “Fun Is A Four Letter Word” in 2010 when our sound engineer played a couple of our tracks for the owner of the indie record label, Puzzlemusik. The album did well and climbed one of the English Goth charts. That was when the English indie label Secret Sin Records offered us the chance to release a mini album titled “Club Bizarre” in 2012 and the full length album “MMXIII” in 2013. Following a 7” single and some digital ones, we released our current album, “Short Tales & Tall Shadows” on March 15, 2016.

----> Cick on each album to listen it and buy it directly on the bandcamp of NEW ZERO GOD !

3. Can you tell us more about your very new release « Short tales & Tall shadows » ? Inspiration ? Who write the lyrics ? The music ?

I produced all of the albums I did with my bands since I was with the Flowers of Romance, except one. “Brilliant Mistakes”, the final Flowers of Romance album, was produced by Wayne Hussey. When I took the producer’s seat for New Zero God, I pushed things into a certain direction. Our first album was mostly a post punk album and the next one moved towards a dark place. “MMXIII” started with a piece I wrote, which was inspired by “La Révolte des anges” by Anatole

France

and moved on from there without being consistent to an atmosphere. That album helped us appear on the English movie, “Athens Drift”, where the band played our track “In Dreams We Trust” and I had a part in the movie as a street philosopher.

The new album, “Short Tales & Tall Shadows” opens with a tune inspired by my favorite E.A. Poe story and never leaves this macabre atmosphere. The CD version of the album ends with the sound of rain, a church bell and ravens. It is an obvious hint… E.A. Poe – The Raven… the final track is called “Ouroboros” (an ancient symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail). A full circle.

The vinyl edition has some different tracks and closes with a different song…

I wrote the lyrics (except one… the “My Reaper” lyrics were written by Anna Psarreas) and all the band members wrote the music. Okay, sometimes I write a little more than the other band members…

---> Click on the album to listen and buy !

4. What are your favorits artists and how do they influence your music ?

Oh that is a list that would take a book to mention them all. But I’ll try to make it a little more specific: I like the work of many artists in the sense that you hear a song on the radio and you go like, “Oh! I wish I was the one who wrote this song…” I think it happens to all musicians. What I like the most is to deconstruct a song. To check the structure and to try to reveal how the composer’s mind worked while it was being written. This influences me. The sounds on each track, the sound effects of each instrument… Music is a never-ending book to read. The Mission influenced me. The Southern Death Cult, Death Cult and The Cult. The Damned. Japan, Erik Satie, The Cure, Killing Joke, King Crimson, Nine Inch Nails, The Lords of The New Church… New Zero God is musically influenced by a list of musicians from all ways of life. The open-minded spirit of the band, though, has deep roots in the punk rock ethos, thanks to which I am doing music all these years. It started with the Sex Pistols and The Clash and opened gazillions of doors in my mind, helping me release 10 albums so far.

5. Are you planning a tour for this year ? Touring seems quite hard these days ? How do you manage with that ? What do you think about that ?

We played in

Italy

last year and when we came back we started working on “Short Tales & Tall Shadows”. Being on the road creates camaraderie among band members, with memories to cherish mixed in with lots of laughs. Being on stage is party time for the musician. We have to be on stage and share the fun. We connect with old friends and find new ones. I believe that the audience is a musician’s best friend.

We booked a few shows in

Greece

for this season. Touring outside

Greece

has to wait for awhile. New Zero God is a DIY band. We work on everything ourselves. Plus, touring is difficult ‘cause people have financial problems everywhere. We are planning to tour abroad next year. It wouldn’t be bad doing so this year, but, being realistic, next year is more plausible. So it is one year releasing an album and playing in our country, and next year playing abroad… It would be nice to visit

France

for a few gigs, and we hope to have that opportunity!

Pics by Fabiovezzani and Georges Lab

Thank you very much for this interview!

Thank you very much for your support!!!

Mike Pougounas

Thank you very much Mike Pougounas for answering so quieckly to my questions and also for your support and friendship !

Karo

Some REVIEWS of new album "Short Tales & Tall Shadows" (taken on the official website of NEW ZERO GOD) :

21 MARCH 2016 - FIRST REVIEW - "SHORT TALES & TALL SHADOWS"
The first review is up on our newest studio album, "Short Tales & Tall Shadows", and, we must say, we're quite flattered. Click HERE to read the full review by Subexistance. Don't forget to leave your stars at the bottom!

09 APRIL 2016 - NEW REVIEW AT TERRA RELICTA
Very nice review from Tomaz at Terra Relicta. Thank you for your kind words! "Short Tales & Tall Shadows is more emotional than anything done before by New Zero God. The strong reverberate bass guitar is more primal, it has…" Click HERE for the review.

09 APRIL 2016 - NEW REVIEW AT TOMATRAX
Another lovely surprise-find tonight ... One more review for New Zero God's "Short Tales & Tall Shadows". "This is an amazing album full of atmosphere, passion and feeling as the music drags you off to somewhere dark and bleak!" Click HERE for tomatrax.

10 APRIL 2016 - NEW INTERVIEW AT EYEPLUG MAGAZINE
Thoughts and feelings exposed... Eyeplug Magazine interviews Mike Pougounas of New Zero God with the Dozen Questions! Go on... you know you should... :) Click HERE for the DozenQ!

For more news go on NEW ZERO GOD official website :

http://www.newzerogod.com/news.html

dimanche 10 avril 2016

New releases for spring 2016 !

Some interesting new releases this month, from bands that are aired on THE LONELIEST SOUND SHOW !

NEW ZERO GOD

"Short Tales & Tall Shadows"

Formed in 2006, New Zero God was founded in Athens, Greece, mainly by members of the established goth/post-punk band, The Flowers Of Romance. They have released the albums “Fun Is A Four Letter Word” (2010), “MMXIII” (2013), and “Short Tales & Tall Shadows (2016). New Zero God has also released the mini-albums “Club Bizarre” (2012) and “Zona Pericolosa” (2015), which was recorded live in Italy, as well as the 7″ single “Destination Unknown/Forever Today” (2013).

The 15th of march they have officialy relased their very new album « Shorts tales & tall shadows » that is available now on their bandcamp page !

" Short Tales & Tall Shadow is a collection of darkened stories expressed through ten quite theatrical tracks [...] This album is absolutely darker than their previous two, as well it's a bit more psychedelic ..."

Read more here :
Terra Relicta Review of "Short Tales & Tall Storie"

SAIGON BLUE RAIN

"Noire Psyché"

Saigon Blue Rain is a French duo of ethereal wave formed in 2012, they have released their first EP « Stupid Bitch Reject » in march 2013, and then first full album « Why I don’t see » in september 2014, and their very new album « Noire psyché » is out now since the end of march ! They have also launched last month a crowdfunding campaign on Kisskissbankbank to go on tour in Germany and switzerland with The Beauty of Gemina, and as they reached their goal they will go peacefully on tour next september !

Discover now their new release "Noire Psyché" !

VLIMMER

EP's III & IIII

Vlimmer is a solo project of Alexander Leonard Donat from Berlin (Germany), who is also involved in other bands and is the owner of the record company Blackjack Illuminist Records.

The incredible project of 18 EPs started in march 2013 (in 2013 the 6 first Eps are recorded) and the first released began in october 2015 with EPs I & II. The 15th april 2016, the EP's III & IIII will be officialy released on the bandcamp of Vlimmer. The EPs are purposed in very limited edition Box Set.

The Sound Of Confusion from the UK writes: "Vlimmer creates a hostile environment with his music, and that makes it quite compelling, a bit like opening a door marked "Do Not Enter" just out of the sheer curiosity to break the rules."

AMAUTICA

"Rectificando el sueno"

Amautica is an Occult rock band from Buenos Aires (Argentina) formed in 2008.

First album in 2010 "El oscuro toque de lo impersonal", they released then a EP "El Centro Secreto" in 2012.
The upcoming album "Rectificando El sueno" will be released the 22th april 2016 ! You can already listen the first extract on the bandcamp of the band.

Revue de presse/ Press review : THE INSIGHT.

Last september, THE INSIGHT have officialy released their 3rd album "White Noise" independantly, but supported by 2 records companies : SWISS DARK NIGHTS and MANIC DEPRESSION RECORDS.

Links to listen, discover and buy :

Manic Depression Records - THE INSIGHT "White Noise"

SWISS DARK NIGHTS bandcamp - THE INSIGHT "White Noise"

THE INSIGHT bandcamp

In 2015, after a year of troubles with their first record company, THE INSIGHT came back unsigned and managed to release their album after a crowdfunding compaign. During all the promotion of the album and up til now, they have had plenty of airplays around the world on many radios and a lot of articles, reviews and interviews. They also finally won THE DARK MUSIC AWARDS on Terra Relicta Magazine on january and "White Noise" became best dark album of 2015 !

Listen The Loneliest Sound Show n°7 , special The Insight "White Noise" release party !
THis show includes many songs of the new album of The Insight "White Noise" , but also songs from the last 2 albums "Into the Fall" and "Hidden things" .
It also includes many bands that support THE INSIGHT and that they wanted to thank in this show !

You can also discover an interview and lots of songs of THE INSIGHT on FASCHING ROCK SHOW special by Diane Fasching !
2 great shows to listen !

Last interview of leader Gaets on Terra Relicta (Click on pic to read it) :