Interview with War Possession done by Patrick
1. Hello, please introduce yourself to the readers.
Hailz from the warzone! Here is Vaggelis, vocalist of War Possession. I also do the vocals for Respawn The Plague, a Death Metal band in the vein of old Morbid Angel, Immolation, Angelcorpse, and for Merciless Crucifixion, my older Black/Death Metal band, inspired by horrendous acts like Sarcofago, Blasphemy, Archgoat, Abhorer.
2. When did you start listening to Metal music and who were some of the first bands you were listening to?
It was at the age of 12 in 1992 when some older friend gave me a tape of Iron Maiden's Killer album to listen to. This tape just blew my mind back then and that was it. Some other bands apart from Iron Maiden, that I was listening at my early times as a metalhead was: DIO, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Scorpions, Motorhead, Running Wild, Manowar, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Venom, Metallica, Kreator, Slayer, Sepultura...
3. War Possession formed in 2008. What gave you the idea to start this band? And who would you say are War Possession's biggest influences?
It was one of those nights when we used to meet at a Metal club. So it was that moment while drinking beers and headbanging to a Bolt Thrower's song when Haris, the guitarist, and John, our former drummer, dropped the idea of forming a band to play old-school warlike Death Metal. A couple of days later I proposed the name War Possession to the others, we soon started rehearsing, and so the band was born.
Our main influencies are bands like: Bolt Thrower, Demigod (early), Convulse, Treblinka/Tiamat (early), Terrorizer, Nausea, Asphyx, Incantation, Imprecation and Archgoat.
It was at the age of 12 in 1992 when some older friend gave me a tape of Iron Maiden's Killer album to listen to. This tape just blew my mind back then and that was it. Some other bands apart from Iron Maiden, that I was listening at my early times as a metalhead was: DIO, Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Scorpions, Motorhead, Running Wild, Manowar, King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Venom, Metallica, Kreator, Slayer, Sepultura...
3. War Possession formed in 2008. What gave you the idea to start this band? And who would you say are War Possession's biggest influences?
It was one of those nights when we used to meet at a Metal club. So it was that moment while drinking beers and headbanging to a Bolt Thrower's song when Haris, the guitarist, and John, our former drummer, dropped the idea of forming a band to play old-school warlike Death Metal. A couple of days later I proposed the name War Possession to the others, we soon started rehearsing, and so the band was born.
Our main influencies are bands like: Bolt Thrower, Demigod (early), Convulse, Treblinka/Tiamat (early), Terrorizer, Nausea, Asphyx, Incantation, Imprecation and Archgoat.
4. War Possession is getting ready to release their debut CD Doomed To Chaos through Memento Mori. How did you and the band come in contact with this great label?
It happens to be one of the first labels we got in contact with. Raul, the man behind Memento Mori liked our promo stuff, shortly after he replied to us for the details and that's it. We're proud of being in Memento Mori's roster and we thank and respect Raul for his dedication and support to our underground scene!
5. How long did it take the band to write the music for this debut release? Does the whole band take part in the writing process or does one member usually write everything?
The writing, rehearsing and recording process took place at an extend of several months between Summer 2016 - Spring 2017. Haris is the main responsible for the songwriting process, but we all participate by giving some ideas, until a song takes its final form.
6. Who usually handles writing the lyrics and what are some topics the band wrote about on Doomed To Chaos?
I'm the one responsible for writing the lyrics. The main lyrical influence in the album is of course the chaos of War and its devastating effect to humanity and the world in general. You'll also find some cruel, bloody descriptions to historical battles, and a song about god's existence/inexistence and the ruthless, idiotic consequences of organized religion to human mind.
7. Does War Possession play live very often? If yes, what have been some of the band's most memorable shows so far?
No, we don't play often. In fact we've performed at one gig so far, as part of "Brutality Over Sanity Deathfest" 2013 in Thessaloniki .
8. Are their any tours or shows coming up in support of the debut? If yes, where will the band be playing and who are some bands you will be sharing the stage with?
There aren't any plans about tours or shows scheduled at the moment, but now with the arrival of the debut album, there will be for sure some shows in the near future.
I'm the one responsible for writing the lyrics. The main lyrical influence in the album is of course the chaos of War and its devastating effect to humanity and the world in general. You'll also find some cruel, bloody descriptions to historical battles, and a song about god's existence/inexistence and the ruthless, idiotic consequences of organized religion to human mind.
7. Does War Possession play live very often? If yes, what have been some of the band's most memorable shows so far?
No, we don't play often. In fact we've performed at one gig so far, as part of "Brutality Over Sanity Deathfest" 2013 in Thessaloniki .
8. Are their any tours or shows coming up in support of the debut? If yes, where will the band be playing and who are some bands you will be sharing the stage with?
There aren't any plans about tours or shows scheduled at the moment, but now with the arrival of the debut album, there will be for sure some shows in the near future.
It's the heart and the true essence of our scene. It's where everything began, and where whole Metal genres were born and took life in its purest form. Our underground scene is the one who needs to be supported more, if we want our music to stay alive, and newer bands to continue the legacy. I've been a part of it from the days before internet, when the borderlines between underground and mainstream were more evident than those of today, and we were discovering new U/G bands mainly through tape trading, letter mails and paper fanzines. So, by today's standards and with all the easy, free and fast information and access to knowledge internet can offer, there is no excuse for not trying to find and support new bands, and spread the word in the U/G scene.
10. War Possession comes out of Greece's Metal scene. What is your opinion of the Greek Metal scene?
Well, small country... small scene. Apart from that, it's like any other Metal scene out there more or less. There are those few who supports and care for our U/G local scene, then there are those who are still been hooked on only to the old classics, not giving a shit about newer bands, and the rest of them are those who follow the mainstream and its time's music trend. But despite the minimum local support, the Hellenic scene still continues to generate great bands, and can be proud of its present and future, as for its glorious past.
11. Who are your all-time favorite bands coming out of Greece? And are there any new bands you feel the readers should watch out for?
I'm a huge worshipper of our scene's dark past, and the days of the old of bands like Rotting Christ, Necromantia, Varathron, Thou Art Lord, Agatus, Tatir, Mortify, Zephyrous, Bethor, Fiendish Nymph, Darkest Oath and those old times Hellenic Black Metal scene's distinctive and original sound and atmosphere.
Now about newer bands, there are so many great releases that I like, but I don't want to start mentioning countless names and albums, because I'll forget to mention a lot of them for sure. Instead of this, I'll bring up my personal favorite albums of today's Hellenic scene, in no particular order:
Dead Congregation - Graves Of The Archangels
Nocturnal Vomit - Cursed Relics
Inveracity - Circle of Perversion
Resurgency - False Enlightenment
Crucifiction - Portals To The Beyond
Progress of Inhumanity - Escalating Decay
Slavebreed - Dethrone the Architect
Wargrinder - In Suicidal Triumph
Embrace of Thorns - Atonement Ritual
Wargoat - Genesis Of Epiklesis
Heptameron - Grand Masters of the Final Harvest
Swamp - Underground Manifesto
Necrochakal - Profanation of the Gods
Enshadowed - Messengers of the Darkest Dawn
Empire of the Moon - ����������
Chaosbaphomet - Promethean Black Flame
Sacral Rage - Illusions In Infinite Void
Right now I'm listening to the brand new album of Necrovorous "Plains of Decay" and it sounds fuckin' killer, so give it a listen too.
12. When not working on new music or band business, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
When I'm not listening to music and discovering new bands, I enjoy to fill my spare time playing a lot of video games, reading books, going on trips on my motorcycle and going fishing as often as possible.
13. Thank you for taking the time to fill this interview out. Do you have any final words for the readers?
I have to thank you in return for your interest and support. Our war machine of an album will be unleashed on October 23rd, so War Death Metal maniacs out there, dare to join our devastated battleground and be doomed to Chaos forever!
Label Contacts
http://www.memento-mori.es/
https://www.facebook.com/pg/memento.mori.label/about/?ref=page_internal
Band Contacts
https://www.facebook.com/War-Possession-416122555097944/?ref=hl
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/War_Possession/3540255870
