[this interview was originally printed in Cimmerian Shadows Issue 2; 2012]
When and why did CONVIXION form?
Nick: CONVICTION [for this spelling see below -Ed] were first formed in 2002. We recorded a small promo – 2 tracks – and did some gigs, then we quit. In 2006 we started playing again, with the line-up we still have today. Since then we have released one EP called Metal Drinking Conspiracy, one full-length album called Convixion and two months ago a 7” single called Black Magic Night.
And would you say Black Magic Night is your strongest release so far?
Nick: Even though it isn't a 'classic' CONVIXION tune, because all the other songs that we have are done more in a 'fun' way - you know, we have songs about beers and stuff - but the song came out during one rehearsal, and...
Manos: YES, it's the strongest!
Nick: Some people like it and some people don't like it.
Manos: I think the reaction is overall good; most people like the sound and most people like the track.
Mik: And since we recorded it here [Entasis Studio] it sounds better than anything else we've done.
Nick: Less people don't like the 7” than didn't like the album...
Always a good sign! Am I right that there was a 3 year gap between the first demo and the album? What was the reason for such a delay?
Nick: Well it was a gap between releases, not a gap in the band. We were very active in concerts...
Manos: The tracks were ready for a year before the album was released.
Nick: But another thing, here in Greece we have to serve in the military, it's obligatory for 12 months, and it was my time so I was away for one year. Even so we had many gigs in that period; every time I had a day off we planned gigs.
Another obvious question: can you talk about the influences that affect your most recent songs?
Nick: It's fun because we are four different people, each with his own influences. I guess the standard thing is '80s heavy metal, and if you mix all that you have CONVIXION.
And what about the vocals, as they have quite a raw sound over the '80s style riffs...
Nick: Yeah, I sing like this because I can't sing any other way! [laughs]
Would you say Tim Baker [CIRITH UNGOL] is an influence vocally, as I hear some of his voice in your approach...
Nick: Yes, one of my favourite vocalists of all time!
Have CONVIXION played outside Greece yet, and if so what were those gigs like?
Nick: Yes, many times. Belgium at the Long Live Metal festival, Bulgaria, a small tour with BROCAS HELM playing Norway, Sweden and Finland – a great experience for us – and then we went to Spain most recently.
Mik: Cyprus as well.
Let's talk about the flying V in the new CONVIXION logo – how did that come about?
Mik: Well we had the old logo, and we were always planning on making it better as it wasn't very well drawn. So I made a new one based on the old. And while I was playing on Photoshop after I'd finished the logo, I thought of maybe replacing the 'V' with a flying V. And what was a joke at the start became our new logo!
What Greek bands from the '80s are the most essential in your opinion? I've heard names like RUST, SPITFIRE, VICE HUMAN, VAVEL... but they don't seem very known outside of Greece...
Nick: Yes, all those you mention. SPITFIRE played with SAXON in 1986, and all those other bands made up the Greek scene of the '80s. We love them, but the sad thing is that most of them aren't active any more.
According to the Metal From Hellas documentary [find it on Youtube readers], there was always a heavy metal rivalry between Athens and Thessaloniki. Does this still exist today?
Nick: Not as much...
Manos: It still exists, but not in the way it was 20 years ago.
Nick: It was so silly, I can't understand it, just because we're from different places. I don't know who to blame.
Can you summarise Athens as a destination for heavy metal fans, in terms of shops, bars, etc?
Mik: Well I've travelled all over Europe and I can say that Athens is a very nice place to visit if you're into metal. There are quite a few clubs, and maybe 6 or 7 record shops specialising in heavy metal. And all other shops have a metal section, almost everywhere there's heavy metal! It's very big in Greece.
Much better than London then...
Mik: Definitely better than London!
Another thing that came to Athens was the BROCAS HELM show, which I believe was the first visit of an underground metal band to Greece?
Nick: BROCAS HELM came to Athens for the first time about 10 years ago. Since then they've become very good friends with Greg from Eat Metal Records, and they've visited Greece another two or three times. The last time was part of the tour we did with them.
Their first visit sounds like a legendary party; did you attend?
Mik: I was there. It was their first appearance outside SAN FRANCISCO, let alone the States, so I've been told. It was the start of many bands coming over to Athens, because the people that organised it saw that there was a following for this style of band, so they started bringing more, and more, and more. And now we have concerts in Athens from lots of not-so-famous bands.
What's your opinion of split releases? Are they something you buy yourselves, and something that CONVIXION would consider doing?
Manos: I like split releases, I buy them and I'm into them a lot.
Nick: I was talking last night to the vocalist of RELEASED ANGER – a thrash band from Athens – who released a split with another thrash band from Athens called DEAD CITY, and I told him that I think it's one of the best releases ever in Greece. They're very special and unique bands by the standards of thrash metal, and I bought it without any problems. If we could release a split with another band, especially one that we like, we wouldn't have any problem.
Mik: Normally split albums work for the companies, because they can sell them easier. I like them and I don't like them, but you can get some good music out of them.
So why do you spell CONVIXION with an 'X'?
Nick: CONVICTION with a 'CT' were formed in 2002, then we quit. So we said that for the new beginning we would change the spelling.
Mik: And it works better I think, because if someone wanted to Google us, he would find us quickly. On the other hand, if it was spelt correctly, he would have a lot of other sites to check out before finding us.
Nick: MARKETING stuff! [laughs]
Now... what's the best CIRITH UNGOL album?
Mik: King of the Dead for me.
Manos: I'd say the first two.
Nick: I also like the third album very, very much. I would say that my least favourite is Paradise Lost, but even then it has some killer tunes, like 'Chaos Rising': one of the best songs ever written!
Finally, what's next for CONVIXION? Is another album on the way?
Nick: Yes, we have some demos and have been working through some of our ideas in the rehearsal room. The funny thing is that the 7” is very different from the usual style, as it has a certain atmosphere that many think is like early black metal. We have some more songs like that, and some others that are in the old way (with funny stuff like beers), and we also have some new ideas. We're thinking whether to take a particular direction or make an album with all these songs.
Manos: We'll fix the songs 100%, and then decide which will be on the album.
Nick: We'll have a new release in 2012 for sure.
Mik: And then there's world domination of course...
Manos: Inter-galactic touring!
Nick: We're working all the time – like we had half an hour last night with Manos. It's good, we can record whenever we like.
And we can expect the next release to be on Eat Metal Records again?
Nick: Definitely. Eat Metal Records has helped us from the very beginning, Greg is the biggest fan of CONVIXION.
Mik: Unless someone comes with more money... [laughs] No, forget it!
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