Interview with SUICIDAL ANGELS

Hi Nick! Congratulations on the upcoming release of your new album, “Profane Prayer”! What can fans expect from this album in terms of its sound and themes?
Hey Stanley, thank you very much for your nice words and comments on our new album. They can expect a furious SA album, based on our roots but always and as usual we try to add new stuff, new elements and always to deliver some surprises. I believe that we managed to do it again. The sound is straight and in your face but always some differences from song to song, in order to add all the necessary to the personality of the song.

“Profane Prayer” marks your return to Nuclear Blast Records. How does it feel to come back to the label, and what do you think this partnership brings to the table for Suicidal Angels?
First of all, feels like returning home. NB is a huge label, a worldwide network, huge internet and real time promotion. Generally speaking, we hope for a great partnership that will help the band grow even bigger in already existing markets and help us expand to newer markets for us. I really believe that we will have a great future ahead.

Can you delve into the inspiration behind the first single “When the Lions Die” and its significance within the album?
It is the first single and it is the opening track of the new album. Well, for us it is not an easy task to decide which will be the first single or the second etc. Even the tracklist sometimes is difficult to decide. It is quite a special song, construction-wise is a bit different than the way we used to write music. The whole album is a bit different based on what we used to do but of course in the borders of thrash metal and without changing our identity or style.

“Profane Prayer” features nine brand-new tracks. Are there any particular songs on the album that hold special significance to you personally, and if so, why?
I can’t pick one song. They are all my babies so as you understand I can’t say that I like this more than that. It is always a very difficult question to answer, even for previous albums.

With four years since your last album, “Years Of Aggression,” how has Suicidal Angels evolved musically and lyrically during this time?
We always try to evolve and move forward with every album that we create. It’s not an easy task, since we have reached already to the 8th album. It’s difficult not to repeat yourself but in the end of the day, we managed to create an album different from the others but still with the SA identity on it.

How do you see the band’s role in shaping the contemporary thrash metal scene?
We belong to the modern generation of thrash, let’s say in the second generation. I believe that we played a major role in to the so-called thrash revival, along with Municipal Waste, Legion of the Damned and other bands. I believe that we add another piece to the history of the modern thrash metal scene and we are really happy about this. We hope we will continue being present in the next years, with many more good albums to deliver to our fans.

Looking back at your journey since forming in 2001, what have been the most significant challenges and milestones for Suicidal Angels?
Our whole journey has been a huge challenge. It’s not easy nowadays to have a band, the amount of bands out there is huge, so it’s not very easy to stand out and even more challenging is the fact to be present, alive and delivering albums on a steady basis. There have been of course milestones on this journey but there are quite lots of them. There have been a lot of exceptional moments and stuff to remember, each one of them for a different reason. Who can forget our participation in the Sonisphere in Greece, opening for Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax or opening for Slayer on the last show in Greece or our first signing with Nuclear Blast back in 2009 or… a lot of remarkable stuff and I’m really glad that we had the opportunity of living such moments.

How do you typically approach writing and composing new music?
The whole procedure has been the same throughout all the years. I bring in the main ideas and we do the cooking along with the guys in the rehearsal room. Of course some of the songs never make it to the album but they end up in the trash can. Because if something doesn’t make us headbanging in the studio how is it going to make our people headbanging?

You’ve toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and South America. How do different audiences respond to your music, and are there any memorable moments from your tours that stand out to you?
People receive our music with open hands and ears. The responses are great and the welcome from people all over the world is unbelievable. Of course we still have many more places to explore and we are optimistic that we will make it to those markets with this album. We are totally excited and thrilled to manage and conquer more and more places!

How do you prepare for your shows, and what do you hope audiences take away from your live performances?
The preparation is the same as usual, rehearsal and rehearsal and again rehearsal. Sometimes it gets a bit boring, playing over and over the same songs but like this, we keep the level of the band’s tightness at a high level. We hope that people who come to our shows, on their way out, they leave with a huge smile, happiness and some bruises from the moshpits haha. And of course with new shirts, hoodies and all the stuff that we carry along in our merch booth.

How do you reflect on your journey from “Eternal Domination” to now, and how has the metal scene in Greece evolved over the years?
It’s been a long journey, with lots of ups and downs but nothing serious to complain about. To be honest, I haven’t realized how the time passed since back then, it flies indeed. In the last years the meal scene in Greece has been growing bigger and bigger. Like I have said in other interviews as well, there are really good Greek bands in all types of metal music. And personally, I am really happy to see more and more bands to break the borders and participate in festivals and tours abroad.

You’ve had the opportunity to tour with bands like Kreator and Slayer. How have these experiences influenced Suicidal Angels’ approach to music and performance?
As I mentioned before, all these big bands have influenced us in a lot of ways. Not only music-wise but also in performance and also in terms of organizing etc. It’s always cool to learn from the bigger and more experienced ones.

As a band that’s been together for over two decades, what do you think has been the key to Suicidal Angels’ relevance in the metal scene?
The key has been our passion for the music and our dedication. It needs a lot of time and a lot of effort to manage to handle all the difficulties that come up. But it doesn’t matter, there are difficulties anyway in all aspects of life. Our dedication I believe in dedication, persistence and of course the high quality of music that we try to keep at a certain level, in every album and all times.

Beyond music, are there any other art forms or sources of inspiration that influence your creative process and lyrical themes?
Of course, there are. I love reading books, I love listening to other styles of music. Especially reading books of philosophy, sociology and psychology. Of course all these are connected and they have common ground and it is incredible to be able to find all these common stuff and also change the way you see every day life in a way. Apart from the music, they have also a personal effect and this is somehow magical.

What new horizons or creative endeavors do you envision exploring in the foreseeable future? Thank you for your time!
To be honest, I am not able to see or plan something for the future, because as it is well known, when man makes plans, the universe is laughing. It is not pessimistic or anything like that, it is simply realistic. The only thing that I wish for the future is safety, health and prosperity for every one out there! Thank you for this interview as well, wish you all the best and see you all out there on the road.