Interview with ARCTIC OCTOPUS
!!!HEAVY/DOOM METAL FROM GERMANY!!!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
Tell us a few things about ARCTIC OCTOPUS (Members, Starting Year etc).
Dennis: Viktor (guitar, vocals) and me (bass) already knew each other through our time in the thrash metal band "Eliminator". A few years ago we both met again to jam. At first we only played cover songs, but relatively quickly we came up with our own creations, so we looked for a drummer and Nils joined in 2020. After that we used the time during the pandemic to get together and wrote song after song.
You have recently released your album ''Rise Of The Octopus''. What is the feedback from your audience as well as from the press?
Dennis: After we presented the songs live for the first time in September this year, we were happy and stunned about so much positive feedback. Especially because we recorded the songs ourselves in the rehearsal room, mixed and mastered them at home. So it has for us rather the status of a demo album. But from our point of view the sound quality is quite good for a DIY recording.
Label or DIY and why?
Viktor: So far we don't have a label. It would be great to get a good deal. I would love to record in a professional studio. On the one hand it enhances the songs and on the other hand the studio experience makes you a better musician. It would be cool not to have to worry about certain technical things, so we could focus more on songwriting. But I'm also a bit of a tech nerd, so it's fun for me to deal with als these recording stuff. I learned a lot in this whole recording process
Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
Nils: To release our music on vinyl is our dream. It is, in our opinion, the highest quality medium for music. Every vinyl lover knows the ceremonial feeling, when you put the record on the plate, start it and then hear the first crackle. Just to sit down in the armchair, listen to the music and look at the big cover artwork is pure magic.
Your music style is Heavy/Doom Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
Viktor: My guitar playing is probably most influenced by Black Sabbath. I started guitar playing with Sodom and Kreator riffs. But I also remember exactly when I discovered Witchfinder General and Pentagram, I thought instantly that this is the direction I want to go as a musician.
Which things do you think a Band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future for your Band?
Dennis: A lot of time. But at no point have we ever thought we were making a sacrifice. Heavy metal and music in general is one of the most awesome things this life has to offer. There is no better way to use your time on this planet, than drinking beer and having fun with people who are also burning for music.
Describe your ideal live show as a performance Band. Have you already experienced that?
Viktor: The perfect gig for us would be when we manage to carry the audience along with our songs and our performance. When we feel that the emotions that we express with our songs come across, everyone has fun, bangs along, sings along and dances. Yes, at our first gig we already got a little taste of that.
Which attributes, do you think, that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
Nils: I think we are unique because as a band we don't assigned ourselves to any subgenre. One of us comes up with an idea and we just see what comes out of it. That's why it's hard for us to say which music genre we belong to. We prefer to leave this assessment to the audience and the press. And I find it super interesting what people identify us with. From David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Pagan Alter to Blaze Bayley we have heard the most different feedback. Whereby we wonder in which state of mind the person was who heard David Bowie out, haha.
Do you believe that Digital Platforms help the new Heavy Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a Band to promote its work?
Nils: Yes, definitely. It's really easy today, without a label or promoter, to present your music to a worldwide audience. The problem is to stand out from the crowd. Our intention is to get attention through live gigs. And if the audience likes us, we want to give them the opportunity to listen to our songs on all streaming platforms. And it works. In the end you became aware of us through the internet!
Tell us a few things about the New Underground Metal Scene in Wuppertal, Germany (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
Viktor: We're blessed living here in this area. Many legends of metal come from our immediate area. Accept, Regicide, Uli Jon Roth, Doro, Kreator, Sodom just to name a few. Until today there is a strong scene culture in Wuppertal and the neighboring Ruhrpott. There are super many cool underground bands that come from this area: Chapel of Disease, Obscurity, Ketzer, Messerschmitt, Attic, Vulture.
Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Viktor: I thought for a long time that one of my favorite bands Hällas is a Greek band, until I spoke with them after a gig in Essen and they have taught me better. Joking apart. No, to be honest we are not very familiar with the Greek scene. I know the "Up the Hammers" festival. I would love to go there some time. Some current bands that we celebrate from Greece are Naxatras, Acid Mammoth and 1000Mods.
What are your future plans?
Nils: First of all we need a second guitarist. If a capable guitarist from around here reads this interview, he is welcome to contact us! Furthermore we wish that our demo/LP "Rise Of The Octoups" will be liked by the people and that we get some gigs and outreach with it. Our goal is to become good live musicians and to inspire people at concerts and festivals. Not only here in the surrounding area, but best in the whole world.
Thank you very much for your time & Keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Nils: First of all a big thank you to Filthy Dogs Of Metal Fanzine for this interview! We thank you for giving underground and newcomer bands the opportunity to present themselves to the world. And who knows, maybe with your help we will manage to play in Greece and get to know the Greek metal scene! Cheers!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
ARCTIC OCTOPUS CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084589123789
https://www.instagram.com/arcticoctopus/
https://arctic-octopus.bandcamp.com/album/rise-of-the-octopus