Unverkalt

Unverkalt developed their style by blending post-metal, alternative and experimental aesthetic with a tone of complexity and often confessional lyrics. I now had the chance to talk to the greek newcomer band.

Anne: Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview! How are things going? Are you staying in Greece at the moment? Where exactly are you located?

George: Hello Anne, thank you for having us and showing your interest in our music. We live in Athens, Greece.

"No one ever faced something like this before"

Anne: These are challenging times for all of us. How are you dealing with the Corona crisis?

George: We are fighting our way throughout every day. For the first time as a generation, we are experiencing something that we have never faced before.

It is a tough challenge, and we call everyone to stand and become stronger during those difficult times. We must not back down; we have to get through this to see the sun shining upon us once again.

Anne: You told me that you started your musical journey three years ago and that it is a form of escapism for you. How do I have to imagine this?

"We started this as a musical experiment"

Demetria: This project started three years ago as a musical experiment. We didn't know where it would go and what form it would take back then. Music helped us to feel strong, full and healed. When you express your emotions through the music, something magical happens inside of you. Creating our music helped us in many ways. We discovered new paths within our soul and mind.

Anne: You've released a full-length album in 2020 named "L' Origine Du Monde". Congrats on that! The outcome is quite tasteful! How long did it take you to record it? In times of the pandemic: Did you do it remotely?

George: The composing process took a lot of time. We created some of the tracks in different periods. That's the reason that this album feels like a long journey after you listen to it. And of course, the final development and its completion took place during the first strike of this pandemic.

Anne: You said that the tracks of "L'origine du monde" follow a more anthropocentric character. How do I have to imagine that?

"Every Kind of art is anthropocentric"

George: Human experiences take some form as time ticks. Regarding the artistic world, everything is a matter of colours, shapes, sounds, and vibrations. It depends on the type of art. Every artist transforms human experiences into art. That's why every kind of art is anthropocentric.

Anne: The album is not only a record but an audiovisual experience for your fans. Can you tell me more about it?

George: The idea of accompanying our music with a cinematic character is a direct way to show the world the emotions that dominate our debut. We also want to introduce our listeners/viewers to a hidden world inside our minds and thoughts and that most humans wouldn't dare to speak about.

"We wanted to create a world for human emotions"

In this world, human emotions can expand infinitely or disappear instantly. Some would compare it to an equilibrium between reality and illusion.

But the truth is that when you combine visual and audio experience in one package, the results are excellent and the bond between musicians and audience becomes more robust than ever.

Anne: What's your favourite song on "L' Origine Du Monde"?

George: One of our most beloved songs is "Below the Surface". It takes you through different states and emotions. The journey effect is something you can experience, even in a single song. If there is someone that is not familiar with what our music stands for – that's the song they should go for.

Anne: Are you still working on the promotion for "L' Origine Du Monde" or already working on new songs?

"The promotion for our debut album is pretty successful"

We are still working on promoting our debut album, and we seem to be extremely successful with it! We've just released our brand new merchandise, and after the official announcement on our website, you are the first to share it with the rest of our audience through this interview. Keep your heads up for our upcoming video clips and announcements. We still have some aces in our sleeves for "L' Origine Du Monde".

Anne: What does "Unverkalt" mean? I like how it sounds when speaking it out.

Demetria: Unverkalt means "There's nothing left but cold/ice" The roots of the name come from the Scandinavian Languages. It's a set of anagrams from many different words.

Anne: Who inspires you? Do you have any role models, or are there any artists who you would say influenced your way of making music in any way?

"We love to translate human emotion and behaviour into music"

George: The initial inspiration for us is human society, including its flaws and greatness. We observe and translate the human emotions and behaviour into music with cinematic character – That's our motto.

But if we should refer to straight musical influences, we have to include Cult of Luna, Madrugada, Scott Kelly, Björk – and the post-rock and alternative scene in general.

Anne: Tell me about your plans for 2021!

"We want to play live!"

Demetria: Our plan for 2021 is to get rid of the pandemic and move forward to live shows! At the moment, this might feel like a long-distance until we reach that point (talking about every artist and band).

We have high hopes, and of course, we want to deliver you some new clips and some fantastic new songs in the future.

Speculating is not our thing, but we promise that the next part of our musical journey will be a worthy successor of "L' Origine Du Monde".

Anne: Thank you very much for this interview! It was a pleasure getting to know you!

George: Thank you for inviting us! We hope to talk to you again soon! Let's stay safe and take care of those in need. Save your strength because after this pandemic ends, we will be the winners!

Demetria: Stay positive and confident! Have an amazing and productive year!