INTERVIEW: ELEMENT ZERO

 

Genre: Alternative Rock with Metal elements

Country: Greece

Questions by: Nick Parastatidis

Answers by: Korina (Vocals), Jacob (Drums) & Tony (Guitar)

Site: Homepage

1. "Element Zero" is a unique and intriguing name. Can you explain more about the concept behind it and how it symbolizes your music?

KORINA: Element Zero is a hypothetical substance, an element which has yet to be actually discovered, theorized to exist in the core of neutron stars. We think it is a fitting symbolization of our music as we consider it a yet undiscovered element, while we ourselves are still exploring the core of our identity.

 

2. Your music blends Alternative Rock with Metal elements. Can you talk about how you balance these two genres and any challenges you face while doing so?

KORINA: What I consider most beautiful in our band is that each of us has very different influences, so we actually balance between multiple genres and this reflects on the end result. It is great because we come up with unique sounds, but can also be challenging in the sense that it is not always possible to keep everyone happy, although we do manage to work through this eventually.

3. Your lyrics delve into inner conflict and socio-political issues. Can you share any personal experiences or specific events that have inspired your lyrics?

JACOB: Inspiration is drawn from emotional overflows caused by either internal struggles or world events. For example, the lyrics for When Everything Is Lost, the last track of our debut EP, were written during my hospitalization a few years ago. Or Outcast was inspired by the incident of George Floyd’s murderback in 2020. In general,we notice that even though we live in a time where information is readily available anywhere, anytime, it seems to be getting harder and harder to establish connections within our immediate communities, and consequently reach out to either seek help for personal issues or come together and rise up against common problems.

 

4. You've released five self-produced singles. What have you learned from the self-production process, and how has it influenced your approach to creating your debut EP?

JACOB: The best thing about being able to self-produce your music is that it gives you the chance to try many different things, be it sounds, frequencies, volumes, or the way you blend the music with the vocals. This is something which has significantly helped us have a clearer concept of what we wanted our debut EP to sound like.

 

5. Without giving too much away, can you give us a sneak peek into your debut EP “A Place in the World”? What themes or stories are you exploring?

KORINA: Without wanting to get too specific, so as to leave things open to interpretation and allow listeners to relate in their own way, we are generally exploring themes of mental health, toxic relationships, and power inequality. We have bothwoven stories within which we hid some real-life issues in our lyrics and written some songs which are directly inspired by personal experiences. Lastly, you will find our cover of Silence by Delerium, the first single out of the EP, and a heavier interpretation of my first ever favourite song.

 

6. Element Zero is set to open for the Ghostlands & Ravenlands Festival. How do you feel about this opportunity, and does the responsibility of being an opening act cause any anxiety?

JACOB: We are very excited and looking forward to playing this gig. It’s a great opportunity for us to play our music on such a historic venue. And what we feel isn’t so much anxiety, but rather anticipation!

 

7. Are you aware of the music of the other bands sharing the stage with you at the Ghostlands & Ravenlands Festival, such as Dragony, I Abyssick, and Mystfall? Is there any particular band from the above you’d love to see more of on stage?

JACOB: Indeed, we are familiar with the other bands’ work, and we are honoured to share the stage with them for the first time. It’s hard to pick a favourite when they have such diverse sounds, however we do have a soft spot for The Silent Rage as their guitarist Nikos is an old childhood friend and we both hail from “Korydallos City”!

 

8. How do you navigate the creative dynamics within the band? Are there specific roles each member takes on during the songwriting and production process?

KORINA: We don’t have hard-set roles, we try to be as equally involved as possible. Generally you can expect either me or Jacob to write the lyrics, and as far as the music goes, usually someone brings a main idea and each one contributes their own part until we have something completed.Pre-recording our own first songs and getting involved with the production was what most shaped our understanding of songwriting and the different aspects involved.

 

9. How important is fan engagement to Element Zero? Do you have any stories where fan interactions have significantly influenced your music or performances?

JACOB: We are slowly and steadily building a following, and we are happy to discover that we are gaining listeners both from our live shows and through the internet. For example, we will always remember the first time a young woman approached us after a small gig to show her appreciation. At the same time, we have been contacted through social media by people abroad who would otherwise be impossible to reach without professional promotion. Their  enthusiasm is a brand new experience for us, and it is truly inspiring and motivating to realize the impact our music is beginning to have.

 

10. How has Element Zero's sound evolved since its formation? Are there any new directions or experiments you’re excited about exploring in the future?

ΤΟΝΥ: Despite the fact that we all personally listen to different genres of rock/metal music in general, we agree collectively that there are some bands that left their mark on us. Through that aspect we started to mold our sound into something that could keep the diversity of the members but, in a way, controlled by some basic principles. The “big” secret is continuous jamming and brainstorming ideas that we sent to each other and that managed to keep our inspiration focused!

 

11. What are your goals and aspirations for the future? Are there any specific projects or collaborations you’re looking forward to?

KORINA: At the moment, we are mainly focusing on preparing for the Ghostlands & Ravenlands Festival. Next up in our plans is writing songs for our next, full length album, while we are looking into playing outside Athens, hopefully even abroad.

 

12. As you continue your journey with Element Zero, what message would you like to leave for your fans and supporters? What can they look forward to in the near future?

ΤΟΝΥ: First and foremost let’s keep the music and the underground scene alive! It is such a fertile ground for our art, and by supporting it we can push the bands to greater things and I believe the scene deserves that. As for us, our love and passion for our art is something that keep our wheels turning and through that new music and exciting projects will occur so stay tuned!