INTERVIEW: THE SILENT RAGE

 

Genre: Melodic Power Metal

Country: Greece

Questions by: Nick Parastatidis

Answers by: Nikos Siglidis (Guitars,Vocals) & Nikos Sarbanis (Guitars)

Site: Homepage

1. Can you tell us about the initial vision and inspiration that led to the formation of The Silent Rage in 2006? How did the band’s sound evolve during those early years?

Nikos Siglidis: Well, to be honest the whole thing happened right after a break up with a band that didn’t work out and I want to continue my musical journey. There is a quote that my dear friend Yossi Sassi wrote which says, “I began my life journey from the harbors of music, my destination port is unknown....” and that’s something that characterizes me 1000%. This also has its effect through the evolution of our sound. We always tried to sound better than our previous work and I believe that we have achieved that. From the very first rehearsal demo “Perished in Flames” up to “Nuances of Life”, we are always trying and someone who might follow the band, will feel that.

2. Your first two EPs were self-financed. What challenges did you face during their production, and what lessons did you learn from that experience that you carried into your future projects?

Nikos Siglidis: Well, “The Silent Rage” EP was our first effort and our introduction to the world of recordings, something that we had neverdone before and it introduced us to a more professional way of seeing things. It helped us a lot with our playing, our way of sounding and got us to the next level. The second EP, “Harvester of Souls”, was totally different in regards tonothing being recorded at a professional studio, everything happened in our own home studio. The result might not be the best it could have been, but, again, it was a lesson for the futureendeavors.

3. You had the opportunity to collaborate with notable artists like Apollo Papathanasio and Yossi Sassi on your debut album. How did these collaborations shape the final sound of the album?

Nikos Siglidis: It had to do with the person participating in the album. For example, “Signal of War”, the album intro, composed and performed by Theophilos Kritikos (Feel).

Furthermore, since we were up for an acoustic ballad that Steve Venardo had in mind, ended up being “Shadow Spirit”, I wanted to spice it up a lot and I invited my dear friends, Yossi Sassi from Orphaned land to play oud in the song and Vladimir Reshetnikov from Arkona to play Galician bagpipe and he was the one who added also sopilka (Ukrainian flute), who gave an extra incredible power to the song.

Last but not least, Apollo Papathanasio’s touch on a duet with Steve Venardoon “Sin of A Pilgrim” was something really great! He did what he knows best and he gave an extra boost to the song as well.

The thing is that I wanted to have them all as special guests to contribute their parts and have some great time with having them around. Their touch was unique and put their own efforts to the final sound.

4. What was it like working at Devasoundz Studios with Fotis Benardo and Thanos Jan? Can you share any memorable moments or challenges you encountered during the recording processes?

Nikos Siglidis: It has to do with a lot of inside jokes by Fotis at that time to make us feel more comfortable since we were still rookies. Then that turned immediately the status, turning our stuff sounding more professional. He sure pushed our limits for the best result and he made it, you can tell that! Thanos was really busy at that time and he did take care of the bass recordings if I recall my memory right. His calmness was all we needed. Both guys were exceptional!

5. With the introduction of Michalis Rinakakis and George Haniotakis, how has the band’s dynamic shifted? In what ways do you think new members influence the creative direction of The Silent Rage?

Nikos Sarbanis: Creativity has various forms. George has affected the band in the music creativity, while Michalis changed the vocal character of the band.

6. The “pandemic” affected many artists and the release of new music. How did you adapt to these challenges, and can you discuss how it influenced the writing and recording process of your second album?

Nikos Sarbanis: The COVID era affected the recording procedure negatively as the restrictions in Greece were very strict and we had a few breaks from the recordings. Furthermore, there was a delay in the starting of the recordings due to lockdown.

7. Since the release of “Nuances of Life” in May 2023, you’ve received high praise from the media. What do you believe resonates most with fans and critics about this album compared to your previous works?

Nikos Sarbanis: I didn’t participate in the previous album, but I would say that from the colorful artwork to the music compositions, “Nuances of Life” has a less pessimistic approach, compared to “The Deadliest Scourge”. This is my point of view as a music composer and member of the band, but also as a listener.

8. You’ve played alongside iconic acts such as Stratovarius and Blind Guardian. Which performances have been particularly memorable for you, and what do you enjoy most about playing live in front of an audience?

Nikos Sarbanis: The performance with Blind Guardian and Sabaton on Release Athens Festival was, definitely, the most memorable. The most enjoyful part of performing live, is the interaction with the audience. You can create various feelings in the audience while you are expressing yourself on stage and this reaction of feelings is unbelievable.

Nikos Siglidis: For sure Release Athens festival remains the top one in our career so far. After that I might choose the show that we’ve opened for Destruction in Thessaloniki six years ago and the most recent show in Vienna and Dragon’s Cry VIII Festival. Each show though has its special meaning. From the very first show as an opening act to Shadow Gallery back in 2010 until the last one, it always gives us motivation to move further due to the interaction with the audience. If I personally see people banging their heads on the show, I know for sure that something good is happening. If I see them singing our songs, then I feel like the most blessed man walking the Earth.

9. What are your aspirations for The Silent Rage as you move forward, particularly within your new multi-album deal with Scarlet Records? Are there any specific themes or concepts you hope to explore in upcoming music?

Nikos Siglidis: Simple. Alongside with Scarlet Records who lead us the way, we want to spread our music everywhere we can in the globe. As for the upcoming album we might move into more personal stories, moral corruption in our days and about the ethos that seems to be missing as well. Of course, we will have also imaginary stories as they will never go missing from our stuff.

10. What is your perspective on the current state of the metal scene in Greece, and how do you see The Silent Rage contributing to its evolution?

Nikos Sarbanis: Greece used to adopt music genres from western countries, without further experience on how to evolve them and put them one step forward. Nowadays, there is plenty of experience on various music fields (composers, bands, producers etc). The Silent Rage are doing their best to follow this progress and do their providing music with their own identity.

11. How does it feel for The Silent Rage to be headlining the Ghostlands&Ravenlands Festival 2025? Does the responsibility of performing at such a significant event cause you any anxiety, or do you see it as an exciting opportunity to showcase your music to a larger audience?

Nikos Sarbanis:Ofcourse it is an exciting opportunity for us to showcase our latest album. Personally speaking, I don’t feel any kind of anxiety. I will do my best on my duty behind the guitar/backing vocals and hope the audience enjoy each moment.

12. Among the other bands participating in the Ghostlands&Ravenlands Festival 2025, is there a particular act you’re excited to see perform? What draws you to their music, and how do you think their presence will influence the festival atmosphere?

Nikos Sarbanis: I would be very excited to see once again Dragony. I would love to see their theatrical appearance and all these costumes along with metal melodies.

13. What can fans expect in terms of your setlist at the festival? Will you be incorporating new material or fan favorites?

Nikos Siglidis: We will move forward mostly with fan favorites plus a couple more surprises. Trust me, you don’t want to miss the show!

14. Thanks for your time answering my questions. Please close the interview in any way you like…

Nikos Sarbanis: You’re welcome, Nick! It was our pleasure! We are waiting to see you on 23^rd Of February along with the audience of the webzine. Keep up the good work!!!

Nikos Siglidis: Thank you once again for letting us talk about the band and the festival in this triple Nikos tribe chat (laughs)! We are looking forward to see you all in a few days!