INTERVIEW: DREAMLORD

 

Genre: Heavy/Thrash Metal

Country: Greece

Questions by: Nick Parastatidis

Answers by: Yiannis Glykiotis (Guitars)

Site: Facebook

1.The album's title, "Artificial Imprisonment," immediately grabs attention. Can you elaborate on the specific personal or societal experiences that inspired this theme of digital addiction and modern social alienation?

I think the general stimulus that led us to write about this new form of isolation and imprisonment is the situation that has been prevailing and intensifying in recent years. That is, people are spending a lot of time in front of screens, doing almost everything through a device, and developing online relationships at the expense of physical contact. “Artificial Imprisonment” is perhaps the culmination of this, taking it a step further, as now we have before us a machine that "thinks" like the human mind itself. It’s very interesting and fascinating, but also terrifying at the same time, as we have no idea what tomorrow holds, and the consequences are currently unpredictable.

2.You describe the album as the "darkest, most aggressive and at the same time atmospheric" work you've created. How did you balance the "anger" and "inner struggle" with the "sadness" and atmospheric elements during the writing and recording process?

One thing we like and usually do in our compositions—and it's also characteristic of our first album, “Disciples of War”—is combining heavy and fast riffs with melodic passages or even melodies embedded within the riffs themselves. We follow this pattern in “Artificial Imprisonment” as well, where, of course, the songs are one level more heavy/thrash, and perhaps here, this blend of atmosphere with thrash/gritty riffs makes it even more interesting and atmospherically dystopian.

3.The lyrical content seems deeply personal and introspective. What was the most challenging song to write on this album from an emotional standpoint, and why?

It’s hard to single one out directly, because all the tracks are drawn from both personal and broader experiences that provoke thoughts and emotions we express through the lyrics. Perhaps one of the most intense songs emotionally is “No room for the dead,” which emerged with the central theme of the pandemic and the whole situation that prevailed during those 2-3 years. It tries to express the dystopian emotions we all felt back then, such as fear, despair, threat, and isolation.

4. The press release mentions "sharp riffs, thrash rhythms and heavy melodies that refer to the roots of old-school metal”. Can you name one or two specific old-school bands or albums that served as a direct influence on the sound of "Artificial Imprisonment"?

Exodus – Tempo of the Damned, Slayer – Divine Intervention, Megadeth – So Far, So Good... SoWhat!, Testament – Souls of Black, and of course, old Metallica.

5. How did the band's collaborative process evolve while creating an album with such a specific and intense thematic focus? Was it a different experience compared to your previous work?

Usually, during the composition process, we first write the music and then, in the second phase, the lyrics—though this isn’t absolute. So a song might start from a combination of ideas and riffs, which, when they start to take form, inspire us for the song’s thematic content. On the other hand, there are times when a song starts simply from a title, which is the reverse. I wouldn’t say the composition process differs significantly from our first album, but it definitely happens more naturally and efficiently now, as we are more connected and bonded both as a band and as friends. What’s definitely different, however, is that “Artificial Imprisonment” exudes greater maturity, both musically and in terms of performance.

6. Given that the album is focused on feelings of isolation and being "imprisoned within themselves," how does the live performance of these new songs translate that feeling to the audience?

When what you’ve created excites you personally and you believe in it entirely, it’s easy to convey that feeling outward. We live it, we love it, and we try to deliver it as authentically and well as possible, and I hope we manage that. We’ve also worked hard on our sound, which is equally important. So, the final result is enhanced by the powerful, tight, raw, and atmospheric live sound we strive to deliver. Just to visualize it, we’re happy only when we deliver a nuclear bomb-like sound out there.

7. You're described as "one of the most authentic voices of the Greek metal scene." How do you feel about this description, and what do you think makes Dreamlord's sound so distinct within your local scene?

Well, the style we play is certainly not something new. However, what might have been appreciated and gives us authenticity could be the fact that in both of our albums, we’ve generally stayed true to this style: combining heavy/thrash riffs with tempo changes and variety, as well as enriching it with atmospheric/melodic parts. This might add extra interest compared to 100% classic, raw thrash. Not that we don’t like that too—let’s not get it wrong. That’s why we have some tracks in that style as well. Raw Oldschool Thrash forever.

8. With the rise of artificial intelligence, which is a theme you explore, how do you see technology impacting the future of music creation, and do you feel it's a threat or a tool for artists?

Very interesting question. I believe that artificial intelligence, as well as technology in general, is a wonderful tool that, if used reasonably, can help humans on many levels, including artistic creation. And since we’re talking about music, today it’s much easier to find material that helps you compose a song, study to improve on your instrument, or even record a musical album. So, if technology continues to be used as the “right hand” of the artist, that’s great. The problem, for me, starts when technology reaches the point of composing music itself and replacing human artistic creation. I believe art is a two-way street, meaning it’s not just about the consumption of music by listeners. It’s also about the artist’s need to create and send the messages they want through their creation. There’s a communication between the artist and the audience, which obviously wouldn’t exist if the music was simply created by a machine. Besides, and this is just my personal opinion, that emotional level—the “something” that only a human can subconsciously imbue in their creation and only another human can receive and understand—will always be missing.

9. The album title, "Artificial Imprisonment," and the lyrical themes clearly position technology and AI as a source of modern human struggle. Do you view artificial intelligence as an inherently negative force, or more as a neutral tool whose impact is determined solely by how humanity chooses to use it?

Yes, as I mentioned earlier, technology, like all things, has two sides. We’re not demonizing technology or artificial intelligence in any way, and I do believe that if used properly and in moderation, it will be incredibly useful. However, experience and history have shown that such things are never used solely for good by humanity. This is the point we’re trying to highlight in this album, by presenting this side of the story and also expressing a concern or even a warning about the danger that lurks in this case.

10. "ArtificialImprisonment" is set to release on September 12th. What do you hope listeners, particularly those who feel "imprisoned within themselves" as you mentioned, will take away from this album?

We’re looking forward to this day more than you can imagine! I hope “Artificial Imprisonment”will generously offer 8 compositions of powerful thrash music with sharp riffs and a dystopian atmosphere, cool lead passages, groovy tempos, strong messages, lots of headbanging, and an opportunity to release some energy and break free from the chains that imprison them!