HYPNOS started sometime in 1996 and after various line - up changes they finally managed to release their debut demo sometime in 1997, called "Arcane Moon". The first thing that you will notice when reading their lyrics is that HYPNOS` music is something like a soundtrack to H. P. Lovecraft`s works because simply all the lyrics are based on them! The musi,c which is mostly based on synths, is very emotional and dreamy thus it could be definately be Lovecraft`s fave one too!!! Mephistopheles recently withdrew from the band. He told me that they now plan to release another demo which will be musically (and probably lyrically too) completely different from "Arcane Moon".


"The search of Aira"

HERE WE HAVE A HYPNOS INTERVIEW ANSWERED BY MEPHISTOPHELES (BASS / VOCALS / LYRICS) JUST BEFORE HIS "DEPARTURE" FROM THE BAND (INTERVIEW TAKEN IN 6 / 6 / 97)!

1) HAIL MEPHISTOPHELES! HOW`S LIFE?
Hail Evil Dark. Life is as usual boring and the same thing seems will remain today. I don't like life.

2) YOU RECENTLY RELEASED YOUR DEBUT DEMO WITH COOPERATION WITH DEMONION PROD. WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE SO FAR?
Well some copies are already gone. We have had a very good review at the hellenic Metal Hammer. Anyway, don't forget that "Arcane Moon" is a recent release and I hope that with our promotion we will get a good response from the scene.

3) JUDGING FROM YOUR BAND`S NAME AND FROM THE LYRICS` CONTENT YOU SEEM VERY INFLUENCED FROM LOVECRAFT`S ACTIVITIES. HOW SO?
Yes in a lyrical and in a more musical expressional way, we are influenced by H. P. Lovecraft. For me Lovecraft is the best trip out of this miserable world. His writings mean a lot to me and since I'm very influenced by him as an author and poet it would be silly to avoid his influence within the band.

4) WILL YOU CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE WITH THE SAME WAY?
Yes, HYPNOS will follow the same path lyrically. Musically the songs will be more thrash influenced but still experimental and atmospheric.

5) SUMMONING DOES THE SAME BUT INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH LOVECRAFT, THEY DEAL WITH J. R. R. TOLKIENWHAT DO YOU THINK?
I don't care what others do, if that don't disrespects me and my beliefs, so I don't care about SUMMONING. Anyone can do whatever he wants. "Do what thou wilt,and this shall be the whole Law". Tolkien hides a great world within his writtings which I like but not as Lovecraft and others.

6) HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THY MUSIC? WHICH ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
We describe HYPNOS' music as Oneiric Gothic Occult Arcane Black Metal. It might look trendy to many but I don't care. We don`t like to name it with an earthly name because HYPNOS plays arcane music! As about our influences are CRADLE OF FILTH, EVOL, DEAD CAN DANCE, ELEND, ZEPHYROUS and others.

7) WHICH ARE THE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
We are planning the release of the"Legions Of THe Moon" cd. We are looking for a label but if no one is interest to us we will release it under a cassette lp form. There are already six new tracks.

8) DO YOU PLAN TO GIG?
No, HYPNOS is not a live band. We'll need additional members like more 2 keyboardists plus one more guitarist.

9) WHAT ARE YOUR BELIEFS? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE OCCULT? This is a personal point that requires a lot of conversation and I must tell you that I don't like when people know about my beliefs. Anyway many of you out there would say that I deny to talk about that `cause i got a lack of knowledge about the occult but I don't care what they may say.

10) WHAT`S YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE ANCIENT HELLENIC PAST, MYTHOLOGY AND CULTURE?
I like everything within the word "ancient". Especially i like very much everything about ancient Hellas. Hellas has offered many things to other civilizations from art to tongue, to religion, to phylosophy and so on... I believe that the ancient hellenic paganism hides inside of it the values of the human race.The sad is that all this ancient majesty and culture has been destroyed by the christians. I believe that the true hellenic spirit is hidden well inside the ancient hellenic way of living, heathenism. In such ages,people were straight, there was honour there was everything... For the finale I believe that the ancient past of Hellas was the best period of our cilivization...

11) ONCE HERCULES FACED TWO WOMEN IN A CROSS - ROAD. THE ONE WOMAN WAS OF EVIL SPIRIT AND THE OTHER OF VIRTUE. WHICH PATH WOULD YOU FOLLOW AND WHY?
I would follow the path of Kakia (the woman of evil spirit). Just see it symbolic and deeply. I won't expain why.

12) WELL, I WOULD JUST RAPE THESE TO CHICKS!!! HA! HA! HA! ANYWAY, WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES DO YOU HAVE APART FROM THE BAND?
Speaking of me, I'm concentrated to some things which I wish not to list. All the members of HYPNOS have almost the same activities out of the band but the very common activity for all of us,is that we're finishing high school.

13) TELL US SOME MORE ABOUT THE SCENE IN YOUR PLACE. I CAN SEE MORE DEATH METAL BANDS THAN BLCAK METAL BANDS! HOW SO?
The scene is growning throughout the time. Many bands appear, some are good some aren't and I'm not here to say which are good or not because it is a subjective choise. About the fact that death metal bands are more than the black ones, I can say that the world - wide black metal trend is ending. Black metal will become as in the past: "music for the few".

14) THAT`S ALL GIVE US YOUR FINAL WORDS.
First of all, a big and eternal THANKS for all your support Alex. Continue to support the underground, it needs true people like you. Secondly if anybody is interested in HYPNOS he is welcome to write. "Arcane Moon" demo '97 costs 5$ from my address or from DEMONION Prod. Labels and `zines get in touch for promo stuff.
"...and as the rain falls upon the misty forest the cult of the Secret is lying in Eternity...."

CONTACT ADDRESS
John Zikidis (Mephistopheles),
Moschonision 17,
Depo 54655,
Salonica,
Hellas