Athens based fusion metallers Endsight, spoke to HeartbeatInk Tattoo Magazine about their aggressive and melodic music style, their emphasis on live performances, their latest album "A Vicious Circle" and their tattoos.
When were Endsight formed and how has your musical journey been so far?
Endsight formed five years ago. There have been many ups and downs until today. We did some gigs in Greece and Skopje in 2009 along with Plague Mass and we released our first full length album, “To A Falling World”. Following that, in 2010, we got a second guitar player, different vocals and bass and started writing new material while at the same time we did many gigs with Greek bands and with bands from other countries. We entered the studio in 2012 to record our second full length album, “A Vicious Circle”. It was first released electronically just before the end of 2013 and then in “physical” form in January 2014.
What sort of music do you play?
Melodic death / thrash metal!
Why did you choose that music genre?
We didn’t actually choose it… It is a mix of all the influences each of us has and we just “knitted” it together in a room full of intensity and love of music.
What are your influences?
Mainly metal and anything surrounding that kind of music, like punk, thrash, death, hardcore, crust and more...
What is the style of your last record “A Vicious Circle” and what are your expectations?
The style is aggressive – melodic metal with Endsight’s touch. Our expectations are “simple”: doing live gigs, releasing records and making people jump around to our music.
You recently changed the band’s line up. How did that come about?
That happened because the guys couldn't give themselves 100% to the band due to professional reasons, which we completely understand since the situation in Greece isn’t the best, especially when you constantly have to invest your own money and time as well to the band. Endsight are now at their best ever and you will see that first hand when you get the chance to see us live!
Which moments of your journey so far stand out the most for you?
Our gig at the RockWave Festival in 2013, the video clip for our song “Circles of Inferno” and our full length album “A Vicious Circle”.
What are your plans for the immediate future?
Live gigs, new compositions and more live gigs (laughs).
How does the Greek music scene treat its bands and how do the bands treat the scene?
Everyone does whatever they can and that goes for the bands and the concert promoters – organisers. From that point onwards it depends on the quality and how much work has been put into what you do. That’s what makes you stand out.
How many of you have tattoos?
Four out of five. I mean everyone except Grigoris. His mummy doesn’t allow it (laughs).
Billy, how many tattoos do you have? Could you describe them for me?
I have seven tattoos. My newest one is Conan the Barbarian on the inside of my left arm by Ozone (Nico Tattoo Crew Athens). It is my favourite film and also the best soundtrack of all time written by Vasilis Polidouris.
I have the phrase “The best is yet to come” a little further up on the same arm which is also the title of the song that plays when you complete Metal Gear Solid No1. I was really hooked on that song by Aoife Ni Fhearraigh when I first heard it in 1988 and I have wanted to get it tattooed ever since I first started getting ink done.
On top of that phrase I have some sketches by my favourite sketch artist Joe Madureira which depict a knight saying bidding farewell to his wife before his goes to battle, again by Ozone, which connect to a dragon I got back in 2002 by Jay of Medusa Tattoo.
I have a stone angel on my back which is based on a Jim Lee design for Batman. I should say at this point, if you haven't already guessed, that I am a big geek and almost all my tattoos are and will be from comic books and movies. Beneath the angel I have the word “dedication” – Raised Fist for the world – also from Jay. Jay also gave me my first tattoo in 2000 which is the dragon from Sick of It All!
High on my right arm I have a design which is from a t-shirt I had as a kid showing a juggler sleeping with his “good” and “bad” self hovering on top of him. I got that from Alex Gotza (Dirty Roses) very randomly. I had gone to Thessaloniki in 2003, some friends of mine wanted to get tattooed by George Mavridis, and Gotza was working at his shop at the time and we were talking and he says to me at some point “why don’t we do it”?. He started doing the outline and our second appointment was a different day and I woke up at 5am, drove to Thessaloniki, arrived at about 11:00, we continued and finished the tattoo, I ate something and returned to Athens.
I also have “PIGS” tattooed on the right side of my chest.
How many tattoos do you have Giannos and which is your first one?
I have two tattoos. The first is the “Dragon Ball” concept tattoo which Tzenio (Dildo Tattoo Studio) began in 2011. The idea was to get as much colour as I could on my leg, which combined with the Anime characters it would always remind me of my childhood heroes.
My other tattoo is a Black & Grey sleeve on my right arm by Ozone (Nico Tattoo Crew Athens).
Nikos, Im gonna “dare” and ask how many tattoos you have and I want details too…
Thirteen… Oh why did you make me count them? Now I have to get another one (laughs)! Right, lets take it from the beginning. I got my first one when I was nineteen and it was – I say “was” because it’s the only one I have covered up – a Koi Fish on my right calf and it was done by Manos (True Love Tattoo). It was actually an experiment, between friends and it was the second tattoo he had ever done.
The second one is on my ribs on the right side. Its my first big piece by Ozone aka Mitsaras and it depicts the first serious move I did in my life with my band at the time, B.L.E.E.D. Its basically the front cover of our record that it was again done by Ozone, but in a more realistic form... Skulls and this girl that we call the witch (laughs).
After that I got the “A.C.A.B.” by Alex from Dildo Tattoo Studio, on my left side, which I can't explain for personal reasons.
I still had the urge to get more ink so I went back to Ozone and I asked him to do the realistic heart I have on my chest and says “Endsight” underneath, since Endsight are really a part both of my life and my realistic heart.
Following that, one beautiful and boring afternoon, I told my flatmate at the time Alexia “get your gun out, its tattoo time!”. I saw the designs she had done and I liked the sphinx with the gas mask which I have on my stomach – a homemade tattoo!
Then, I got the piece on my waist along with my flatmate and friend Igres who then worked at a new shop called Black Dahlia, which doesn’t exist anymore. Now he is at Heroink Tattoo. So “No gods, no heroes” and if you get it, you get it.
At the time, Thanos (Mike the Athens’ apprentice) was doing tattoos at Black Dahlia and since I hung out there a lot, he had analysed to me a lot concerning Japan and I was really into the whole thing so we found some designs and tattooed my right leg.
After Thanos, Pavlaras aka Uncl Paul (he now works at IronBrush Tattoo) also came to Black Dahlia, with his cool cartoon tattoos and we did the love of my life on my left calf: my dog, Duke.
Black Dahlia had also taken part at the Athens Tattoo Convention that year, which is when I did my chimpanzee on my left leg with Unlc Paul again. Its basically me, but it looks more like Billy (laughs)!
During that time, my friend Giannis from Palaio Faliro had also gotten himself some tattoo guns and one day as we were chilling we did the “ZN” tattoo for personal reasons.
My second last one is the lady with the voluptuous bosom, which I have on my left side. It’s a cover of my favourite band, Pig Destroyer, and I did it again with Igre.
My most recent tattoo is an Old School one by Herc who also works at Heorink. It is two hands praying with a rose and the word “porn” is written on the fingers, since when I was young they used to call me “Tsoda” (ed. porn in Greek) or “Tso”.
How many tattoos do you have Alex? What can you tell me about them?
I have eight tattoos. My five first ones were done by George Mavridis (Tattooligans). We started with a tribal tattoo with Maori influences, then a tribal with Japanese influences and then a “dragonworm”, which won the “Best Colour of the Show” award at the Athens Tattoo Convention in 2009. These three pieces “come together” on my left leg. We haven't finished it yet unfortunately but we will within the year.
The next ones are a freehand flame on my right arm, over my elbow and a “Tattooligans” wriiten on my waist, which is the name of George Mavridis’ tattoo shop.
The sixth one was done by Jenny (Vida Pirata Tattoo Studio) on my chest and it says “You aren't wealthy until you have something money cant buy”. It’s something that express me quite a lot – family and friends come first.
The next three were done my Manos at True Love Tattoo. One is on my right instep, an Old School rose with a skateboard coming out of it which has “Bellas” written on it, one of my bros I skated with every day for years when I was growing up.
I also have three letters, “D.C.M” (Dead City Motion), behind my ear and the last one we did recently with Manos on my right calf and its a panther with a flaming temple in its mouth. Geez, I'm off for a beer.
Which of your tattoos has more significance to each of you?
Billy: I don’t really have any significant ones.
Giannos: All of my tattoos are important to me since it takes inspiration, creativity and talent to get them done. I always wanted a tattoo from my friend Dimitris aka Ozone and the result “rocks”.
Nikos: The most significant ones are my dog, my right side, Endsight and A.C.A.B.!
Alex: The Old School rose.
*Endsight will be doing a Balkan Tour which will be announced soon. They will also be playing in Romania on the 7th June along with Sepultura, Moonspell and Last Hope.
Photos & interview by Ino Mei.
