interview with Terra IncΩgnita
How is it that you started playing music?
I, (Billy Vass, singer) started singing at the age of 13. Byzantine church choir.
I loved the way so many voices intertwined, to make such beautiful, melodic, music.
As I grew older, My brother started introducing me to 70's rock bands. Led Zep, Rush, Kiss,
The Police, Black Sabbath, etc. I started learning songs from these bands, and made my
way through alot of cover bands, in New York.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?
Stellios Zoulou- R.guitar/vocal growls-35
Dimitris Koko- Drums-35
Tolis A.- Bass-37
Harry S.- L.guitar-40
Billy Vass- Vox-47.
Have you had other previous members? The band has been around since 2011, so as you can imagine, there have been many changes in the line-up.The only position that never changed is the vocals.
Where are you from? I was born & raised in Astoria, Queens, New York, from Greek immigrants. The rest of the band members, are from our homeland, Greece.
What's your style of genre? Terra IncΩgnita's style is somewhere in the midst of Heavy, Classic, Power, Epic, metal. At least thats what we've been branded as from many album reviews!!
What inspires you?
For me, inspiration comes from anything that effects me, negative or positive, in my
everyday routine. I never sat down to compose any piece of music, or lyric, or melody,
because I "had to". I can hear something, or someone, read something, see something,
that can all of a sudden spark inspiration in me. I turn that spark into the fire you
hear coming out of our music.
How often and where do you rehearse? We rehearse 2 times a week, at our own studio complex. If we have a major show, we rehearse 3-4 times in the week,,, we want to come across as a very tight band.
How have you developed since you started with the music?
I, (Billy Vass, singer) started singing at the age of 13. Byzantine church choir.
I loved the way so many voices intertwined, to make such beautiful, melodic, music.
As I grew older, My brother started introducing me to 70's rock bands. Led Zep, Rush, Kiss,
The Police, Black Sabbath, etc. I started learning songs from these bands, and made my
way through alot of cover bands, in New York.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?
Stellios Zoulou- R.guitar/vocal growls-35
Dimitris Koko- Drums-35
Tolis A.- Bass-37
Harry S.- L.guitar-40
Billy Vass- Vox-47.
Have you had other previous members? The band has been around since 2011, so as you can imagine, there have been many changes in the line-up.The only position that never changed is the vocals.
Where are you from? I was born & raised in Astoria, Queens, New York, from Greek immigrants. The rest of the band members, are from our homeland, Greece.
What's your style of genre? Terra IncΩgnita's style is somewhere in the midst of Heavy, Classic, Power, Epic, metal. At least thats what we've been branded as from many album reviews!!
What inspires you?
For me, inspiration comes from anything that effects me, negative or positive, in my
everyday routine. I never sat down to compose any piece of music, or lyric, or melody,
because I "had to". I can hear something, or someone, read something, see something,
that can all of a sudden spark inspiration in me. I turn that spark into the fire you
hear coming out of our music.
How often and where do you rehearse? We rehearse 2 times a week, at our own studio complex. If we have a major show, we rehearse 3-4 times in the week,,, we want to come across as a very tight band.
How have you developed since you started with the music?
Like I said before, I started from a 70's rock background... as I matured, so dod my taste in music.
I started expanding my listening threshold to diffrent types of metal. So, its obvious
that I went into a much heavier sound, from the one I came from.......
Nowadays, I listen to alot of diffrent types of music... I dont just listen to metal.
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?
We have management, (Angels PR, Greece) that is always scouting, and in contact with any
other booking agency thats willing to collaberate with them, on our part, for live shows.
I believe, that a serious band that wants to get to the next step, must collaberate with
booking agencies. It's the way this buisness operates. Whoever does not understand that,
then they have no clue how this works.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?
We have signed with Symmetric Records,(CEO-Bob Katsionis, Firewind, Outloud, ex-Serious Black)
A new label, thats always looking to foward our material, to bigger, more powerful labels.
Again,,,, nothing will happen without a good label to support your material.
What are your songs about?
Well, the lyrical content of our 1st album, Barren Land, is around exactly that. A barren, destroyed
scorched, earth, from politcs, religion,lack of love, no hope, basically.
Our 2nd album, Fragments of a Ruined Mind" is a concept album, based on the book I,Strahd.
A lyrical, melodic, journey through the eyes of our anti-hero turned vampire, Strahd von Zarovich.
Conquerings, Quests, love,fate, a covenant,betrayal, death, & life, begining again........
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? The whole band collaberates and forms all the songs we write. I write all the lyrics.
What language do you sing in?
I started expanding my listening threshold to diffrent types of metal. So, its obvious
that I went into a much heavier sound, from the one I came from.......
Nowadays, I listen to alot of diffrent types of music... I dont just listen to metal.
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that?
We have management, (Angels PR, Greece) that is always scouting, and in contact with any
other booking agency thats willing to collaberate with them, on our part, for live shows.
I believe, that a serious band that wants to get to the next step, must collaberate with
booking agencies. It's the way this buisness operates. Whoever does not understand that,
then they have no clue how this works.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that?
We have signed with Symmetric Records,(CEO-Bob Katsionis, Firewind, Outloud, ex-Serious Black)
A new label, thats always looking to foward our material, to bigger, more powerful labels.
Again,,,, nothing will happen without a good label to support your material.
What are your songs about?
Well, the lyrical content of our 1st album, Barren Land, is around exactly that. A barren, destroyed
scorched, earth, from politcs, religion,lack of love, no hope, basically.
Our 2nd album, Fragments of a Ruined Mind" is a concept album, based on the book I,Strahd.
A lyrical, melodic, journey through the eyes of our anti-hero turned vampire, Strahd von Zarovich.
Conquerings, Quests, love,fate, a covenant,betrayal, death, & life, begining again........
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? The whole band collaberates and forms all the songs we write. I write all the lyrics.
What language do you sing in?
I sing in English,,,There is a song, Efialtis, a song about the battle of Thermopyllie,
which has English & Greek lyrics. When I sing it abroad,
its in english,,,,,when in Greece, I sing the greek lyrics. Both versions are available
from our bandcamp page.
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary?
We have 3 releases, so we are fortunate enough to be able to mix up our setlist
for our shows. Of coarse, there are the standard songs that are always in every
setlist. Songs that have video clips, crowd favorites, etc.
What was your latest gig?
This past summer we embarked on a mini-tour of Greece, with heavy metal legends, Omen.
The last gig we played was a packed house, opening for Grave Digger.
Where do you plan to gig the comming year?
Our management is looking into some killer shows, and festivals for us. We have a
booked show in Berlin, this year.
Where can people buy your merchandise? http://terraincognitahellas.bandcamp.com
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?
I'm somewhere in between on this issue. Look, as long as the artists, bands are getting
their royalties, and are not being ripped off, then its ok. It's a digital world, man.
We cant deny this. Records & C.D.'s are more for the old-school fan, that wants to
hold the material in their hands. A collector.
Do you have any role models or idols? Well, my vocal influences are: R.J.Dio, Ray Alder, Geoffe Tate, Tony Martin.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Until recently, getting serious enough musicians to play and support the band!! Money is always an obsticle, when you want to get the "big stuff" done.
How do you get psyched for a gig? First, I meditate, try to reach a very calm point, and I start my vocal warmup/exercises. (lame, huh)... When I'm done and my voice is ready to tear it up, I go to my band, and we start psyching each other up!!!
Do you have any new material? We have 5 brand new songs for our next album, which is due out end of 2019!
Do you have something to add? I want to thank you, for giving me this opportunity to introduce my band to your website members!! Stay Heavy, and always, "SIGN WITH BLOOD"!!!!
which has English & Greek lyrics. When I sing it abroad,
its in english,,,,,when in Greece, I sing the greek lyrics. Both versions are available
from our bandcamp page.
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary?
We have 3 releases, so we are fortunate enough to be able to mix up our setlist
for our shows. Of coarse, there are the standard songs that are always in every
setlist. Songs that have video clips, crowd favorites, etc.
What was your latest gig?
This past summer we embarked on a mini-tour of Greece, with heavy metal legends, Omen.
The last gig we played was a packed house, opening for Grave Digger.
Where do you plan to gig the comming year?
Our management is looking into some killer shows, and festivals for us. We have a
booked show in Berlin, this year.
Where can people buy your merchandise? http://terraincognitahellas.bandcamp.com
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days?
I'm somewhere in between on this issue. Look, as long as the artists, bands are getting
their royalties, and are not being ripped off, then its ok. It's a digital world, man.
We cant deny this. Records & C.D.'s are more for the old-school fan, that wants to
hold the material in their hands. A collector.
Do you have any role models or idols? Well, my vocal influences are: R.J.Dio, Ray Alder, Geoffe Tate, Tony Martin.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Until recently, getting serious enough musicians to play and support the band!! Money is always an obsticle, when you want to get the "big stuff" done.
How do you get psyched for a gig? First, I meditate, try to reach a very calm point, and I start my vocal warmup/exercises. (lame, huh)... When I'm done and my voice is ready to tear it up, I go to my band, and we start psyching each other up!!!
Do you have any new material? We have 5 brand new songs for our next album, which is due out end of 2019!
Do you have something to add? I want to thank you, for giving me this opportunity to introduce my band to your website members!! Stay Heavy, and always, "SIGN WITH BLOOD"!!!!