ROAD TRIPPIN’ ROTTING CHRIST
The Greek metal icons will give Bloodstock a history lesson before returning in October
You’re headlining the Sophie Lancaster Stage at this year’s Bloodstock. What can we expect?
Sakis Tolis (vocals/guitar): “We’ve played Bloodstock many times and every time I play there I feel like, ‘Wow, this band is still alive!’ We are refreshed as a band and you can expect a hellish show! Bloodstock is the best festival in the UK and it always a pleasure to play there. The guys that run the festival, they are fans, so every time we get an offer, we say yes. We’re looking forward to playing and we hope to not disappoint you.”
How does a festival like Bloodstock compare to that of those on the European mainland?
“Usually, I’m tired from touring but every time we play there the weather is great and there are so many great bands. It’s one of the top festivals, in my opinion. Having played many festivals as a band, for me, Bloodstock is in my top five.”
This show will come in support of your latest album, The Heretics. Can we expect much new material?
“The band has existed for more than 30 years and has more than 200 songs so it’s difficult to build setlists. We’ll include three or four songs from our latest album and then the rest will be songs from throughout our career. It’s impossible to just play new songs, we want to respect our past.”
Do you approach setlists for festivals differently than you would for a headlining tour?
“We tend to change our sets a little bit but not completely. For me, building a setlist is like a ritual. It’s not easy; I like to pass an idea, a feeling, an atmosphere, and it always depends on the territory. It’s so different playing in the UK than playing in the US, because people expect something else there. In Europe we have the same setlists but when we play different continents we definitely make changes.”
What are your favourite songs to play to get people into the festival spirit?
“When we play old songs like Societas Satanas or even songs from our first period, people get crazy! They have a lot of fun! It depends on the mood. Sometimes we like to pass on some atmosphere. We like to grab someone and pull them into our music and the atmosphere we create.”