Sons Of Hades features members from Demolition Train, Sacral Rage, Nightbreed, and more. Do you view this band as a "supergroup" project, or was there a specific creative itch that none of your other bands could scratch until you all got together?
Hi! Thank you very much for having us! I’m Apostolis, the guitar playe/singer of the band. We don’t really see Sons Of Hades as a “supergroup” project. The band started from our urge to create something dark and eerie, while mixing many of our influences in a way that felt fresh and completely our own. No restrictions, no boundaries. We love many different metal genres, so we thought, “Why not create our own unique blend?” All of us are quite open-minded when it comes to music, so in a way, it felt natural, almost inevitable, that we would end up working together.
The album blends black metal with heavy and thrash in a very old-school way.Was that fusion something natural for you, or did you consciously set out to avoid being boxed into one genre?
The music and the riffs came very naturally. Of course, there were moments when we wondered whether we should stick to specific boxes, but as I said before, who gives a fuck? My playlist can jump from death metal to black metal, from heavy metal to thrash/speed, or even to ’70s rock and doom metal. So why shouldn’t we let ourselves loose? And that’s exactly what we did.
You cite bands like Mayhem, Emperor, Mercyful Fate, Bathory, and Venom.That’s a pretty dangerous mix, how did you make sure it sounds like Sons Of Hades and not just a tribute band?
We could cite even more bands, but those names are only reference points. Most of them don’t even sound alike, and that’s exactly what makes the mix interesting. We honor our influences, but we don’t try to copy them. The funny thing is that when people try to categorize us, they usually come up with different answers, thrash metal, blackened speed metal, heavy metal with black metal influences, and so on. Personally, I see that as a success for the band. It means we have managed to create something that carries our influences, but still has its own identity.
There’s a strong atmosphere of darkness and decay throughout the record. What themes or imagery were driving you when writing “Tombs Of The Blind Dead”?
We all share a love for horror movies and literature, but to be honest, the music came first. Once the riffs started taking shape, they already carried these dark vibes, a sense of despair and agony, but delivered in an aggressive way. After that, it was only a matter of time before we found the right themes to match the music. Horror cinema, especially from the ’60s and ’70s, along with the writings of Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe, helped shape the storytelling and imagery behind “Tombs Of The Blind Dead”.
"Support the underground, because there are hundreds of metal bands out there still delivering great albums with honesty, passion, and dedication. And they do it because they truly believe in it, not because they are chasing trends."
The Greek underground has a long and respected history in extreme metal. Where do you see yourselves fitting into that legacy?
Indeed, the Greek underground has a long and respected history, with many bands that have left their own mark on extreme metal. We have great respect for that legacy, but at the same time, we don’t want to simply repeat what has already been done. We hope Sons Of Hades can bring something new to the table. Only time will tell, but I believe this band has something unique to offer.
The album title and tracks like "Ghost Galleon" and "La Noche de las Gaviotas" are direct nods to Amando de Ossorio’s “Blind Dead” film series. What is it about those slow-moving, skeletal Templars that translates so well into the fast-paced, aggressive black/thrash you’ve unleashed?
It’s all about the atmosphere they create. “The Blind Dead” may move slowly, but they carry this feeling of ancient evil and inevitable doom. They were devil-worshipping Templars, now raised from their graves to take revenge on humanity. They don’t need to run, they are already unstoppable. People flee in terror and agony, but the curse keeps coming. Come on, that’s dark, creepy, and perfect fuel for black/thrash metal.
Beyond the horror cinema, you tackle Edgar Allan Poe in "The Fall Of The House Of Usher". How do you approach translating the psychological collapse of Poe’s literature into a musical format that still hits with the energy of old-school thrash?
Indeed, “The Fall Of The House Of Usher” starts with an agonizing tremolo riff that immediately makes you feel something morbid is coming your way. But as the story unfolds, the song goes through different phases and emotions. There is a heavy riff in the middle, followed by a more mellow melody, and then the riffs take on a strange, melancholic form. So, even though it begins with pure old-school energy, I don’t think it is an ordinary thrash song. We tried to let the music follow the psychological collapse of the story, from tension and fear to madness and decay.
Working with Giorgos Christoforidis at Ignite Studios, what did he bring to the table that helped shape the final sound of the album?
Giorgos is not only a great producer, but also a friend of ours. We talked to him about our vision for the album. We didn’t point to one specific production as a reference; instead, we explained how “Tombs Of The Blind Dead” should feel and sound: an old-school feeling with a modern approach. Huge, but not sterile. Every instrument had to breathe within the production. Giorgos understood exactly what we were after and brought his own perspective to match that vision. From that point on, it was his knowledge, experience, and production techniques that brought everything to life.
You’ve been praised for avoiding the "plastic" sound of modern metal. In an era of AI-generated art and perfectly quantized digital music, why was it vital for Sons Of Hades to maintain a "raw-but-huge" production style?
Oh, fuck AI-generated art. For us, every form of art should express the artist’s feelings, personality, flaws, and instincts. There is no such thing as “perfect” art, and honestly, perfection is not what makes music exciting. What makes art special is its soul and character. Technology can be useful, of course, we are not against technology itself. But when everything becomes perfectly quantized, polished, corrected, and sterilized, you lose the human element. We wanted ‘Tombs Of The Blind Dead” to sound raw, alive, and organic, but still huge and powerful. The instruments had to breathe, the riffs had to feel dangerous, and the whole album needed that old-school spirit. That’s something you can’t fake with machines.
As we navigate 2026, a year filled with technological leaps and old-world geopolitical friction, what is the message Sons Of Hades has for the metalheads who are still looking to the "Tombs" for their salvation?
Enjoy real music, it saves your soul. Support the underground, there are hundreds of metal bands that still deliver great albums, and this is because they are doing it for themselves. Like we do. We are supporters, we enjoy listening to music and we enjoy playing music.
Enjoy real music, it saves your soul. Support the underground, because there are hundreds of metal bands out there still delivering great albums with honesty, passion, and dedication. And they do it because they truly believe in it, not because they are chasing trends. That’s how we feel too. We are supporters, listeners, and metalheads before anything else. We love listening to music, and we love playing music. So keep digging, keep supporting the underground, and enter the Tombs.
With the debut album coming out through Floga Records, what are your expectations, are you aiming to stay deep underground or push this sound to a wider audience?
Only time will tell. Of course, we would love the album to reach more people, but becoming “bigger” was never the main goal. The priority is to enjoy what we do, create music that feels honest to us, and keep the spirit of Sons Of Hades alive. If that brings success or a wider audience, great, we won’t say no. But we are not here to chase trends or soften the sound just to fit somewhere.
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