A couple of years ago, in Athens, Greece, a new chapter in rock/metal music began to unfold, with the formation of the band Asomata. Asomata means “bodyless”, “formless”, as in spirits and souls. Asomata is also the name of a Greek village, in Imathia. The quartet says about themselves – “we deliver rock music with nasty riffs, imposing vocals and a pounding rhythm section”. That’s true, indeed, so it would be more than interesting to read the full story of this band…
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
Everything began, when drummer Laszlo Olaszki, newly arrived in Greece from Hungary, posted a Facebook ad, seeking fellow musicians. Theodore Papachristos responded, and the two began jamming together, quickly realizing their musical chemistry. Their search for bandmates soon led them to Jaan Paern (guitar/vocals), who had recently moved to Athens from Estonia and was eager to join a band. Jaan’s own advertisement seeking collaborators brought him into the fold, solidifying the trio. The missing piece of the puzzle appeared, when Mike Papamichelakis, an old high school friend of Theodore, reached out with a proposition to join the band. With this final addition, Asomata’s lineup was complete, and their journey truly began.
By mid-2023, the line-up of Jaan Paern (guitar/vocals), Theodore Papachristos (guitar), Mike Papamichelakis (bass guitar) and Laszlo Olaszki (drums) had crafted five songs, each a reflection of their personal frustrations, anger and hope. They chose to record their debut EP at Made in Hell Studio in Athens, collaborating with French sound engineer David Prudent. The result was the self-titled five-track EP, released in June 2023, a collection of songs that navigate the dark and the wild with distinct individuality (“Asomata” EP track-listing: “Little Man”, “My Reincarnation”, “Rotten Fish”, “Torn Apart” and “Conundrum”). Their first single, “Little Man”, an astonishing grunge/alt metal track with a super-catchy refrain, was released on December 22, 2023. In general, their EP was a grunge/metal blast, with great guitar work, compelling vocal delivery and a heavy as hell rhythm section. Combine these with their tuneful riffs and vocal lines and you will get the whole picture.
However, the band was on the verge of significant changes that would reshape its lineup. Jaan Paern and Laszlo Olaszki departed due to practical reasons, making way for Nick Makris (guitar/vocals) and Nickolas Exemizov (drums) to join the group. These additions injected fresh energy into Asomata, boosting their confidence and strengthening their resolve to pursue their goals. Having now Nick Makris and Nickolas Exemizov in the band and a superb debut EP in their baggage, the Greek quartet is poised to make miracles in the rock/metal music scene. With their debut EP as a powerful introduction, Asomata stands ready to amaze listeners with their artistic finesse and their rare inspiration.
I’ve enjoyed following this promising newcomer band, from their very beginning, starting with the release of their “Asomata” EP. This explosive debut left me convinced that they were a band brimming with potential. The recent lineup changes only strengthened my belief that Asomata will do great things in the future. Having witnessed their live performance with the revamped lineup, I can confidently say they’re on the right path. That unforgettable night at The Project Studio in Piraeus, they delivered a high-energy show, rocking the crowd to the bone with tracks from their EP!
Asomata is here to stay – listen to their EP and you will understand that their grunge/alt metal proposal is more than serious and fascinating.
https://www.facebook.com/asomata.band
https://www.instagram.com/Asomata.official/
https://www.youtube.com/@asomata.official
