You can call them desert punk, you can simply call them punk rock, but labels are not really the point here. What truly matters is that Krotalias have forged their own identity and developed a distinctive, instantly recognizable sound. Now, they are back with a new album that bites hard! “Enos Leptou Sigi” grabs the listener, seduces them and ultimately conquers them with its energy and unique character. The Greek band remains in top form, moving forward with confidence and looking to the future with great ambition. Myth of Rock had the pleasure of talking with Krotalias, and below you can read our long, interesting and revealing conversation!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
live photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
Your second album, “Enos Leptou Sigi”, is released now. How do you feel about that? How important is this release for Krotalias?
It always feels great and fulfilling when a studio album is finally done. It’s been six years and one pandemic since our last release and we were really eager to get the album out there. I don’t feel like this album is more or less important than any other release. Almost all of us are dads now so we tried real hard to keep the engines running (composing new material, playing shows and rehearsing) during the last 5 years. The sole reason I would say that this album hits kind of differently is, because our kids already have favourite songs.
How much has Krotalias progressed since your debut album? Where would you trace the differences between the two albums?
I believe Krotalias was, is and will be desert punk but on the other hand, musical taste, which is the biggest factor in songwriting, changes over time. We have taken some brave steps with some songs in this album ranging from full on rock roll to typical folk Americana but at the end of the day I believe we are still on the same page as our last album with a hint of spice.
What does the term “desert punk” mean to you personally, and how did you shape it into your own identity?
We had to make up a name for a genre that combines 90s punk rock and spaghetti western guitar riffs. So, Alex, our guitarist, invented the term “desert punk” which, apart from sounding ultra cool, is quite informative at the same time. Ten years after the hatching of Krotalias we are still happy with the music style and we are more than happy to try different directions around the “desert” part.
Why did you name the new album “Enos Leptou Sigi”? Where do the lyrics of your new songs refer to? Do you try to convey any messages to the listeners through your songs?
All of our songs are short stories and all stories need heroes and trouble to work. We wrote this song when Israel attacked the Gaza strip while Ukraine was already at war with Russia for over two years. We are sick of the fact that ever since our childhood, we all remember watching the news and there always was a war waging in some part of the world. “Enos Leptou Sigi” (a moment of silence) is an anti-war protest song about the never ending suffering of humanity due to territorial sovereignty.
Give us all the info about the album cover! Why did you choose a photo showing the band at a burial ceremony as the album cover? How is it connected with the new song lyrics?
I think that the cover is a very good representation of the situation described by the title. We are all dressed up as grave diggers overlooking a grave. Someone or something is buried there and we hold one minute of silence in honor. As always, the lyrics are driven by personal issues and are also a critique to the socio-political issues of the modern world that deeply affect us. Hearing the record the listener can place in this grave whatever he/she wants to be inside or misses.
What was the most difficult part of shaping the new record over such a long recording period (2023–2026)?
By now we are all used to working in batches. Once we have 3-4 songs ready, we record them, mix them and release a couple of them so we can stay relevant. The most difficult part is that you have to arrange a playlist that consists of newborns and 5-year-old songs. The best part though is that by the end of the process we have a good sense of where the album is going and what is really missing to bring the whole thing together and we compose accordingly.
I had seen you live at the New Long Festival last year. It was an explosive show! How important is the live experience for Krotalias compared to studio recording? What kind of energy do you take from big stages?
Well we’re talking about two different beasts that are equally important, but the most important band quality is songwriting. If the song is good it’s going to reel people in, whether they hear it by accident at a live show or a punk bar. We really enjoy both processes and we schedule band activity in a way so once we’re fed up with the studio, a cool gig comes up and breaks the pattern and vice versa.
“Enos Leptou Sigi” is out via The Lab Records. What does The Lab Records bring to the table in terms of creative freedom and production support?
Panos Mariolopoulos and therefore The Lab Records is a long-standing member and true believer of the Greek rock scene and has released a lot of important records of it. He is also a friend and approached us with true love for the band and the material. There was never a hint of creative boundaries or strict deadlines. One night we were at some local gig together and he just said to us that he wanted to work together for the next record and that was it.
As a band with a desert punk sound, who do you see as your core audience today? And if you had to describe a typical Krotalias listener, what kind of person comes to mind?
Well the band is primarily punk rock therefore a typical listener is a hopeless romantic with a raging heart, a misfit feeling, a revolver on one hand and a middle finger high on the other against any form of oppression. There you have it.
After more than a decade together, how has your chemistry as a band changed under pressure and experience?
Krotalias members make a good team as all band members have different psychological traits which complement each other helping in the whole thing to not fall apart. We have wise, we have practical, we have crazy and emotional all together with love and understanding and compassion. Of course, we also fight from time to time like all families do. We are growing well together.
If you had to define “Enos Leptou Sigi” in one sentence for someone who has never heard Krotalias, what would it be?
It is a high energy punk rock and roll album with fast and also mid-tempo/slower aspects. We believe that it is a record with good flow that makes you listen to it as a whole and then repeat like a good record should.
Your message to the people, who are reading this interview!
We would like to thank everyone for the love and support they have shown to the band all these years and for the very welcoming feedback we have gotten for this record already. We are truly grateful and committed to play it live and loud to you very soon!
