Sci-fi thrashers Vektor, are back on stages and ready to create a new bright future for the band and its loyal fans around.
Few days before their live shows in Greece, David DiSanto answers our questions on the bands past, present and future plans.
Follow VEKTOR:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VektorOfficial/about
Bandcamp: https://vektor.bandcamp.com/
RockOverdose: First of all we would like to know the feeling of being able to be back on the road and show signs of activity after so many years. Is it like a new beginning for you? Do you feel in need to take back some of what was left behind and make the difference again?
VEKTOR: It has been great! This is absolutely a new beginning for me. I went through a lot of hard times, but now I’m past that and focusing on all the positivity in my life. It was almost like I was trapped in some kind of alternate reality, but I was finally able to escape. I felt like there was a lot left unsaid and undone in 2016, so I’m so happy to have brought Vektor back. Erik felt the same, and I’m glad he had my back through everything. We’re all excited to bring more of our music to the world, and continue what we started.
RockOverdose: I believe with each album Vektor kept on getting better. I loved “Black Future” which was my meeting with you, considered “Outer Isolation” many steps forward, but it was “Terminal Redux” that blew me –and most I know- off. Do you believe the same? And what does it take to keep getting better with each release?
VEKTOR: Thank you. I also believe each album got a little better. I think there were many factors involved. We always tried to outdo ourselves, so we were very critical about every aspect during writing and recording each album. I started to hone my songwriting skills a little more as I matured, and we all became better at our instruments. We’ve also used the same sound engineer for all of our releases, and he has the same mentality as us that every album needs to outshine the previous one. “Terminal Redux” will be very hard to top, but we’re going to try.
RockOverdose: Vektor has been loved quite immediately, due to the element of surprise. Noone expected from a band to bring life back to the whole thrash genre and in such a special way. Did you believe you would make an impact so fast back then?
VEKTOR: I really had no idea we would make such an impact. I was just writing music that I wanted to hear, so it was just kind of lucky that other people also liked it. I think that’s why we have a unique sound, because we’re not trying to sound like any specific band or genre. We’re just trying to sound like ourselves.
RockOverdose: Sticking on the previous question, let’s take it a little further. It is clear that Vektor helped thrash to evolve in general, sometimes you sounded like you opened a path for others to follow. Do you believe the genre got a little trapped in its essence and you felt like it was time to show it a new direction?
VEKTOR: I definitely felt like thrash was full of bands that sounded very similar. I thought it was going to soon become a short-lived fad if bands didn’t try to expand the genre. I don’t think I was consciously trying to give thrash a new direction, but I was never interested in sounding like other bands.
RockOverdose: I guess there’s no one out there who will not recognize your voice. The vocals have a more blackish and screaming touch than the thrashers are used to. Was it and still remains a reason for your speciality? Who were the ones that inspired you to be a singer and a guitar player in general?
VEKTOR: I’ve always liked singers whose voice matched with the distorted guitars. It’s because of this that I never really got into power metal. For me, metal is better when the singer is matching what the guitars are doing. It’s a better dynamic. My favorite vocalist and my biggest inspiration has always been Schmier from Destruction. I think he has the coolest vocals.
RockOverdose: To be honest, the first thought when we saw the logo and the cover on “Black Future” was “these guys love Voivod”, which should be no problem but a privilege. Is your love for Voivod one of the reasons of your constant evolution and will to not follow patterns that have been followed before?
VEKTOR: I think Voivod are true artists. Any good artist is constantly evolving, otherwise it gets boring.
RockOverdose: We would like to know your way of composing. Are the lyrics coming first or do you write the music first and then try to find the lyrics later? Do you have the feeling if a song is going to be a long or a short one, as your durations differ from the common thrash bands?
VEKTOR: Music always comes first for me, but my mind is always coming up with random song titles and lyrics too. I usually finalize the lyrics after I fully compose a song. Normally, I do have a feeling if a song is going to be long or short, but I don’t know until I’ve created at least a few riffs. I tend to feel it out and go as far as the inspiration will take me. Sometimes I write part of a song, and then don’t finish it for months or years later.
RockOverdose: So we have two new songs currently, “Activate” and “Dead By Dawn”. Are they going to be part of the new Vektor album? What can you tell us in terms of album no.4 currently? Will we have to wait a little more or the time is getting near? People wait for it more than ever.
VEKTOR: “Dead By Dawn” will be on the next album, because it fits within a theme of a few other songs. We’re going to keep “Activate” by itself on the EP. Album 4 will have a few songs with a “Collapse” style vibe. The other half will be more tech thrash. I’m currently working on a song that is already at 9 minutes, but I feel like it’s only halfway done. So there will also be at least one epic track that will be our longest song yet.
RockOverdose: Cryptosis which accompany you are one of those new bands who also try to push thrash to its edges. What made you get in touch with them and release the “Transmissions To Chaos” split? Do you see other bands, thrash or not, who try to make something special and we should keep an eye on them in the future?
VEKTOR: Cryptosis have been long time friends with us after they toured with us under the name Distillator in 2015. Frank from Cryptosis reached out to me as a friend after the false allegations came out about me in 2019. He told me they were on my side. We kept talking and both thought a collaboration would be beneficial for both bands. I thought it was a really nice gesture and so that’s how it happened. There are a couple of cool bands coming out. All of the bands on our tour package (Comaniac and Algebra) are really great and I can’t wait to hear what they do next. Vexovoid is another cool band.
RockOverdose: To be honest, lately has been a quite difficult time in Vektor’s history and your life personally. How have you managed to get along with it and what keeps you able to want to go out on the road? Do you have any contacts with record companies for the fourth album, or are there any thoughts of releasing it independently if need be?
VEKTOR: People who know me personally know that I’m a good guy, so my family, friends, and band mates have all given me the support I need to carry on. I was honestly very anxious before going on this tour. I soon realized I didn’t need to feel that way. Every show has been full of supportive fans and all these shows have been so much fun and filled with positive energy. That has made me realize how many people want me to continue despite all the hard times I’ve gone through. We have several contacts for record companies, and our management team will focus on that after our tour. We’ll weigh the pros and cons of self-releasing or going with another label. For now, we’re just focused on making this tour a success.
RockOverdose: You’ve been to Greece 6 years ago in what is considered to be one of the best gigs of the previous decade, playing the whole “Termination Redux”. What should the Greek fans wait from you this time? For your information, there are requests also for more stuff from “Outer Isolation” especially.
VEKTOR: We expect to have just as much fun this time! We’re going to be playing a mix of songs from all three albums, plus a new song. We’re trying to play all the hits, but it’s impossible to make everyone happy when all of our songs are so long haha. We’ll do our best!
RockOverdose: We would like to thank you for your time and wish you the best for what comes ahead. How black or white do you see the future of Vektor currently and what could we tell the fans about what follows in general as high priority plans? See you soon in Athens, close the interview as you see fit.
VEKTOR: I see a very bright future for Vektor. The past was filled with a lot of darkness, but now my life is full of good people. With Erik on board, and our two new members, I’m looking forward to things. Our highest priority will be completing the next album so we can come back for another tour as soon as possible. The album is already 75% complete, so it shouldn’t be too much longer. Thanks for taking the time to talk with me! See you in Greece! Sci-fi or die!
Questions: Angelos Katsouras - RockOverdose.gr
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