This interview is conducted with the band’s guitarist Anthony “Kaos” Assaker.
- With the influx of new Metal bands in Lebanon, what do you think of some of the younger guys out there?
Hello Rishar and thank you for your interest. Well, I do my best following up rising bands in order to support the ones with potentials as always. However, it is unfortunate that every little gang with an instrument is forming a so called band now that is praised by their friends at school until they move to trance music and act like typical horny dicks or pussies. We, more than ever, need the new generation to be aware of what they’re listening to and practice their songs to mastery. It doesn’t mean that they have to be the best players out there, though, they have to get their sound right, whether it was sloppy punk, rock or technical progressive super duper metal. At last, I wish all the best to every serious rock/metal band and I hope that they approach us thru myspace.com/thelebaneserocksociety so we could try to work something out together.
- Now we would like to know how the band now known as Kaoteon started out. And any specific memories in relation to the band that come to mind.
It all started with me late 1998 wanting to play some thrash/black/death metal at the stages of Europe just like my favorite bands did. You could google KAOTEON to get a lot of interviews and reviews since early 2004 when we were the first to release our demo in Europe and USA from the Middle East and the region and that was something!!!! There are a whole lot of memories, from struggling to find the right members such as the avid vocalist Walid and the grinding blaster Ziad to vigorously planning on how to get that instrument and how to save for recording and all that jazz. Kaoteon is not just a band for me; it’s the recorded sound of my lunacy; it is my virtual consistency.
- You as the guitarist and founder of the band, what do find are the major influences for it?
If only I knew the answer to that question; I guess the life we lead is itself a great body of inspiration and influence to release the distorted sound of KAOTEON.
I founded the band because I was a young rebellious metal head that wants to reach out and deliver his message to the world and I still compose and play this music because it’s a whole lot better than pulling the trigger and blow the faces of some worthless human beings.
- We have been flicking through your singles for the past few years and been craving some new material, anything fresh on the way for us?
We are finishing our first Full Length very soon that will hopefully be released someday in 2009. You could always check our new promo track “Anthem of the Dead” at our MySpace myspace.com/kaoteon or portal metalje.com/kaoteon as well as its respective Arabic Lyrics.
- Where did you guys record the album?
The drums and vocals (Walid recorded the demo in One Single Take only) of the demo “Provenance of Hatred” were recorded at a home made studio in Beit Méré while the guitars were recorded at my place using a samick guitar and a direct line in to my old PC hehe. Nowadays, we are recording in Verdun at Mixdown Studios and we do hope to get a very good sound.
- I have learned that one of your past drummers is the current drummer for Necrophagist, how was it working in collaboration with such an obviously talented musician.
At some point and due to the deficit of local talent in the country, I was talking with drummers that I liked and trying to get them to record our material as it has been over and waiting to be recorded since early 2006! I talked with Derek Roddy, Gene Hoglan, Romain Goulon, John Longstreght and a whole bunch of other drummers such as the great Tony Laureano but they were all busy with great active bands and couldn’t give much time to record for a Middle Eastern rising act like KAOTEON. The experience was great though when great drummers like these were checking the material and talking about it to discuss what they could do with it and all that. Romain worked for a couple of months on some of the material thru the internet but couldn’t continue as he left us and three other bands (Imperial Sodomy, Belef and another) to focus on Agressor and Necrophagist which I would have done if I were in his shoes hehe.
- If you could please tell us what is that each current band member has brought to the band?
Current members are essential for Kaoteon. Walid was there since the early beginnings and Kaoteon never had another front man except for the very early stages when I used to it badly enough to stop it heh. He is a powerful vocalist, a sharp lyricist and a very good live performer.Ziad made it all possible again when he sat behind the drums and nailed our originals with a new boiling blood that blasts the fuck out of his kit. If he’s got the time to practice right, I bet he’d be one of the legendary extreme drummers.The first album will be a very good example of what we have to offer for the second coming will be extremely fucking massive and I promise you that.
- Word has spread that you are in need of a talented bassist, any luck?
We are trying a new bassist as we speak and we are looking forward to playing with him live at back to the roots III as we practiced together for a couple of times. We surely do hope that he would keep the motivation and energy coming so that we could nail him under Kaoteon’s line up for the second album.
- We would all like to know where you get your inspiration for your lyrics?
I only put some of song titles as I feel that the music should take that or this direction but I never wrote a single song for KAOTEON as I left the work totally for Walid whom never disappointed us so far. We surely discuss the final versions as we do with the music I compose anyway. In my opinion, we are all in consent with what’s written as it talks about our daily lives from the disgust of the human filthy nature to the rage against its lousy enforced power.
- Back in the summer of 2008, you guys played vital remains cover, any such performance to be repeated??
We will always play what we feel like playing and this is what makes KAOTEON sound special and not just like another band with another song. We try to stick to our originals and we’ll always pay respect to those that deserve it.
- So Anthony what do expect of this up and coming monster of a concert; Back to the Roots?
We are looking forward to delivering yet another insane performance. I miss old metal friends who were fired from the gulf recently and back in Lebanon; so hope to see them there hehe. Let’s just be positive and see how it goes, after all I have great confidence in the organizers this time and think that extreme metal fans won’t disappoint us so it shouldn’t be less than groundbreaking.
- Any words for the numerous fans throughout the nation?
In case anyone did not check our new Promo “Anthem of the Dead” that lyrics are in Arabic. Spread the Word metalje.com/kaoteon Keep it Metal and Mature and if you are going to forget all about metal in a couple of years, Fuck off already and Spare us the bullshit 😉
