With:	Jim A.D.Selalmazidis [Guitars]
Conducted by:	Jeff
Published:	15.09.2004
Band profile:	Sarissa

- Could you introduce Sarissa to our readers, please?

Hello, my name is Jim A.D.Selalmazidis and I play the guitars, bass, and keys on the record, Bill Kanakis is the drummer, and on the vocals Nick Iglezos.


- Tell us a bit about your new album "Masters Of Sins"?

Masters of sins is our comeback. It is our statement for how Heavy music should sound today. You can hear a lot of kinds of metal since we exist from 1985, there is a big spectrum of in our music.


- Sarissa is an "old" band but you only release your first real album this year? Can you explain why?

This is our 3rd album. The reason is that I split up the band at the late '96, we got reformed at 2000 again but the ultimate problem (steady band members) continued, and so it took us another 4 years to reach the point were we are now!


- I read in your bio that you got many military problems. I know that a Greek football player in France has the same problems nowadays. Why do you have all these problems in Greece? [I suppose that it's very disturbing for the bands?]

It is one of the main reasons why most bands split up! Today it's a little easier since the military duty is now 12 months. Our new cd was ready since 2003, but at that time our singer got his army duties, and so we waited till he got some days of, so we recorded immediately the much we can, and this story took about a year. It was very frustrating.








- Which bands influenced you? I suppose that bands like Symphony X for example are very important to you?

I grew up with classic bands Sabbath , Priest Rainbow etc. and later with u. s. power Crimson Glory, Queensrÿche, Leatherwolf and that kind of stuff.
I admit that I like the last Symphony X cd's , and the band is great, and sound wise we have a lot in comment, but I think musically were not so much progressive, were a touch more heavier.


- How is the Metal scene in Greece, is it important or just underground? do you have a lot of bands? What is the predominant Metal Style in your country?

I think somewhere in between, they are a lot of bands in different styles, the most of them are in the death, black core thing.


- Is it easy to be a Metal band in Greece? Do you have a big fan base ?

It is one of the hardest sports to be a metal band in Greece. Metal is a foreign word for the record companies and music industry. But the fan base is hopefully in a great level.


- The cover of the cd represents a tank in a desert. Is it a symbol of all the events in the Middle East ?

Yes I suppose this is obvious. Actually it has to do with the new world order and how the media present it.






- Have you planned to tour out of Greece? Maybe we will have a chance to see you all over Europe?

If there is any interests from the promoters, why not, we are open to any propositions.


- Thanks a lot for this interview, if you have anything to say, feel free to write it here.
A big hello to all of the Metal Storm readers.

We made a big try for this cd, and we believe that it's really worth's the attention from all of you, and we promise that we give our best in every new release of Sarissa.