A great return for Blacksun with the excellent “karma Somnium”. I couldn’t miss the opportunity to talk to their guitarist Minas Papadopoulos about their new work and many other interesting topics. Interview: Michael Ntalakos
Rockpages.gr: Your new album is here and a short time “out there”. What are the reactions of the people to it so far?
Minas Papadopoulos: Welcome Michael and thank you for hosting us on rockpages.gr! People’s reactions to our new album are more than excellent both in Greece and abroad as well as the press reviews. They welcomed our new work with enthusiasm and wrote excellent reviews .We are especially happy about this because it seems that our work is recognized and we thank them very much !
Rockpages.gr: It’s been 6 years since the release of “Seed of Hate” and I can’t help but ask why such a delay between the two albums. I suppose the pandemic is one of the reasons.
Minas Papadopoulos: The pandemic was one very good reason. The second was the change of singer and drummer in the pandemic. So we had to find members and as you know that’s not easy at all. First Manos Xanthakis (Vocals) came to the band, we knew him for years and we started to work. Later Thomas Halanoulis (Drums) joined the band and we started rehearsing and recording. There was material after “Seed Of Hate” and we worked on it plus some new ideas that were added. After we finished the recordings ,we started the mixing, which was done by us and finally the mastering. A lot happened during a difficult period.
Rockpages.gr: I want you to tell us a few words about the title of the album. How should we interpret it? Does it mean something specific to you or does it deserves free interpretation?
Minas Papadopoulos: Well, as the title of the album, Karma of Dreams can have more than one interpretation so it needs free interpretation. Someone through dreams sees his real life, another one sees the one he would like , another one that he suffers in it. Essentially his destiny in a dreamscape. Dreams are what our heart and soul wants to say , as a poet once said …
Rockpages.gr: In the presentation of the album I talked about an album with demanding material, dark melodic power metal… an album that doesn’t have any hits and it’s definitely not the most commercial album out there. How much do you agree with all this?
Minas Papadopoulos: I’ll tell you. It definitely has a dark atmosphere, lyrics with strong emotional charge, it’s melodic power metal and it’s more ”worked” in composition.
It doesn’t have 1-2 hits but I think all the songs, each one separately and for different reason, can become the personal hit of the listener. Either musically, or lyrically. There are catchy melodies that pop up throughout the album. The fortunate thing for us, with people giving us their opinion on the new album, is that the songs they like best are not limited to 1-2 but the fan of choices opens up a lot.
Rockpages.gr: How did you work for “karma Somnium”? Did you follow a different recipe from “Seed Of Hate”? In general how do Blacksun compose? Is it a team effort?
Minas Papadopoulos: The material for Karma Somnium was 60 -70 % prepared shortly after Seed of Hate and during the pandemic period. With the addition of Manos and Thomas this was adjusted and more was added until it was complete. The recipe didn’t change substantially from the general canon of the band’s work. An idea comes from a band member and it is worked on in the studio by everyone. Everyone puts their own characteristics and style into it. The process is quite collaborative and very creative.
Rockpages.gr: If I asked you to choose just one track from your new album as the most representative of it… which one would you choose and why?
Minas Papadopoulos: Tough question… all the songs are our children. I think the characteristics in the music of the album can be seen in “Last Chapter”, “Mirror” and “Forever Lost”. It goes without saying that all the songs have their own special characteristics and special interest in every aspect.
Rockpages.gr: I saw that the album was released by you as a private release. Didn’t you approach a record label?
Minas Papadopoulos: Yes, we released our new work on our own and that was a conscious choice. Contacts with record labels were made but unfortunately, we didn’t agree because on one hand their proposals were unprofitable to say the least… and on the other hand because we wanted to have control over the release. We are far from the absurd logic of the labels in the way they at least approached us. We have no empathy and of course we are open to any discussion – proposal as long as there is a basic respect for the band.
Rockpages.gr: Can we expect some gigs from you in the near future? I believe that your music should be heard within and outside the borders!
Minas Papadopoulos: There was a live presentation of the new album on 31/1/2025 at Level 69 and we are also discussing other appearances either here in Athens or at some summer festival around Greece. We are waiting. It’s not easy you know. Many bands few stages… As for abroad it is also difficult but we are willing to do it if the opportunity arises. For a start let’s hear “Karma Somnium” in as many countries as possible.
Rockpages.gr: Back to the album. The whole visual is beautiful! Who is responsible for this?
Minas Papadopoulos: Gogo Melone is responsible for the artwork as on Seed of Hate. We had a great collaboration on the previous album so we went ahead with this one as well. It’s done a great job I think. The layout of the booklet was edited by our singer Manos Xanthakis .
Rockpages.gr: Music and artificial intelligence. I want to know what you think about this…
Minas Papadopoulos: Look, for starters, all opinions are respected. I personally believe that music is made – composed by humans and technology helps them to capture it. I think it can’t be the other way around. AI can indeed do a lot and in the future even more but it lacks something very basic… the soul!
No matter how good the algorithm, the musician, composer, bassist etc is the person you can communicate, argue and in the end capture what you want and not a mixer of sounds and digits. Mind you, I am not against technology, I would say the opposite, I am for its judicious use and the motto: Technology at the service of man, not the opposite.
Rockpages.gr: What has kept Blacksun alive for thirty plus years?
Minas Papadopoulos: The will, love and stubbornness for music. You know after so many difficulties all these years it would be easy to give up and do something different but Black Sun for me is family, it’s everyday life, an integral part of my life. Everyone involved in the band feels the same will regardless of everyone’s way. We went through difficult times but we are here and we are presenting something very beautiful I believe.
With so many years in the scene… I want you to tell me what you remember from the early days of the band and of course a comparison with the scene of then and now…
How different times! The early days were full of excitement and love for what we were starting. No experience, little money and means. None of this was able to stop our will to play the music we loved. With mistakes, with omissions but always with enthusiasm. The world, especially technologically, was different, not to say almost non-existent. All by correspondence and face-to-face meetings. A different world. Then Myspace came along and that was the beginning…
The scene then and now had and still has great bands! There is no need to go into names. The way the studios worked back then, the closing of the live shows, the promotion, the communication in general was different. In our time today, musicians, sound engineers are more ”read”, have overcome strange attitudes of both the people and the bands, a little more impersonal perhaps. But in general things are quite improved compared to the past. Of course there are still some pathologies but I think that because of the country and the mentality it is difficult to change.
Rockpages.gr: What are the immediate plans for the scheme? I hope it won’t be six years before we hear new material from you again!
Minas Papadopoulos: Immediate plans…Live, live, live, promotion of the new work, getting it everywhere and organizing the new material in preparation for the new album. I hope it’s sooner ,that’s what we want too.
Rockpages.gr: Close this short interview with a message to our readers!
Minas Papadopoulos: Thanks for the response so far for our new work! We would like more people to listen to our new release and I think they will be happy musically and mentally! Support the local bands in any way you can, not to be cliché but because there are really many that deserve it more than the bands from abroad. Thanks Michael for the conversation and hospitality!
