Interview With The Lebanese Metal Band 'Kaoteon'

Interview with Kaoteon A well-known name in the Middle Eastern Metal industry.

It attracted the ears of thousands of fans in the world due to its distinctive sound.

Last month, Kaoteon achieved a new success after winning Metal Hammer award. JoScene has contacted Anthony (Founder, Guitarist & Music Composer) to share the band's thoughts about their career, music, and future plans.

Hi Anthony, this is Rana

Thank you for giving me this chance to interview one of the iconic Lebanese Metal bands as you, I would like to start with your latest achievement, your Metal Hammer Award, Tell us more about this ceremony, how they contacted you?

Hello Rana, thank you for reaching out. Metal hammer sent the band an email asking us to attend the ceremony. We were humbled and super proud just to be there. When we knew we are winning the award, we were very excited that it boosted our energy and efforts to compose the upcoming third album.

Let me congratulate you won for winning “The global metal award” from metal hammer, it made us all proud! Tell me how it felt?

It felt fantastic and we truly wanted all metalheads who supported us and bands who played with us to be there as they were all part of the story.

We all deserve recognition and I hope more bands get it as it is well earned and deserved.

Did you meet any mainstream Metal bands, or sharing thoughts with any of them?

Yes, we met limp bizkit, ozzy osbourne, cradle of filth amongst many and most international bands are very friendly, supportive and down to earth.

                                                                 Anthony with Dani Filth from 'Cradle of Filth'

Currently, you are working on your third release, What is the main concept of your upcoming album?

As always, Kaoteon speaks about pursuing idiosyncrasy amongst chaotic surroundings by cleansing itself of the world’s cruelty and building a world an Eon of our own.

You announced the lineup of your third release, it includes big names as Adrian Erlandsson, and Linus Klausenitzer, What was their reaction regarding working with a middle Eastern band?

I really don’t think that musicians from Europe think of us as middle easterns or the other way around. They listened to the music, had fun with us and decided to give this a try.

Anthony, Linus Klausenitzer, Walid

I want to go back to your early time, why did you stick Blackened Death Metal as your genre?

Both Walid and I enjoy extreme metal music, black death and thrash metal in particular. When I compose a new track I do not limit myself to a genre and this is why you can hear a big difference between a track like NON SERVIAM and a track like LIGHT OF COMPASSION.

How did the members of the band meet, and how do you arrange the process of music writing?

I met Walid online on mIRC and he has been my vocalist since 2001. All other members are not permanent but Walid is my brother in darkness for 17 years now and I have always written all the music and he writes the lyrics.

What are your main influences?

All good music from depeche mode to nine inch nails, tom waits to nick cave, bathory to watain, morbid angel to death, slayer to deathspell omega. Lebanese bands have always been few but of high quality. The problem is persistence and I can see more serious bands kicking ass these days.

How do you see the scene in Lebanon nowadays? and are you in contact with any Middle Eastern bands?

Lebanese bands have always been few but of high quality. The problem is persistence and i can see more serious bands kicking ass these days.

Which mainstream or well-known bands are you in contact with?

Unfortunately we know many musicians but can’t stay in touch with most due to busy schedules and different lives we lead. Being middle easterns, we have to grind in a day job to make enough money for us and our families back home so music although our most beloved activity cannot be our day to day activity.

What are you planning to do after releasing your album?

Believe it or not, I started composing the fourth album and I want to play live this time. I would like to prepare a live performance and take it to places.

At last, you haven’t performed in any of our events, any words for your fans in the UAE? And are we going to see you performing in Dubai soon? Thanks

We love the UAE and if you guys can fly us all there, fill our tummies with beer and blueberries then we are definitely up for it.

Thank you Anthony for your time and we wish you guys the best! Kaoteon: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Kaoteon Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Kaoteon/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KAOTEON/