Interviews: Urstaat

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Instrumental Post-Metal/Instrumental Sludge Metal band Urstaat from Greece. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name? Did you plan it or did it just come out like that?

The Urstaat is a theoretical idea of a “primal” or pure form of the state used in Deleuze and Guattari’s writing to criticise the idea that the state is a natural outcome of social evolution. Rather, they conceptualise state formation as an imposition that captures and orders human desires and forces of production in a way that serves its consolidation of power. All of us in the band consider political action as an inseparable part of our lives, and, since there are no lyrics in our music, we wanted a name that serves as a kind of statement. Plus, we thought that somehow the word itself matches our sound, being rigid but enigmatic at the same time.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

We didn’t really choose the genre. We all had other bands in the past and knew about each other's musical tastes, and decided to try jamming together to see where it would go. The music actually started a bit differently at first, and we even had a vocalist for a while there, but it just sort of organically evolved into the four of us playing instrumental sludge/post metal music. Still, we always want to introduce new elements to our music and to keep on exploring our sound.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Yes, two of us have been friends since the first day at the University and the other two since childhood. All four of us met through political movement incidents and common friends over a decade ago. So, for us, playing together after all these years of camaraderie feels quite special. Having strong bonds between us also makes the band feel more like a natural extension of our friendship than a separate thing in our lives. That’s why every gig and every release is a very happy and emotional occasion for all of us.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Dimitris: Amenra

Nikos: Sleep

Grigoris: The Ocean

Chrissanthi: Tool

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

We write songs about everything that moves us, wounds us, or keeps us going. They come from the pain and violence surrounding us, but also from the joy we find in friendship, love, and collective work. A lot of our music is born from moments of rage, shame, despair, or emotional exhaustion, but also from the need to transform those feelings into something meaningful and shared. Because of that, the band has always functioned as a kind of release valve for all of us. It’s a space where we can process what overwhelms us and give shape to emotions that are otherwise difficult to articulate.

6. Where was your last gig?

Our last gig was in Athens, where we opened the show for Monkey3. We were very excited to share the stage with this band, which we have been listening to for years. It was a new experience for us to play alongside a highly influential band that is so connected to the psychedelic sound. We enjoyed every note we played and, of course, listening to their immersive tunes afterwards.

7. Where would you like to act?

So far, we have been mainly active in Athens, but we have also played some gigs around Greece, which made us realise that touring and sharing our music in new places with completely new people is something that we absolutely love and want to do more. So, we are now thinking of trying to organise a small European/Balkan tour soon, and after that… who knows! The sure thing is we would love to keep on travelling and playing music!

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Just recently, we collaborated with our dearest friend Kostis Benning from Shovel to revisit the final song from Autophagia, "Between the Sea and the Security Fence", where he laid some amazing vocals. So moving on, we'd be open to collaborating mostly with friends and people we affiliate with from our closest circle, even though we're always leaving some room for wild cards!

9. Whom not?

Any artist or band that's fascist, racist, or sexist. The metal scene should be a safe space, free of hate and oppression.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Yes, sure, just before our biggest gig while releasing our first LP, Autophagia, back in November, mostly because we hadn't hit the stage for quite some time at that point. The moment we stepped on stage and strung the first chord, the fright turned into pure joy.

Tip: Have a beer before the gig and give a hug to your bandmates before you hit the stage!!!

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

All four of us come from pretty different musical backgrounds, and that contrast shapes our sound a lot. Some of us are into more extreme and darker stuff (post/black metal) while others lean more toward doom, sludge, and even eastern/traditional music. Bands like Amenra, Russian Circles and Isis have definitely been major inspirations for us, especially in terms of atmosphere and building tension. We try not to limit ourselves to one genre, though.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

The weirdest (and probably nicest) thing happened after a gig we played in another city. A random fan had travelled from another town to see us, but hadn’t planned where to sleep afterwards. Somehow, the night turned into all of us crashing together in the same place. At the place, there were also two super-friendly dogs!

13. What do you think of your fans?

We don’t really think in terms of ‘fans’, and we mean that in a good way. We make music mainly for ourselves and because we feel the need to create it. We’re not trying to chase trends or something. What’s really special for us is when new people come to a show without expectations and connect with the music unexpectedly. In general, we feel very connected to the underground scene of Greece (this scene has a lot of fans).

14. What do you think of our site?

We really like what you’re doing with Breathing the Core. There are not many platforms today that still support underground and emerging bands with this much passion and consistency. The site feels very connected to the scene and not just focused on big names or trends. For bands like us that come from the underground, platforms like yours are important because they help keep the scene alive and give people a chance to discover music they probably wouldn’t find otherwise.

15. Something to add?

Thanks again for the interview and for supporting underground music. We believe heavy music can still be something honest and meaningful — not just entertainment, but also a way to process the world around us, build communities, and create moments of collective release. That’s what Urstaat is for us. We’re really excited for what comes next — more shows, more travelling, and more music. Until then, stay connected to your local scene, support underground and independent art, take care of each other, and never stop creating spaces of solidarity and expression.

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