Varathron, patriarchs of the black ink

Long interview with guitarist Achilleas C. (real name: Kalantzis) in which he explains the secrets of the new album ‘The Crimson Temple’ and the lot of tattoos on his skin.

Varathron has been around since 1988 while you, Achilleas, joined the band in 2004, roughly 20 years ago. Were you already interested in tattoo art at the time?
(Achilleas C.) Yeah in 2004 I was only 16 but most metalheads love tattoos and so did I! (laughs) I finally had my first tattoo when I was 18. I was a first-year university student then and managed to collect some money to get my first one.

I must admit that especially when you are young, a tattoo can be great for your confidence and the experience itself is unique.

Tell me about your first time ever in a Greek record store and tattoo store? What metal album did you buy on that occasion and what subject did you get tattooed?
I was visiting my local record store since high school once a week to buy CDs. That was in my hometown, Ioannina. I had already many albums on tapes but I think the first CD I bought was ‘Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II’ by Helloween! I did my first tattoo a few years later in Thessaloniki in one of the best tattoo shops at that time in Greece, that is ‘Nico Tattoo’ (IG: @nicotattoo_thessaloniki).

It was the triple horn of Odin, a Viking symbol that I got on my left arm. That has to be the most default first-tattoo body spot. I must admit that it’s the only tattoo I ever regretted.

Back then I was reading a lot about Nordik mythology, but I’m not really interested in it anymore. I had my wife Evi (IG: @evi.sv) experiment on the art of tattooing on my left arm later, so that symbol is kinda lost among other designs.

Do you have tattoos dedicated to your various bands Aenaon, Katavasia and of course Varathron?
Yeah I have a small one on the back of my neck and a small spaceship above my ankle which is dedicated to my electronic music project called Aural Haze. Most of my tattoos are about my bands and music and I will continue getting tattooed in the same way.

I want my tattoos to reflect my passions in life and that is mainly my music and dark imagery.

Right now I have a big piece in progress on my back. It’s a Varathron design by French artist Chris Moyen (infos at www.chrismoyen.com. Ed).

It is a design made for our t-shirt and song ‘Cimmerian Priesthood’ coming off our new album. It’s perfect as blackwork! The one on my nape is the symbol we use for my band Aenaon (IG: @aenaon_official) and represents chaos. This was my wife’s first ever tattoo done 8 years ago.

Can you explain the tattoos appearing on your right arm?
On my right forearm there is an Alien concept which has been my favourite movie franchise since childhood. I am a H. R. Giger maniac as well so I shared the idea of that tattoo with my artist who was De Loop at the time.

I told him to do whatever he wanted because I believe in trusting your artist and giving them freedom. In one side it’s clearly an Alien xenomorph and on the other side it’s a sort of “Gigerish” landscape, both in Black and Grey style. It took two full sessions and it was the first and only time that I passed out after 6 hours on the procedure.

Go ahead…
On my upper right arm there is a design originally made by Romanian painter Costin Chioreanu (IG: @costinchioreanu) as a commission for my avantgarde black metal band, Aenaon (@aenaon_official). The tattoo was executed by Evi (IG: @evi.sv), also in Black and Grey. It illustrated a myth of the great philosopher Plato. It’s about a hero called Er that came back from the underworld through his funeral pyre and lived to tell the story about how the universe was created. How the souls transit to the other side and how he travelled back to life. I love this one, it’s a very unique concept!

And what about your left arm?
On my outer left forearm there’s another original design by Costin Chioreanu (IG: @costinchioreanu) always for my band, Aenaon. This one is about the big two corrupted authorities: religion and politics.

It is in the form of a vertical mirrored image, similar to the King card, showing the seamless connection between these two figures. The tattoo was executed in Blackwork style by Evi (IG: @evi.sv) flawlessly and with great detail.

Have we perhaps forgotten something?
Well on the inner side there’s an original Black and Grey design always by my wife which is a skull-shaped hourglass. Love the obvious macabre meaning. Right above it I have the word crown in capitals, it was my second tattoo and my nickname at the time, done at a small local shop. My upper left arm is also Evi (IG: @evi.sv ) experimenting with free-hand tattoo and it’s a little random attempt except the big snake that I asked for and I really like.

The rest of the free-hand designs are just special because they remind me of Evi learning the art.

Do you think that, just like Varathron’s music, your tattoos have a very specific reference to the world of the occult and ancient Hellenic traditions?
For sure! The symbol of chaos, the myth of Er, the necromancer in the Varathron design on my back are the ones that are most inspired by the occult and ancient Hellenic traditions. The stories and the ideas we express through music have definitely manifested in my body and will continue to do so in the future as well.

What do you think of Greece’s tattoo scene?
I believe that the level of Greek artists is very high in terms of creativity and quality and actually many tattoo artists in Greece come from Fine Arts schools. Scratchers don’t last much here! (laughs) There are many amazing shops in Greece and a lot of incredibly talented artists carrying options for every style.

Do you usually refer to the same tattoo studio or do you like to vary?
I am definitely one of those people who like to keep going with the people they already trust though. I know that not everybody agrees but for me it’s important to appreciate the artist as a person as well. Getting a tattoo is very personal. It’s not like listening to music or observing an image. When you get a tattoo you become the vessel of the art and I would think twice getting a tattoo from someone I don’t like even if that person was the best of the best.

Tell me about your wife Evi as photographer and tattoo artist…
Actually most of Varathron’s photo sessions are Evi’s work because she’s into photography as well and knows what we’re looking for. As a tattooer, she doesn’t own a tattoo shop but she has been working at ‘Line Tattoo Studio’ in Ioannina (IG: @linetattoo777) since the beginning and feels like home.

Varathron has a vast and excellent discography, and your current illustrator (Italian Paolo Girardi) did an excellent job on the artwork for your last album ‘The Crimson Temple’. Do you think his artwork will one day become subject for tattoos that your fans might imprint on their skin?
Paolo’s art is unique, extremely detailed, sinister, with vivid color combinations, so complicated and with so many levels like a painting into a painting into a painting…. Totally crazy! Of course it would be exciting to see such work on a fan’s skin and I would personally congratulate the artist who would even dare to take up on a project like that!

Tell me about your brand new album ‘The Crimson Temple’ since you are also a producer and an engineer. What did it mean to work on such an album after a modern classic like ‘Patriarchs of Evil’?
I believe Varathron (IG: @varathron_official) are among the fathers of what we call Hellenic black metal and our band is a must for anyone interested in knowing this extreme music style that blends classic heavy metal elements, exotic melodies, mythological concepts and occult themes with black metal.

The new album is very much a natural progress after ‘Patriarchs of Evil’.

What “temple” are you referring to?
The temple we are referring to is the one you see on the cover art and imagined by our singer, Stefan Necroabyssious. A place where whitches carry innocent souls to be sacrificed by a demonic figure called Hecatonchiras to the higher evil. Let me add that this time the production value is higher in every aspect. We also incorporated a lot of ancient Greek and Middle Eastern traditional elements that will definitely make a strong impression to the listeners. This album is a milestone for me and my bandmates for sure and it was a fantastic experience to work on it as a producer as well.

Can you please review ‘The Crimson Temple’ in your own words for the readers of Tattoo Life?
It’s a well thought album in every aspect with amazing artwork. It carries our passion for creating unholy soundscapes and spiritual dimensions. It’s definitely a unique album with heavy metal groove, epic melodic passages and black metal aggression that you will find nowhere else. The album has great guitar work, groovy basslines, atmospheric choirs and keyboards, bombastic drums and an incredible vocal performance by Stefan Necroabyssious!

Just to satisfy one last curiosity – what about that beautiful dog I saw photographed in your recording studio?
That is Menios! He has been with us since 3 weeks old and he is 7 years old now.

And how does Menios feel about your music…?
Although he has been my studio partner for so long, I don’t see him appreciating extreme music that much. He prefers sleeping all day and gets excited only when we go out! (laughs)