Greeces White Tower are still relatively new but they are making a statement in the Greek NWOTHM scene! Currently promoting their self titled album, the band are bringing the leather, the hair and the metal. Discover White Tower in this new interview!
THE NWOTHM: Hey White Tower! Can you start by telling our readers where you are from and can
you introduce us to the band members?
W.T: Hello THENWOTHM We are White Tower from Thessaloniki, Greece and our band is formed by vocalist Gago lead Guitarist Nick Vekis drummer Teo Trochidis rhythm guitarist Orestis Koulas and bass
Alkistis Laskarelia.
THE NWOTHM: You have not been around that long! How did the band form and is there any
insightful story surrounding its formation?
W.T: We have been around for 2 and half years till now, and we formed up when we had enough about
our local scene. What I mean when I say when had enough is that our city lacked the traditional heavy
metal bands. It had mainly an extreme metal scene like black metal and punk so we said “we dress the
part but what we do to serve the part of what we love?” and so we went on and made the band.
THE NWOTHM: Where did the band name White Tower come from?
W.T: The name comes from the most popular landmark in our city, the White Tower of Thessaloniki, so we
thought there is no better name to serve the cause of our goal -to bring some traditional heavy metal
to our city and country.
THE NWOTHM: As a band who would you say your biggest influences have been?
W.T: Many but mainly – Judas Priest, Accept, Exciter, Slayer and Overkill!
THE NWOTHM: If you could play with any band or musician, dead or alive who would it be and why?
W.T: Well it would be with Judas Priest cause its like seeing and playing with the band that made all that
metal is about.
THE NWOTHM: In your music collections what records would you say are your most prized
possessions/favourites?
W.T: Well I would say my dads old ZZ Top’s Best Of Cassette from back in 80s when I was young he would
blast it in car and I singed along.
THE NWOTHM: What is the Nwothm scene like in Greece? Is there any other bands from your area
that you would tell our readers to check out?
W.T: Fortunately the scene in our area grew up and many cool bands are here too like Stygian Oath and
Vicious Knights. Stygian Oath plays traditional metal like us and they supported us at our long road to become what we are known as Vicious Knight did too by supporting shows and tagged along many situations with us but the scene in general.
Greece is mediocre cause many bands play just to be famous and not what they believe and that makes them to break up after demos or a debut albums though sometimes is the music
industry too that dont help the musicians though I beg to differ cause when you want to do
something, nothing can stop you If you have the balls to fight for it and pursue it.
THE NWOTHM: Touring is a massive part of life for any band or artist! Do you have any interesting
stories from being on the road?
W.T: I have 2 good ones, from our first show I can remember the tension cause I was never onstage
especially singing and the faces and the anxiety of all was something funny to see, I can also
remember the show at Up the Hammers Festival that 2 of our band members were working
seasonal jobs, me and guitarist so 3 of us rehearsed at Thessaloniki and the 2 of at Rhodes Island
where we worked. So at the day of the show we were dropped at the Airport and went straight to the show
venue, met the rest of the band and we had little time to change and get ready so we didn’t rest or
nothing just blasted total metal and we nailed it what a show it was…
THE NWOTHM: Who gets the most attention in the band at shows?
W.T: I think till now we all get equal attention at the shows though cant wait till my bandmates prove me
wrong.
THE NWOTHM: What gives you inspiration for your lyrics?
W.T: Some are random I just sit and write, some are from movies some are from real life experiences though
mostly random inspiration.
THE NWOTHM: How did the ‘Terminator’ EP come about? How did you decide on the musical
direction of this EP?
W.T: The EP was our first work in the EP we wanted to include the Curse of the Night song but then we
couldn’t make it work with the drums so I was man we cant make a EP with 3 songs “Schizophrenic
attack , Wrecking Machine, Pounding Heavy Metal” we need one more and just as I said I
remembered that we did a random jam of a song that sounded like Toxic waltz from exodus and I
told Nick to Just random record the song and we did then our drummer just nailed it and I sung the
lyrics I had written that summer and Terminator was born.
THE NWOTHM: Can you tell us about your most recent album ‘White Tower‘ and any background
information to the music? How did the songs come about?
W.T: White Tower is our first contact with the music that we love and want to play heavy metal, so we did
what we could and I say this cause whole album was made under the lockdowns when COVID was a
thing so it was illegal to stay after 9 and things like that. So we just went anyways, good that we
were never caught but we sure did some crazy stuff those days sneaking guitars in cars, staying whole
days in underground studios. What a time was that it was kinda cool that we went on and didn’t take a
break like most people did.
The songs come about: ‘Lions of Steel‘ talks about the struggle of Armenian people at war in Karabakh and the lyrics are written by my dear friend Hayk and Me as a tribute to our people. ‘Leather Empress’ talks about some random BDSM situation that can happen to anyone. ‘I Rule the Midnight’ was written by our former guitarist at that time Mike Warbringer and talks about our long walks at nights and hangovers at bars when we were wishing that we could play metal.
‘Spread the Fire’ Is written by Mike and Me though mostly mike it was his love song tribute to his girlfriend and for me is a tribute to a girl that has special place in my heart. ‘Curse of the Night’ that song was hell we wrote it for our EP and we couldn’t make it to work so the curse is more of trial to make it work and we did it. ‘Runaway Rebel‘ talks about a person that wants to just go and leave all behind to just make the things his way at last be free. ‘Fuel along Gunfire’ is about the Mad Max movie cause we all love it in the band and who doesn’t?
‘Find a way to rock‘ now thats about our days struggling in COVID days talks about how we did it.
‘Soldiers of Metal‘ well this one is what it says for all those maniacs that supported us and support
us we love you all. ‘Rough Sex‘ that one is fun song we just jammed random bluesy song and I just had some edgy fun lyrics so I was why the hell not lets do it and we just did that one.
THE NWOTHM: Where did the idea for the ‘White Tower’ artwork come from and who created it?
W.T: Our artwork is created by Christine from the States LA. She does many cool stuff and art related
things stardriver.art on Instagram you can go and check it out! As for the idea for the artwork was just
random we say the cool lady and we was ok thats what we will add as our cover.
THE NWOTHM: What shows have you got coming up for 2023? Will we see any big touring plans for
this year?
W.T: Well we have 2 shows for 2023 till now one in March 11-12 in Greece, Kavala and our big one in
Romania Bucharest 13 – 15 October called Old Grave Fest wich we will support bands like Razor(my
favourite band) and Angel Witch and I cant say how happy I am that I will meet Razor and many others.
THE NWOTHM: Where can people check you out on social media and buy your music/merch?
W.T: People can support us and check us at
Bandcamp: https://whitetowermetal.bandcamp.com/
Alone Records here: https://alone.gr/shop/?s=white+tower&post_type=product
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3wvqSNS
THE NWOTHM: is there anything else you would like to mention?
W.T: I would like to mention that whatever you want you can achieve you just need to never give up even
in the hardest battle never give up trust yourself. And new stuff coming soon our second album is
almost finished really cool stuff coming your way so B L A S T .
T hanks again for your time and all the very best for 2023!
The Nwothm 
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