Questions answered by Sebastian (lead vocals, guitar)
Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?
First of all: Hey metal maniacs, Sebastian is talking, vocalist and guitarist of Olymp. In fact, Olymp started out back in 2011, when Dommi (drummer) and I got a rehearsal room. We both played together in a punk band before but at that time we wanted to start something new, something more suitable for us. Soon after, Armin, a friend from schooldays, who plays the guitar, joined us and he brought our bassist André with him. Together with Mascha on the vocals, we founded Moral Hazard, a female fronted Heavy Metal band. However, in 2018 Mascha left the band and we started over as a 4-headed band with me on the vocals. Our sound became more rough but yet powerful. We thought of thunder bolts like the ones from Zeus or a stormy sea by the wrath of Poseidon and so we came up with the name Olymp, the German word for Olympus.
Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?
Yes, everyone of us lives in Augsburg a city near Munich, Germany. Armin, Dommi and I know each other from schooldays on; we’re friends now for more than 20 years! Back in 2010/2011 it was Dommi who took action and motivated me to find a rehearsal room to jam around. Having first some Tankard like alcoholic fun metal in mind we could convince Armin with that idea to join us. As you know, things turned out differently sound wise, haha. Armin formally played in a Crust Core band and knew André from his Crust days. André’s former band split up (luckily for Armin, Dommi, and me ;-)) and he was willing to play the bass. I think what’s really special about us is that from the first day on we had some sort of chemistry in writing our songs together and we’ve always been having a great time together.
Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?
Obviously 80ies Heavy Metal like Priest and Maiden but also early Speed/Thrash from Exodus, Slayer, Exciter and so on. But I think you can also hear that we’re big fans of earlier Metal or Hard Rock like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and even Queen. However, we don’t try to copy our idols. We just keep it simple in the sense that we do what we want to do. If one of us comes up with a riff or a melodic line during rehearsal, we work on that together and build a song around that.
Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?
Since everybody of us simply loves music, especially creating music, I would say yes. But no one of us plays his instrument on a professional level. We all have our jobs with music being our biggest hobby.
What songs or albums are on your current playlist?
My Playlist mostly depends on vinyls I recently bought or concerts I attend to. Lately, I’ve listened a lot to the Somewhere in Time album by Iron Maiden as they’ve play a concert in Munich recently. The last vinyl I bought was Rain after Draught from Tytus. A great album by a fantastic live band.
Do you sing in the shower?
Haha, yeah sometimes I do that. However, since I’m mostly showering in the morning before going to work, my singing practices in the shower are restricted to the weekend and times when I’m not in a hurry.
Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?
On October 13 we will release our first full length album. Next year we want to promote this album with a couple of shows. Furthermore, we’re in the process of writing new songs, which will be continued next year.
Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?
We have recently released the first single, Hades, of our upcoming album. Within September we’ll probably release a second single, so you better keep track of our social media sites 😉
If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?
Athens Olympic Stadium of course! Where else?
Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?
Yes, I’d pick Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden. It was the second Iron Maiden Album I’ve ever heard and it just blew my mind. Caught somewhere in time still gives me goosebumps every time I listen to this song. What an insane opener for an album.
Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?
Not really. Maybe some readers would agree that Turbo Lover is such a song. I really like that song, especially its live version. But in the end it’s about music and art. You like it or you don’t and that’s OK, no matter what others say.
If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?
Sabbath, Priest, and Maiden, each having their complete musical backlog up to this day but being in their mid 20ties. The show would extend over three nights, so that each band can headline one night and that the eras of their musical backlog can be dignified by three different sets. And to round things up, Olymp would open the last night, haha.
Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?
Oh yeah, I remember. It was Trash by Alice Cooper. It was the first time I went to a music store in the city of Augsburg and I only knew a few Rock artists back then. Alice Cooper was one of them and I blindly bought this CD. Well, I really don’t regret buying this album. By far not a bad kick off for listening to Rock and Metal. And yes, I still have this album in my CD collection.
As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?
Thanks for supporting us and underground metal in general. The metal gods will be merciful to you!
Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!
Check out our link tree for a rather complete collection of interesting links: https://linktr.ee/olymp.metal
Explicitly here the links to Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube:
https://www.facebook.com/OlympMetal/
https://www.instagram.com/olympheavymetal/
https://www.youtube.com/@olympband2727
We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there anything further that you would like to add?
Thanks to The Metal Asylum for the interview and for supporting metal music and bands. Keep up the great work. Another thing we like to say to everyone reading this interview: Go to concerts and experience smaller bands live. Talk to the members, have a beer with them, show them your support and buy their stuff. That’s the best support you can ever give. We don’t make music to hide in our rehearsal room and release our stuff only online but to play it live for metalheads who have the same passion for metal music.
This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum