Interview Greh

Join us as GREH, originally a one-man DIY project, transformed into a formidable trio. We delve into their unique sound, emotional inspirations, and the rejection of feigned goodness that defines their music.

1. Can you take us back to the beginning of GREH and share how this one-man DIY project evolved into a trio? What motivated the transition?

As I started with music, I just wanted to compose music, release it and not play any live shows. After I released the "Age of Resentment" EP as a one-man project, I got a lot of emails asking me why I wasn't playing live and that people would like to see me playing live. 

After careful consideration, I decided to form a band and play live, but on one condition: as few instruments and people as possible. After numerous auditions, I immediately fell in love with Martin Kocula's vocals and was thrilled by Maurice Müller's drumming because it's not typically metal, which suits GREH very well. In the meantime, the trio has grown into a band, which makes me very proud. 

2. Your music draws inspiration from various metal styles. How do you navigate the fusion of heavy and rolling guitar sounds with driving vocals to create GREH's unique and infectious sound?

The sound actually came about very much by chance - out of a very deep feeling. It just sounded good to me. Then I saw that there are some bands that have a similar sound. But yes, sludge bands like "Thou" or "Come to Grief" or "Winter" have always fascinated me because they could capture my grief well. The groove influence certainly comes from "Bolt Thrower". Martin and Maurice bring a lot of influences into the new songs, which you can hear and experience at our concerts. Maurice is a very talented and sought-after drummer. I was actually lucky that he joined GREH. Because he still plays drums for: Bone Idles, Weird Owles, Hard Strike.... he has influenced the new GREH sound a lot. I know that Martin has been listening to metal for many years. He has already played in death metal bands. At the moment he has another band besides GREH called "GRAU". The black metal influences will be heard in the new GREH album we are currently working on. 

3. The bio mentions an infectious sound embedded with dark emotions and anger. How do you channel these emotions into your music, and what kind of impact do you hope it has on your audience?

I channel something like a dark and lightning-fast reliving of my past. This doesn't just mean the classic flashbacks where you feel briefly transported back to the past, which you are then aware of. This type of flashback is mainly found after a shock trauma, for example in war veterans who throw themselves on the floor because a car exhaust has gone off somewhere. In this type of flashback, the memories are suddenly triggered and are so strong that the person affected has the feeling that they are happening NOW. That's exactly the feeling we were dealing with and we used the music to channel it.

4. The lyrics of GREH often touch on the flaws of humanity and the liberation from false beliefs. Can you delve into the themes explored in your lyrics and how they connect to the overall message of the band?

GREH stands for liberation from religious dogma, social constraints and oppressive traditions. It celebrates the moment of a powerful catharsis.

I myself was raised and grew up very religious. In the course of my life, I realized that religions were not for me and that I was never free because of my beliefs at the time. Instead, religion always had its hand on my neck and grounded me - I never felt free like that! GREH stands somewhere for my personal liberation from religion itself. In other words, GREH is a transgression of God's law! It is about respect for self-determination - from faith to reality - from faith to disrespect for all religions.

5. Your bio mentions addressing moral vices like indifference to suffering. How does GREH use music as a tool to critique these aspects of human behavior, and what message do you hope to convey through your exploration of pain and suffering?

Now it is important to mention that the songs were created to pull ourselves out of a very difficult and dark phase of life. GREH is an end in itself, and if the vibe of the music or lyrics helps other listeners - then we have accomplished our mission. There are actually many ways to pull yourself out of a depressive phase - composing music and running a band is one of them.

6. GREH sees itself as a rejection of feigned goodness. How does this rejection manifest in both your attitude towards your music and the message you convey through it?

We are very aware that we are not introducing new and fantastic dark themes into metal, but rather a reference to the dark and gloomy nature of our world and its interpersonal reality. There will be many issues on our planet and in our interpersonal relationships that will always concern us, why they happen - this is exactly a topic that can be reflected musically or artistically.

7. Your attitude is described as reflected in the musical recognition. Can you elaborate on how your rejection of feigned goodness is translated into the musical elements of your sound?

This is processed classically in the lyrics of the songs and accompanied by the music accordingly.

8. Your list of bands for fans of GREH includes a diverse range. Can you highlight some specific influences that have played a significant role in shaping your musical style?

As we know, musical tastes are constantly expanding. So I'm constantly inspired by other bands. Every song is inspired by one or two bands.

I like the groove of "Bolt Thrower", the anger of "Hexis", the aggression of "Nails", the atmosphere of "AHAB", the catchiness of "Mantar", the suffering of "Thou", the driving parts of "Konvent". 

As you can see here, each band brings its own aspect to my inspiration.

9. Starting as a DIY project, how has the band maintained its DIY ethos as it evolved into a trio? What challenges and rewards come with maintaining a hands-on approach to your music?

It is important to mention that we all have many years of band and live experience. We pool this knowledge and these skills and work together as a team. It is important to us to be independent and self-determined and only occasionally use the services of third parties. All of this only works with a lot of money and a lot of time, which we invest in this band. Fortunately, this effort pays off, as we can see from the steadily increasing number of visitors to our live shows - something we are very grateful to all our visitors and fans for.

10. With a minimalistic setup of one guitar, drums, and vocals, how does GREH approach live performances? How do you capture the intensity and character of your music in a live setting?

I actually experiment a lot with the instruments at home until I have a result. I often have an idea or a vibe that I want to create and work towards it. And nowadays it's actually possible to play the same, even better Feeten SOund on stage yourself. Yes, it is a special challenge to create a fat sound with just one guitar, but it is possible: how exactly remains my secret.

11. Can you walk us through the creative process within the band? How do you collaborate to bring together the gritty and minimalistic sound that defines GREH?

I usually get an idea while swimming. Then I try out the riffs for a few days, then I compose the drums on the PC and write the lyrics. Then I present it to Martin (vocals) and we incorporate his feedback. When we are satisfied, we present the song of the Monne (drums). From here it often happens that the song is completely rebuilt, which ultimately leads to the final result.

12. What can fans expect from GREH in the near future? Any upcoming projects, collaborations, or tours that you're excited to share?

We recently started recording new songs. They'll be more dissonant and brutal and less muddy. We hope that the album will be released in winter 2023/2024. Otherwise, we are convinced that we can play some festivals in 2024. We would love to be able to meet many of the fans out there in person and have a great time together!

GREH - BLACKENED DEATH DOOM FROM GERMANY

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