The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Alex Pi of Puta Volcano (Athens, Greece)

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How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?

We are a few days away from when we would be embarking on our European tour to promote our new album, had this crisis not landed on us. It’s not something we’re happy about, however, we are not alone in this predicament. And this transcends music, it’s a global situation that encompasses everything and brings along an awkward numbness. As a band, we are behaving the same way we behave as units, we are isolated in our homes and trying to make the best out of this situation and thankfully all of us are healthy so far.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

We have been in lockdown for over a week [as of March 30], here in Athens, and are only allowed to go out after notifying the government via SMS. Even then, groups of more than two people are not allowed. Shopping takes a long time because supermarkets have to monitor the number of customers in the shop, which results in long lines waiting outside. No complaints there however, it is the least we can do to make sure “the curve is flattened.”

How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?

The word “around” has an ominous sound to it these days. I suddenly feel that everyone has a new appreciation of personal space and people are trying to fight the instinct of human contact that we’ve abided by all our lives. As far as music is concerned, this really feels like an apocalypse, not knowing what the landscape will look like after we emerge. Not saying that I expect to see mutants and dune buggies modded with spikes running around, but I’m really curious about how the concept of a packed venue will be interpreted on the other side of this. On the bright side, we are firmly in the information age and it’s a chance for us all to catch up with all sorts of personal backlogs, be it music, movies, practicing an instrument or even picking up new skills. It’s also very optimistic that a lot of bands were quick to adapt, streaming shows, or even just the sharing of riffage online, seems to create a sense of camaraderie.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?

This is a time for us to think and act with the collective good in mind. We need to protect ourselves and protect others from ourselves. As a band, we can only promise that we will come out even more passionate about our music and willing to hop in a tour van to play as much as we can. In the meantime, let’s twist this restrictive period around into a productive self-introspection and come out wiser.

https://www.facebook.com/putavolcanoband/
https://www.instagram.com/putavolcano/
https://www.youtube.com/user/putavolcano
https://putavolcano.bandcamp.com/
http://putavolcano.com/

I can imagine few showers have ever been as satisfying as that which Puta Volcano vocalist Anna Papathanasiou likely took after filming the band’s new video for “Black Box.” Their second album, AMMA, is due out March 13 through The Orchard, and in the clip, Papathanasiou strides head-on toward the camera, presumably on a treadmill or some such, and is pummeled with all manner of stuffs — food, various liquids, wigs, plastic bags; at one point I’m pretty sure a triangular slice of pizza bounces off her shoulder — and yes, they’re making a statement, but that doesn’t make that slice of pizza any less greasy. So yeah, glitter, flour, milk, paint, god knows what else. You’d probably want to hose off afterward.

That, of course, is the visual metaphor at play throughout “Black Box,” which sets its prog-metal riff to work behind the vocal melody which is delivered purposefully even as this assault is taking place. The band generalize just a bit — and fair enough for not wanting to limit their audience — but it’s pretty clearly about a woman’s experience of modern life. Not that we’re not all assaulted at all times, but there remains a definite gradient difference in the uphill courses that those with varying gender identities are running, and as dolls and wigs and sundry powders and whatnots and maybe-glitter pound her, the message isn’t exactly subtle. And not that it’s my place to say so, but it’s not wrong either. There’s a key change in the vocals in the second half of the song — it’s actually bassist Bookies taking lead, but Papathanasiou continues to mouth the words in the video — that coincides with a greater intensity of riff, and then, when it’s over, she stops running, straightens her shoulders and lets out a breath. Fair enough.

Life is a big mess, and life is hard.

At least good music makes it better.

Enjoy the video:

Puta Volcano, “Black Box” official video

Greek hard rock, post-grunge, desert quartet PUTA VOLCANO has revealed the first video, “Black Box,” from their upcoming album, AMMA.

Watch the video for “Black Box” today via the band’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/Ye-4slpAHVk. Directed by Nick Kouros & Anna Papathanasiou.

Lyrically “Black Box” challenges the constant struggle to become something more, against all odds and against adversity. The song’s video provides a visualization of this struggle.

“The concept of the ‘Black Box’ music video is a metaphorical depiction of the struggles a contemporary individual, and more specifically a woman, goes through,” the band explains. “A literal battlefield of symbolism and stereotypes thrown against us daily, formed by societal norms and fixed gender roles. We all have encountered these as we run closer to our own finishing lines, minute by minute.”

Musically, “Black Box” is a heavy, bound-to-the-ground track, with a new flair for the band in the form of dimensional layers of backing vocals. The slow, Tool-style backbone of the song continues to build right up to the epic finish, when the tempo changes and bassist Bookies takes over with wailing vocal lines.

The “Black Box” single is available for streaming and download at https://orcd.co/putavolcano_blackbox.

AMMA, PUTA VOLCANO’s third album, will be released March 13 via The Orchard. Pre-order AMMA on limited gold/black vinyl, CD and limited t-shirt bundles at https://putavolcano.bandcamp.com/. Pre-save on Spotify and all digital platforms at https://orcd.co/putavolcano_amma.

PUTA VOLCANO is:
Anna Papathanasiou – Vocals
Alex Pi – Guitar
Steve Stefanidis – Drums
Bookies – Bass, Backing Vocals

Puta Volcano on Thee Facebooks

Puta Volcano on Instagram

Puta Volcano on Bandcamp

Puta Volcano website

I guess if you’re the Spotify type, a pre-save is the same as a preorder. Whatever, if that’s your thing, or if actual preorders are your thing, they’re both available now for Puta Volcano‘s AMMA. And I gotta say, as a dude who’s listening to the album for the first time as he writes this very sentence, you might want to seriously consider spending your money ahead of time and save yourself the trouble of spending it later. What a fucking pleasure it is to see the Greek heavy rock scene blossom as it has over the last couple years and continues to do already in 2020. Wow. A whole swath of bands coming of age at the same time, finally getting some attention from the broader European sphere. It’s awesome. Puta Volcano‘s kind of moody take on progressive heavy riffing has never sounded so sure of itself or its own forward-thinking intentions as it does in these songs, and I was all about 2017’s Harmony of Spheres (review here).

No audio yet from the record, but I’ve already put in my bid to host a track so hopefully that comes together. Here’s album info from the PR wire in the interim:

Puta Volcano – Amma – March 13th, 2020

While nobody argues the importance of a debut album in setting the ground rules of existence for a rock band and the absolute necessity of a solid sophomore follow up record to establish their presence, it’s the third art installment that will either make, or break them. Puta Volcano, after a number of active years, a larger number of adrenaline-high live shows and an even larger number of loyal supporters, have come to the moment that will define their longevity. “AMMA” is the latest offering from the Athens, Greece based quartet and finds them in a deeply reconciling phase between the introspective artistry and the energetic riffage delivery that both have been trademarks of their sound.

This collection of songs reflects the whereabouts of a band who illustrates the well documented character of their craft and simultaneously branches out to new territories, using bits and pieces of novelties, that make the exploration of this album a detailed nit-picking adventure for the listener.

No one in their right minds would fix what isn’t broken, so the already known Mediterranean mixture of heavy alternative tunes, enhanced with forward thinking american desert classic rock sounds is loudly present once again. Now, if the elitist listener might consider that the scale is somewhat tipped more towards the Tool side of the uplifting harmonies in contrast to the traditional Soundgarden straight forwardness, “AMMA” wouldn’t be a record to argue with that.

Produced by Johnny Tercu and recorded at Unreal Studios in Athens, Greece, by Nick Dimitrakakos and Alex Bolpasis, “AMMA” captures the moment for one of the most stand-out Greek rock bands, through the heavy and clear sound mastering by Alex Ketenjian.

A series of EU tour dates is planned out for the spring of 2020, bringing the volcanic rock n roll on the road.

Tracklist

1. Re-Entry
2. Entropica
3. Venus Lullaby
4. First Light
5. Black Box
6. Sugar Cube
7. Echoing Icons
8. Primitive Data
9. Apnea
10. Torus
11. Space Blanket
12. Kassandra’s Gift

Puta Volcano are:
Anna Papathanasiou
Alex Pi
Steve Stefanidis
Bookies

Pre-order on limited Gold/Black Vinyl, CD and limited T-shirt bundles: https://putavolcano.bandcamp.com/

Pre-order / Pre-save Link: https://orcd.co/putavolcano_amma

https://www.facebook.com/putavolcanoband/
https://www.instagram.com/putavolcano/
https://www.youtube.com/user/putavolcano
https://putavolcano.bandcamp.com/
http://putavolcano.com/

Puta Volcano, “Dune”