Dead Rhetoric: Outside of Zandelle, you have a number of other projects/bands going on – what can you tell us about Porphyra and Circle of 4?
Tsalikis: Thank you for noticing. Porphyra is a relatively new project. Much like Zandelle, Porphyra’s musical roots are in the classic Metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest but they also incorporate elements of traditional Greek music. There are actually two sides to Porphyra. There is the band which like other bands plays gigs, and puts out great albums (so far just one which I’m not on because I joined after the fact). But there is also the theatrical production which I’m currently working on with them to bring to a different level. In fact, we just played a huge show at NY’s famous Carnegie Hall where we showcased the theatrical side of the band.
Circle of 4 is altogether different in that it’s 100% a cover band. We do not do any original songs. It started out as four guys who love 80’s Hard Rock and Heavy Metal getting together to play gigs and now we’re transforming it into some more by putting on 80’s costumes and putting on more of a show than we used to. People love the nostalgia of the 80’s and that’s what Circle of 4 brings. We’re kind of like Rock of Ages the Musical only without the story, acting or ensemble dancers.
I’ve also started working on my first ever solo album. It will be a full length concept album which I’m hoping to release some time in 2016.
Dead Rhetoric: How do you feel about your voice from your early days until now? Are there particular rituals or regiments you stick to so you can keep the voice in tip top shape both in the studio and on the stage?
Tsalikis: Good question! I feel I’ve made great strides in improving my voice over the years. Having worked in musical theater for more than a decade, I got to work with some very talented music directors who have helped me refine my voice quite a bit. I feel my vocals are stronger throughout my entire range and I have the endurance to sing through an entire concert without suffering even the slightest loss in power. Another thing that greatly helped me was in-ear monitors. As a singer, this is quite possibly the most important purchase you can make. With in-ear monitors, you can hear yourself clearly from anywhere on the stage. As a result you don’t have to over-compensate by singing louder and can save your voice. They also protect your hearing as well so you can play night after night with no ill effects. Other than that, I warm up when I need to and I’ve learned when to give my voice time to rest if it does get strained from over-use.
Dead Rhetoric: What are your top five all time heavy metal records, and what’s the best concert that you’ve ever witnessed as a pure fan, can you give us some details as to what made that day or night so special?
Tsalikis: My top five favorite Metal albums (in no particular order are):
Queensryche: Operation Mindcrime
Judas Priest: Painkiller
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast
Symphony X: The Odyssey
Black Sabbath: Heaven and Hell
This was actually very hard to come up with only because there are so many great albums that have influenced me over the years, each in their own way.
Dead Rhetoric: Do you have any worries/concerns about the future of the world that we live in?
Tsalikis: Not particularly. Humanity has survived and in fact thrived after some of the most horrific times in our history and we will continue to do so. Bad things will always happen. We can’t worry and stress out every time something bad happens as if it’s the end of the world. It’s not. Things always get better so there is no point in worrying.
Dead Rhetoric: Are there any misconceptions that you would like to clear up to people about the trials and tribulations of being in a heavy/power metal outfit?
Tsalikis: I find that the only people that have misconceptions are people who have never heard the music and therefore probably wouldn’t be reading this article in the first place. If I was able to communicate with those people I would tell them to listen to the music before passing judgment. I find that many people who I’ve spoken to who have never heard of Power Metal assume it’s going to sound like a wall of noise combined with unintelligible screaming and yelling. Then I’ll play a song for them and they are complete surprised at how wrong they were and how much they actually like it.
Dead Rhetoric: How important is imagery and artwork in your eyes to the overall Zandelle presentation?
Tsalikis: It’s important to some degree. After all, it is a show and I feel that a performer when on stage should stand out from people in the audience. However it should also not be the governing factor. The music is the most important factor. Imagery is more like the icing on the cake. The same holds true for albums. It’s nice to have a kick ass cover but if the music sucks, then it’s not going to really matter how cool the cover looks.
Dead Rhetoric: If you had the chance to sit down and have a long dinner with three people in the world, living or have passed away, who would you choose and what types of topics would you like to discuss?
Tsalikis: That’s a difficult question. For one thing, I’m not the worshiping type so there isn’t anyone in the world alive or dead who I would love to have dinner with. I reserve that for people I actually know and enjoy spending time with. I mean, could you imagine meeting someone you’ve looked up to for years and they turn out to be a complete jerk? Plus, anyone who is currently living or lived in the past, can’t really give me any information that would benefit me in the future (unless I was working on a history book). So instead I would prefer to dine with my future self and I would discuss what mistakes I should look out for and what direction should I take to live a happy and successful life.
Dead Rhetoric: What are the plans for the rest of 2015 and early 2016 concerning Zandelle as far as live performances, videos, recording, and promotional plans?
Tsalikis: With the release of the new album Perseverance we plan on releasing three new music videos, the first to be released on July 1st. The first video will be one that features just the band and will be for the song “Unending Fortitude” from the new album. The second video will be released sometime in August and will feature about 16 actors in an epic vampire vs. hunter story for the song “Shadow Slaves”. That video was fun to film. The third video will be released sometime in September and will be for the song “Innocence Lost”, a more serious song about emotional child abuse and what happens when that child grows up and is put in a position to care for the parent that emotionally abused him.
If all goes well we will also have a show to celebrate the release of the new album and perhaps some more shows to follow. After that, who knows?