Crimson Moon: How did the band get started?
Band: We started out in late 2015 as a studio project, by Makis (bass) and George (guitars) who knew each other from previous music projects. We released our debut EP ‘Nuclear Honeymoon’, which received very positive feedback. This made us want to take things a little bit further and become a more ‘serious’ band. So we started looking for other musicians that wanted to take part in Dope Default.
Crimson Moon: What kind of music do you play?
Band: We started out as a stoner rock band, much like most Greek rock bands at the time. Bands like Planet of Zeus and 1000 Mods were pretty big back then (and, to an extent, still are) so they were a very big influence in these early stages. After recruiting our new vocalist, John Campbell, we took a path towards groove metal, with more intricate riffs and heavy vocal melodies. We also like to incorporate elements from other heavy music styles, such as doom or even power metal. And, of course, the stoner elements never left, even in our last album you can pretty much hear this.
Crimson Moon: How has the fan response been?
Band: Fan response has been the number one reason we formed this band, and the main reason we’re still together! Since day one people have been supporting us and encouraging us to make more music and play more shows! With our every release we try to make our fans proud, by staying true to ourselves and putting out stuff that we think people will like.
Crimson Moon: Where did the band name come from?
Band: We wanted to find a name that encapsulated both what type of music we play and where we come from. A name that fitted the sound of the band. The word ‘dope’ is of course closely related to stoner music in general, so it was a no-brainer that we would use it in our name. We’ve always thought we make ‘dope’ music!
And the word ‘default’ was one that was being thrown around a lot during the time when we were formed, in the midst of the Greek financial crisis, when a lot of people thought Greece would ‘default’ on its debts. So we combined those two words. We don’t exactly remember who came up with it, but we all liked it! At least we liked it better than the alternatives (which are a close secret!). And when we made sure that no one used this name, we went with it.
Crimson Moon: Introduce the band members.
Band: So there are the founding members, Makis on bass and George on guitars. Then there is Dimitris on the guitar and Thodoris on drums. And finally, our newest member, vocalist John Campbell.
Crimson Moon: How many albums/CD’s have you released?
Band: So far we’ve released 2 EP’s, ‘Nuclear Honeymoon’ in 2016 and ‘Tales from the Wasteland’ in 2017. Our debut album ‘Ofrenda’ came out in early 2018, followed by ‘Imprisoned’ in 2019. Our latest release is the album ‘Division’, which came out in March 2022.
Crimson Moon: Tell me about some of the songs on the latest CD?
Band: ‘Down to Pieces’ is the first single from our album. It was the first song we wrote after releasing ‘Imprisoned’, and the one we chose to make our first ever music video for. So it’s a big milestone for us.
Then there’s ‘Midnight Mass’, the opening track, that’s a big leap for us, style-wise, as it’s closer to doom metal than anything else we’ve ever released.
And of course there are the more mellow tracks, like ‘So Far Away’ and ‘Duplicity’, that are a league of their own. They are quite unique in that they were structured around the vocal melodies, rather than the other way around, which is what we used to do before.
Crimson Moon: Who writes the music? Lyrics?
Band: Musically we all contribute equally. Usually the guitarists of the band, or even John, will come up with a riff. Then it’s up to the band as a whole to develop it musically into a full song. Sometimes we combine it with another riff that fits, sometimes we come up with stuff on the spot. Lyrics are handled by John and Makis. On the last record lyric duties were split almost 50-50 between these two.
Crimson Moon: And where do the lyric ideas come from?
Band: John’s lyrics are more esoteric, about inner conflict, mental illness, stuff like that. They will also touch on society from time to time. Makis’ lyrics tend to be more political, like the songs ‘One More Time’ and ‘Divided’ from our new album. And of course there is also the post-apocalyptic concept that we tend to focus on in various songs.
Crimson Moon: Has the Covid Pandemic impacted the band at all?
Band: Like every other band, we’ve been heavily affected by the pandemic. It cut our ‘Imprisoned’ tour short, which was a big letdown. And the second lock-down, that came in autumn 2020 also cut our writing process in the middle. We’d just written and recorded ‘Down to Pieces’, the new single, and just released the music video. The album was supposed to follow soon, but the lock-down changed all that. We weren’t so frustrated the second time, though. We decided to take our time to finish up on the new album. Usually in the past we did things a bit hastily. This time we set no deadlines for ourselves. Things were ready when they were ready! So it was an opportunity for us to work on the album until it was as good as possible, and as close as possible to how we wanted it to sound like.
Crimson Moon: Do you have any side projects?
Band: Most of us are professional musicians, so of course we have other musical projects. Though they are in totally different music styles. The closest thing to Dope Default we can think of is Mammuten, a female-fronted stoner space rock band that features both Makis and Thodoris.
Crimson Moon: What is the music scene like where you guys are from?
Band: The Greek music scene is vibrant and rich, in almost every music style imaginable. And the Greek rock scene in particular has seen an explosion in the last decades. It’s great to live in a place where there are so many good bands and people that appreciate heavy music. And our city in particular, Thessaloniki, has been known to be the birthplace of many legendary rock bands. That being said, the music business in Greece is really tough, and you can’t really make a living in this country by playing the music you like. And hard times after hard times haven’t made this any easier.
Crimson Moon: Who are some of your musical influences?
Band: The big bands that we grew up loving, like Metallica, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath etc. have been a big influence on us. Also other more modern bands like Pantera, Lamb of God and Black Label Society have left a big mark on our music. And of course Ghost has been a big influence, seeing as they really revolutionized metal music in the last couple of years.
Crimson Moon: What is the band like when you play live?
Band: We like to brag that we sound better live than in the studio! Which is why every live show for us is very unique and exciting. We just love it to be on stage, wherever we play. The pandemic was a big set back on that front, but hopefully we’ll hop on the stage once again.
Crimson Moon: Have you guys ever played in another country?
Band: We haven’t had the chance yet to play in another country, though we’d really like to! We know Greek bands often tour nearby countries in the Balkans, and this is something we’d be really interested in. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to play a big festival this coming summer, though, so stay tuned!
Crimson Moon: Do you do anything special warm-ups you do before you play live?
Band: Each of us will do a small warm-up for their instrument, but other than that nothing special. We’ll have a couple of drinks, sure, but we won’t be wasted on stage, we like to be in top notch form for every show.
Crimson Moon: What made you want to be in this band?
Band: It’s the quality of the music that has been produced by this band since day one. Even when the five of us weren’t together, it hadn’t been difficult to find other people to join. The songs are what is keeping this band alive and what attracts people to it. We all have a very similar taste in music, and we’re lucky to be with people that write music that all of us like.
Crimson Moon: If you weren’t in this band would you still be involved in the music industry?
Band: Seeing as most of us are active in other music projects already, definitely yes. That is not to say that Dope Default isn’t a large part of what we do musically. It’s also a large part of who we are as people! We love this band with all our heart and will do everything in our power to get our music heard everywhere.
Crimson Moon: As a musician what advice can you give to fellow musicians just starting out?
Band: First of all, practice the heck out of your instrument and try to become the best music player you can be. If you can, take some form of music education. Then, find people that share your music vision, who are committed to this as much as you are. Never give more and take less than others. And finally, don’t let hard times stop you. This is a very tough business! It takes a lot of guts to make it in it. Be prepared to sacrifice a lot for very little.
Crimson Moon: What does the future hold for the band?
Band: We’re currently working on arranging a tour in support of ‘Division’. Hopefully we’ll play a couple of big festivals. And of course, we’ll start working on a follow-up album. We’ll probably be releasing a new music video within this year. So stay tuned and stay heavy!
Contact them at:
https://www.facebook.com/dopedefault
https://dopedefault.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/dopedefault/
https://twitter.com/dopedefault
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjCn_VtljSo-xelOrWWLCQ
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2AX3qDdZLQ1WVq1gsj369f
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dope-default/1205128442
