Hi everyone!
It's interview time again! That's right - we recently sat down with our amazing composer, Christos Antoniou, and asked him questions about everything from his career to his approach to Mandragora’s soundtrack.
And because we loved your positive response to the interview we conducted with our Narrative Lead, Brian Mitsoda, we wanted to turn things up a notch this time round.
That’s why this time, these interview questions came straight from our awesome Discord community! 🤘 We wanted to make sure that you, our incredible supporters, got to have your say and get answers to some of your most burning musical questions!
So without further ado, let’s jump right into it!
Hi, Christos! Thanks again for agreeing to this interview.
To kick us off, Discord community member “dropko” had plenty of great questions for you:
What led you to become a music composer?
Christos: Actually, I was a latecomer in music; just imagine, I started to learn the notes when I was 17. When I was 13, I bought a guitar and started to play some songs. In parallel with that I started to have an interest in heavy rock and classical music. I always admired how Bach, Mozart and Beethoven created such unique music. But the work that made me become a composer was “The Rite of Spring” by Igor Stravinsky. I was shocked like everybody else listening to this masterpiece - a revolution in music from every aspect.
How much do you take from game designers, sketches, art work, game mockups, to influence the music?
Christos: I try to get as much info as I can in order to research form, atmosphere and style. My research will cover various genres of music in order to collect the necessary material that will help me to create the appropriate atmosphere of the piece.
How easy is it to create a cohesive soundtrack when games go all over the place in locations and settings?
Christos: So far it has helped me a lot because I have freedom and I don’t have to follow a scene (like in films for example) but due to the large number of bosses I might face some difficulties later on. But that’s the challenge in music - always searching for the right path to follow. The journey is tough, and sometimes your inspiration does not lead you to anything, but a composer always needs to reboot their brain because you have to meet strict deadlines.
“_zso2” wanted to know:
Are there any non-musical elements you like to use in your music? For example industrial samples, animal sounds or any other sounds.
Christos: Yes, for sure. I use many “sound design” materials that will be effective. I have 2 Cane Corso dogs and I have already recorded their growls, and one of my assistants, a percussion player, under my guidance has recorded woods from his furniture in order to emphasize the wooden appearance of a boss. I am always searching for elements that can suit my needs.
“distractiondance3.0” asked:
What is your favorite genre of music to compose?
Christos: Many genres can intrigue me and are pleasant for me. Rock, Concert Music, Soundtracks, Video Games. Of course I can’t say that I am a fan of Pop music but if I have to compose a pop song, I will try to conquer it.
“J-dudd” had this to ask:
Who is your favorite composer? Both in regards to gaming as well as outside that scope.
Christos: My favorite composer is Igor Stravinsky but I have many others like Hans Zimmer, Eliot Goldenthal and bands like Celtic Frost, Metallica, Death, and Morbid Angel that have defined my choices and vocabulary in music.
“Sand Wraith” was curious to know more about your process:
How do you come up with a core melody?
Christos: Inspiration can come from everywhere. While I am outside, or playing the piano, or studying. You have to let your inspiration flow and then filter the ideas that you can develop with no limitations. The development also is challenging because the majority of times I will go back again and again to transform the melody into the personally ideal shape.
“Screwdriver” had a question about how Mandragora compares:
How is it different to work as composer for a game versus musician/singer for a band like in Septicflesh?
Christos: Very different. Septicflesh is teamwork, while for Mandragora although I have assistants, I have to compose a full OST from zero. It is more demanding and more difficult for sure. Also, I have “freedom” to move as I want and that sometimes is on hold on a Septicflesh song. For example I can develop a melody, expand or compress the form on Mandragora whereas on a song from SF I have to be less “flexible”.
Finally, we had one last request for Christos, as we wanted to share something especially exciting with you: a sneak peek of the Mandragora soundtrack!
We really hope you enjoy this short snippet of the the Mandragora menu track demo:
https://christosantoniou.bandcamp.com/track/mandragora-ost-main-menu-midi-mockup-preview
…And that’s a wrap!
Thank you so much for checking out this latest interview, we hope you enjoyed it!
Special thanks to everyone who submitted a question on our Discord! It was awesome to see all your creative and curious questions.
And we’re delighted to now announce: our next written interview will be with the inimitable Aysha Selim!
So if you have any questions for this incredible voice talent (who will be voicing a major character in Mandragora!) please submit them over on our Discord server by July 17! 🙌 You can join the Discord, by clicking here!