Naxatras Live: When atmosphere met Stoner

For me, it's a whole ritual… From the moment I spot the concerts I want to attend, I start circling the dates on my calendar. Next step, as the day approaches, is getting into the mood. How's that done?! Easy answer! By listening to as much of the band's music as I can! And that's how we arrived at Naxatras Live in Athens. A concert that was my first live contact with the band, but I'm sure not the last.

What I expected to hear

Before the concert I'd been digging into Naxatras. Their music seemed to have principles, a distinct sound, and plenty of dynamics. The quality of what I was hearing was quite groundbreaking. Besides, the technique they follow to record, mix and master is characterized as fully analog.

Would everyone hear the difference? Maybe yes, maybe no. What matters is that the band gives the impression of deeply respecting both its craft and its audience, going the extra mile to deliver high-quality records.

To pre-empt your question, no, it's not aimed only at musicians and genre specialists. No, it's not some kind of superfluous quality. It's perhaps the only way to enjoy music at a level of quality close to live.

Sound makes the difference

For some it's hard to listen to music without lyrics (or at least without the lyrics playing a huge role in a track). For me, the big difference is managing to bring out each track musically. Both through the sound you choose to have, and through the dynamics. These are very important elements in managing to even differentiate one track from another. I can say Naxatras pull this off in a distinctive way.

The Step Beyond Stoner Rock

Their atmospheric sounds, their soft riffs, plus a combination of psychedelic, space sounds, form a mix of desert and psychedelic stoner that will leave you speechless. Still, could we say with certainty that their music is characterized as Stoner?

I'd say they belong to the broader spectrum of Stoner Rock, without being a textbook definition of the Desert Stoner sound. There's the rhythm and the gripping riffs that will get you moving. But there are also big differences. The atmospheric nature of their tracks falls under Psychedelic Rock. The guitars are distorted in some spots, but for the majority of the tracks they're relatively 'clean' sound-wise. An element that, of course, brings out the beauty of each track's rhythms. Finally, there's no way we could say they use elements of 'retro' production. On the contrary, their working method is very groundbreaking.

Incorporation of Electronic elements

Another element that sets apart the music of Naxatras is the use of electronic elements. In fact, the band introduced its newest member on stage, tasked precisely with incorporating these elements. Among the highlights of the night was the presentation of new tracks from the record that, as they mentioned, will be released to the public by the end of '21.

Until then, what will stay in my memory is Omega Madness. If even the rest of the new album's tracks come close to that, then I'll be waiting like a kid waiting for Christmas to arrive!

A few words about Supermoon (GR)

The concert's support act was Supermoon (GR). A trio that, even though they played only briefly, showed tremendous potential in the few minutes of sample they gave us. Their style resembles Naxatras a lot and is a mix of Psychedelic, Stoner sounds. We should definitely keep a close eye on what this band does in the future…

Amazing stage vibe - Enviable sound

Coming back to Naxatras, I can say with full confidence that it was among the best live performances I've ever attended. Musically, each member and each instrument covered a different frequency band, with the parts and sounds never overlapping. The pauses emphasized the shifts between tracks and the dynamics. Among the big pluses was the energy that came off the band as a whole and passed on to the audience!

Overall, the show was really beautiful. And the sound that reached the audience was very carefully crafted, which reveals the band's pursuit of perfection. Personally, I was completely satisfied with what I heard. I'd say I heard far more than what studying the band's records had given me (and here a detailed article will follow on our impressions of Naxatras' latest works).

They win you over instantly!

Personally, I believe a live show reveals a band's quality and dynamism to a great extent. I admit that before the concert, I liked the band in some respects. After this, their stock shot through the roof! The way they handle their music to tell us different stories is impressive.

It's definitely a world of difference from just listening to a record. On one hand, there's Γιάννης (Βαγενάς – Bass, Vocals) laying down the rhythm. Never still! On the other hand, Κώστας (Χαριζάνης – Drums) driving each track wherever he pleases. And amid all this, the other Γιάννης (Κωσταντέλιας – Guitar) framing it all with melodies that carve themselves into your mind.

The combination is wonderful. And suddenly, everything makes sense. It would be unfair to label Naxatras as a Stoner Rock band. It's far too limiting for what they ultimately offer: An evolution of the Stoner genre. Sure, there will be die-hard fans of classic Desert Stoner who'll object. But that just reinforces the band's legend and strengthens the conviction to explore and set themselves apart from other bands.