Doomed Confessionary: Constantinos and Aggelos (The Lotus Matter)
Photo by Christianna Gerou
The Lotus Matter is a progressive/post-metal band based in Athens, Greece. Originally formed in 2017 under a different name and lineup, they went through several changes over the following years. As the band transitioned from their early progressive death metal sound, their music evolved into a more experimental and atmospheric style, blending a diverse array of influences and genres.
Born in the autumn of 2021, The Lotus Matter consists of Constantinos Nyktas (guitar, vocals), Giorgos Petsangourakis (guitar), Aggelos Bracholli (keys, vocals) and Panagiotis Vekiloglou (bass, vocals). They are inspired by the storytelling of Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree, the dynamic range of Opeth, the atmosphere of bands like The Ocean Collective and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the raw emotion of Alice In Chains, the experimentation of Radiohead, and Greek folk music.
The Lotus Matter have released their debut album »In Limbo Pt. 1« on June 13th, 2025 via Sound Effect Records. In addition to the core members of the band, The Lotus Matter employ guest vocalists, strings and bagpipes, elevating »In Limbo Pt. 1« to a non-stop artistic feat!
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Hi, we’re The Lotus Matter, a prog/post band from Athens, Greece. Our debut LP, »In Limbo Pt. 1«, was released this summer via Sound Effect Records. Our music blends prog/post with influences from grunge, electronic music, and even Greek traditional music.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
The biggest challenge so far for our band was the process of recording the album.
It was self-produced, so after a while, making creative decisions was difficult.
There were many times where we had multiple versions of the same thing and we were hesitating to choose, so having somebody outside of the band helping out could have been very useful.
What can you be most proud of so far?
We are very proud of the fact that every individual who participated in the making of the LP contributed their own ideas and personal touch for the project.
We are also very happy that most of the people who contributed were already close friends.
From the musicians who played on the record to the artwork, the videoclip etc.
What was your biggest regret?
For most of us, our biggest regret was not enjoying the process of making the album as much as we could have. It was a time of many “firsts” so, it took a lot of time to make and there were many delays and difficulties. Overall, though, we are happy with the result.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
The best concert so far was the first one.The place was full of friends and family who were waiting to see us and the reception was very good. It took us a long time to take this project outside of our rehearsing/recording spaces and share it with other people so, in a way, there was a sense of relief when it went well.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
The biggest surprise about the music scene in Athens is that there are many, many talented underground bands/artists. They are many more than you would expect given the coverage the scene is getting from the Greek media. None of us, in any genre, gets songs played on the radio (at least the mainstream ones) and most of our large internet magazines seem to be more concerned about posting five articles in a row about the last time Metallica played here than supporting local bands.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
We’ve been listening to a lot of Idles this year, along with other artists like Jeff Buckley, Queens Of The Stone Age, Glass Beams, and Radiohead. Aside from those, we have been listening to a lot of Greek traditional/folk music lately.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Constantinos: Don’t step on the on-stage monitor, I’ve failed to follow this one and almost went head first into the crowd (thought it was stable, it wasn’t really).
What are your guilty pleasures?
Covering Greek trap songs with acoustic guitars 🙁
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
We currently don’t have any live performances planned, we are hoping to get back to the stage as soon as possible. Probably later this year.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Apart from performing live again, we are really looking forward to getting back in the studio to record »In Limbo Pt. 2«. This will probably happen during the summer of 2026.
How can people best support your band?
The best way to support us is by coming to our concerts and, of course, by buying our music on Bandcamp. As you know the situation with the streaming platforms is ridiculous and in the case of Spotify we all know where the money goes.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Don’t, under any circumstance, join a band.
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well