Artist Spotlight is a segment that we started to introduce our readers to some deserving up and coming artists/bands. They have made an impact on us for all of the right reasons. We think they kick ass, and we hope you do too! Let’s shine the spotlight on Belgium progressive rockers Amphis!
Amphis is a progressive metal band from Turnhout, Belgium. With crushing rhythms, intricate melodic leads, deep bass lines, powerful drums, atmospheric synthesizers, dark grunts, and soaring clean vocals, they craft immersive stories and unforgettable live experiences.
Drawing inspiration from bands like Opeth, Mastodon, Gojira, and Meshuggah, their sound is both intense and captivating.
We sat down with Amphis lead guitarist/backing vocalist Lenny for a short, but fun Q&A!
Every superhero or villain has an origin and a band is no different minus the radioactive spiders and secret government experiments. What is the origin of Amphis?
Lenny/Amphis: It started with our vocalist, Yara, reaching out to me because she heard from a mutual friend I was looking to start a band. She had a friend who played bass, Liese, and I had an older brother who played drums, Wess. After a couple years of rehearsing with just the four of us we went to a show at a local bar where our final piece of the Amphis puzzle, Jari, was performing with his band at that time. After a few beers and laughs we asked him if he wanted to join us and he said yes! It still took us a few years to find the direction we wanted to go in but that only helped to get us all on the same line as artists.
Band names can have a meaning or it can be a name pulled out of a hat. What’s the story behind Amphis?
We actually had 2 other band names before we landed on ‘Amphis’. First it was ‘Lisztomania’. But then, Wess came with the idea to change it to ‘Sothis’ because he wasn’t feeling ‘Lisztomania’ anymore. After discussing this with a few beers we all agreed on ‘Sothis’. ‘Amphis’ was already on the table when we we’re discussing ‘Sothis’. I felt like ‘Amphis’ had more power and Jari felt like it had more opportunity logo/graphic-wise. So, we suggested one last time to change our name and again, after a few beers and laughs everyone agreed! ‘Amphis’ comes from ‘Amphisbaena’ which is a mythical serpent with a head on each end and we represent that in the ‘A’ from our logo. Using the ‘S’ would be to obvious ofcourse haha. It could be a metaphor for there is no bright side or both sides can sting but that wasn’t our intention.
What are you currently working on?
Our first EP is recently released and we are very excited about that! There’s also a single that will be released at the end of summer and we are already working on a new EP! There are some shows planned at the beginning of next year but now our focus is the second EP. More updates about shows and releases will be given on our socials!
What was the first CD/album that you bought and what was your most recent CD/album purchase?
The first album I ever bought with my own money was Once More ‘round The Sun from Mastodon! I remember when I just started out playing guitar Wess used to call me to his room so I could discover new music. One time he played me “High Road” from that album and I fell in love! So when I was at a record store with my dad and saw this record, I was like, that’s a no brainer!
The last one is actually a pre-order if that counts? It’s the upcoming album Worldmaker from Psychonaut! They never disappoint! So, the pre-order was another no brainer!
What was your favorite cartoon growing up?
I had a lot of cartoons I loved as a kid but one that holds a place above all and it’s not a cartoon but actually an anime. It’s ‘Dragonball Z’!
Connect with Amphis online:
