1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
1. Yes, of course. We are SynopsiS, a Ukrainian group from the city of Kherson. In fact, we are more of a studio project than a group, because in almost 15 years of existence, we had only 3 live performances. I can also note that we are the first band in history in our city and district to play Sympho Black Metal. Cat (Igor Salivanov) is a permanent leader, band creator, musician, singer, bass guitarist, author of lyrics and music. The project also includes guitarist Andri Tomilov (nickname Funeral) and keyboardist Alexandr Ivanov (Alex).
2.In 2023 you had released a new album, musically how it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
2. First of all, our new album differs in the language of performance. The previous two SynopsiS albums were in Russian. Due to the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine and started the ongoing war, it was decided not to perform in Russian and therefore this album is already in Ukrainian which is now the national language of Ukraine. It can also be noted that in musical terms, our new third album is different in style. We started playing pure Sympho Black Metal again, like on the first album, but this time with Dark Metal elements. It contrasts with the second EP of the album, which was essentially performed in the Death Metal genre.
3.From 2013 to 2022 there as no music being released, can you tell us a little bit more about what was going on during that time frame?
3. Yes, we've had an unannounced rather long pause, or even a crisis. It's hard to say. I had written future material for SynopsiS and actively thought about recording but there were some circumstances that prevented me from starting a new album. There were extremes, either a busy job or a total lack of funding for the studio. I had two more projects at that time: there was a studio Thrash-Punk Metal project "Infantry of Saboteurs", which existed from 2013 to 2019 and has 4 albums. There is also a fully functioning Industrial Gothic Rock band "Metameria", which has existed since 2015 to this day, has two albums, and many concerts played around the country, but now, because of the war, it has also become more of a studio project. Well, I also had two children, which also significantly affected the speed of my creative activity.
4.Some of your lyrics cover Satanism and Esotericism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?
4. Since 2011, I began to study conspiracy and related sciences, and I also began to read a lot of esoterics. In fact, to date I have read most of the classics of esoteric authors. Also, at one time I was interested in various religions and beliefs. Maybe I was looking for myself because I was young and naive. In the end, I came to Satanism, studied the Bible of Satan and many other authors promoting Satanic teachings. Satanism turned out to be the closest and most suitable to me, from the inner and personal point of view of perception of the world. My texts in SynopsiS, in fact, are representation of all my life experience and worldview.
5.What are some of the other lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored over the years with your music?
5. In addition to Satanism, esotericism and conspiracy, SynopsiS texts very often tell a lot about war, history, the Middle Ages, our days and the future, prophecies
6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Synopsis'?
6. In general, SynopsiS is the first history textbook in Kievan Rus. I couldn't help but catch on to it, because in our case, in our lyrics, as I said earlier, both the past and the future and the present are illuminated. I found some kind of conceptual connection in all of this. And so, SynopsiS just seemed to me a good and successful unique name from one word that sounds good and is easily remembered. For example, just like the legendary "Immortal".
7.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
7. The cover depicts some kind of surrealism in a rough psychedelic form. From the very bottom we can see the underground world that exists under our earthly disk. It depicts a bunch of devils and its own separate sun of the underworld. From above, the bulk of the cover is occupied by our world, which on the cover depicts a scorched post apocalyptic desert. Well, from above we see a round aircraft of another intelligent race of architects.
8.Has the band done any live shows or open to the idea?
8. During our 15 years of existence, we had only 3 live performances: one in 2012, the second and the third almost at the same time - in the winter of 2021. All the performances were under the drum machine.
In fact, I always wanted SynopsiS to be a live band, but with time I realised that this is not possible, because we lived in a provincial small town, where the black metal culture is not particularly developed and there are few musicians in general, especially in our style. Then I actually lost the desire to become a live group and there were no opportunities for this. Now, since there is war in the country, I live in another city. Guitarist Funeral and keyboardist Alex stayed in Kherson, besides, we have been having disagreements lately. Now, I have two children for a long time, not enough time and because of all this, I think that SynopsiS will remain a studio project. I don't think we'll ever become a live group unless we can leave Ukraine or the war finishes.
9.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?
9. Yes, I wouldn't mind finding a label to cooperate with. I'm interested in promoting SynopsiS. I hope we can do something together.
10.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic black metal?
10. It's hard for me to judge because firstly I don't follow it too much and secondly we don't have too much popularity. But, based on what I saw, the comments on the Internet are mostly flattering, positive. Many found our music cool, dark and interesting.
11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
11. SynopsiS will continue to make music in the Sympho Black Metal genre, at least because I still have music in this style for the future. Maybe we will become a little more progressive and add elements of the industrial, but the general idea was and will be - Sympho Black Metal
12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
12. Styles: Sympho Black Metal, Sympho Black/Death Metal, Dark Metal, Black Metal. Groups: Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth, Hypocrisy, Immortal, Riul Doamnei, Carach Angren.
13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
13. We take the best from our ideas, we make dark, daring, fierce conceptual and prophetic music. We don't issue an album every year or two years. We release albums like Mayhem - rarely but at the end of the creation process you will get a real darkness, a real true Sympho Black. SynopsiS is not going to stop, we have never thought so. The next few years we will bring surprises with our cool releases.
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