Living Inferno Interview

 

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Juha: “ We have taken a little break to relax and refresh our minds for the future activities. Spring has gone by working on the album release and on our day jobs. Teemu and Antti are busy working on their side projects and Kristian became a father for the second time at the beginning of the year, so everyone has enough activities outside the band.

2.In April you had released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?

Juha: Our previous release “Death Over Ostrobothnia” was more of a OSDM-oriented split album so the songs leaned more towards brutal riffs than melodies. In a way we continued on “Triumvirate” the dualistic approach we started on the “A True Believer” EP where we made two kinds of songs - death metal with brutal riffs and black(ened) death metal with sombre melodies and dynamic compositions. On “Triumvirate” everything is more matured, festered, deeper, darker and organic.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

Juha: “Not to go too much into details, “Triumvirate” is made up of stories of human suffering, either caused by other human beings or self-induced. All our songs center on the mortal, imperfect and fallible man whose trials we write songs about. These stories are mainly timeless though it is possible to draw connections from them to, say for example, events of today. After all, mankind has been repeating the same mistakes as long as memory and historical records will go and there is no change to be expected for that.

As songwriters, we always strive to overcome ourselves each time we write a new song, be it in writing better riffs, compositions, arrangements, production or lyrics wise. When we started writing music for Living Inferno in 2019, we made it our goal to bring some unique elements to each song and find a new aspects of our sound.  In this way, we strive to create a personal and memorable songs and not get stuck in a certain kind of narrow mold that produces only one kind of songs. This path has taught us a great deal but the learning never stops.”

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Living Inferno"/

Kristian: “We felt that the name was a good representation for the lyrical themes our songs mainly dealt with. “The Living Inferno” was actually a  name of one of our songs before it became the name of our band. The song was released on “ A True Believer” EP in 2021, but it is much older than that.

Originally, the name “Living Inferno” represents a kind of suffering in the real ordinary world, which gets unnoticed. It is hiding in plain sight, but remains incomprehensible for all but the one experiencing it. This creates an interesting layer of cold indifference to our world. One must not dwell on the suffering of others if one wishes to survive, thus leaving the less fortunate to their fates “

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

Juha: “ The artwork was made by our friend and tattoo artist Juha Wuorinen based on our ideas.  We wanted to have something that has symbolism and which can tie together the albums atmosphere and overall topics.

The three characters on the album cover represent the “dark triad”, a concept known in psychology: narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism. These three traits are behind untold amounts of suffering, wrongdoings and tragic human fates. The name of the album, “Triumvirate”, comes from ancient Rome where triumvirate meant three rulers, and in the context of this album, they form a “triumvirate of dark rulers”.

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Juha: “Our latest gig at Heretical Fever Meeting black metal event during spring and last years gig at local heavy metal “Mecca” Bar15 were a real blasts!

Our gigs are usually quite intense and we try to interact with the audience during song breaks, otherwise we let the music speak for itself and move the audience.  We are a very honest down-to-earth band regarding our image and we go on stage as ourselves.

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

Juha: “We played one gig in the spring at local Heretical Fever Meeting, which was a black metal event organized by our drummer Teemun's Nineheaded Production & Events.  We haven't booked gigs for the rest of the year, but we'll get back to it in 2025.”

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

Juha: We might consider a label if it’s beneficial to our cause and they can support our artistic vision and help us to grow bigger. Nowadays there’s no income in releasing new music and artists mostly pay everything from their own pockets and carry all the risks. On the same time releasing music and promotion have become easier to D.I.Y so the need for labels for smaller bands has lessened.

9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?

Juha: “Feedback has been mostly positive and appraising, still waiting for some crushing ⅕ star reviews that really roast us, haha!” Truth to be told, we are humbled by the receive from the fans and we are pleased ourselves how the album turned out.

10.Are any of the band members currently involved with any other bands or musical projects these days?

Juha: “Teemu has several other projects like Victimarum, Essedum and Amongst the Ashes.  Antti has HC punk band Aimo Possu. I myself work mostly on Living Inferno stuff but there is a possibility of  Satyricon/Khold oriented black metal project cooking up behind the scenes.

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Juha: “It’s hard to say for sure where the inspiration eventually leads us. Last time I checked the unfinished material written since “Triumvirate” recordings, it seems to lean towards deeper into Morbid Angel/Deicide/Bloodbath/Deathchain territory of OSDM without forgetting sombre melodies and rock’n roll/blues solos. Time will tell and writing music is a constant process which ebs and flows chaotically.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are currently listening to nowadays?

Juha: Old school Morbid Angel, Bloodbath, Akercocke, Concrete Winds & Black Curse.

Teemu: Kalmankantaja, Blut Aus Nord & Vorna.

Antti: Victor Wooten, Rytmihäiriö & Asphyx.

Kristian: Black Sabbath, Behemoth & Morbid Angel.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Juha: “Go check out our latest album “Triumvirate” on Bandcamp, Spotify & YouTube, support your favourite bands by buying their merchandise and discover new bands on local gigs and events.

Thank you and stay metal, only death is real.”

https://linktr.ee/livinginfernoofficial

Vulgaris/Seat Of The Fire/WormHoleDeath Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Vulgaris  are  a  band  from  the  united  Kingdom  that  plays  a  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Seat  Of  The  Fire"  which  was  released  by  WormHoleDeath  Records.

  A  very  dark  sounding intro  starts  off  the  album  before  introducing  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  which  also  returns  on  later  song.  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while  some  of  the  tracks  are  also  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Elements  of  sludge  metal  are  also  added  into  the  slower  sections  of  the  songs  while  the  vocals  also  add  in  a mixture  of  death  metal  growls  and  black  metal  screams.  Melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  thrash  metal  influences  and  blast b eats  can  be  heard.

  Throughout  the  recording  you  can  also  hear  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  bringing  in  more  of  an  old  school  extreme  metal  style.  Tremolo  picking  can  also  be  heard  in  some  of  the  faster  riffing,  keyboards  and  clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Greek  Mythology  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Vulgaris  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  black,  sludge,  death  and  thrash  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Gold  Baptism"  "Prometheus  Rise:  and  "Seat  Of  The  Fire".  8  out  of  10.

  vulgaris2017.bandcamp.com

www.facebook.com/VBANDUK
www.instagram.com/vulgaris_band
twitter.com/vulgarisband
www.youtube.com/@vulgaris978

Spotify: SpotifyVulgaris      

  

Maudissez Interview

 

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?

Maudissez is a project by three anonymous musicians based in France who, through death-doom-noise music, try to promote anti-Catholicism ideas. We recorded our first album in 3 days live in a Catholic church that was still active at the time. For obvious reasons, the parish wishes to remain anonymous.

We address topics such as the various genocides caused by the Catholic Church, the intrinsic misogyny of most religions, and our interpretation of the historical event of the Temple of Reason that transformed Notre-Dame-de-Paris cathedral on November 10, 1793.

2.So far you have released one album, can you tell us a little bit more about the musical style that you went for on the recording?

We wanted to explore the sound capabilities of the church by producing slow and heavy music, which is why we turned to doom; that was the original intention at least. Our musical background, our physical abilities, and the natural reverberation of the space, of course, evolved this "Doom" into something more aggressive.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover Anti Catholic themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your hatred for this religion?

We hate all forms of oppressive power over the people, whether it be through a system, an ideology, or a religion. Like many others, we were born into an environment where Catholicism was imposed on us before we even had the ability to think about it. We could have written about the rise of the right, fascism, or even capitalism, but since we had access to a Catholic church for the recording, we decided to go with this theme.

That being said, there are many people, even today, who do not have access to the necessary resources to think about or even find a way out of an oppressive religion. We consider ourselves privileged; we do not judge anyone, we only wish them to find the necessary resources.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Maudissez'?

We have only reinterpreted one of the passages often cited during masses, and even used as propaganda on billboards everywhere, Pray for them. Curse for them is "Maudissez pour eux" in french

5.Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

We wanted a striking yet simple visual, which is why we went ahead with a very understated illustration. The details and intricacy are almost nonexistent, and the lines are bold, reflecting our music.

6.Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?

Since we wish to remain anonymous, there will be no live performances, at least not in front of an audience. Also, we have no intention of finding disguises to hide ourselves.

7.So far very little is known about the band, do you prefer to keep a lower profile?

As mentioned above, we do not wish to reveal the name of the parish that helped us with the recording. We denounce the oppression inflicted on the people, not the people themselves.

8.'Sentient Ruin laboratories' are re-issuing your album on physical format, how did you get in contact with this label?

They are the ones who contacted us directly, and we are very pleased about it. 

9.On  a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of underground metal?

It’s hard to believe that so many people came across our self-distributed album, including the label. We are very grateful. It seems we are not the only ones seeking a certain urgency, a sense of danger in art. Music produced for a specific clientele is not interesting; the result is a safe and comforting product, not art that makes us uneasy.

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We don’t really know what we are going to do next, but we certainly would like to be able to record another album. We are also more than open to unusual collaborations.

11.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?

It is difficult to clearly define which bands had a direct influence on the composition of our music, as each of us has distinct references. Even though we intended to create doom, our vocal abilities led us more towards death, black, and raw punk. After the recording, listening to the results of the reverb and feedback exploration in the church, it was consistent to steer the album towards raw sounds and emphasize the creative space.

So the short answer is:

-Body Void

-Disrotted

-Coffin Lurker

-Primitive man

-Sumac

-Vile Creature

-NonServiam

-Lord Mantis

-Corrupted

-Sissy Spacek

-VOMIR

-Portal

-Fange

-Lingua Ignota

-Celeste

-Amenra

What we’re listening today:

-Big|Brave - A Chaos of Flowers

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thank you for your interest, it is greatly appreciated.

Respect others, curse the oppressors.

 https://www.instagram.com/maudissezpoureux/

Lamentari Interview

 

 1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?

Since the release of Ex Umbra In Lucem, we've allowed ourselves a well-deserved break while keeping the creative fires burning. To celebrate the release, we undertook a headlining tour around Denmark with Xenoblight and Beltez, performing the album in its entirety —an experience that finally cemented the release.

 

2.Recently you have released your first full length,  musically how does it differ from your previous ep's?

 

With every release, we develop our sound in new areas. Thinking of your question here, we're reminded of how the album is aptly named Ex Umbra In Lucem, meaning from shadow into light, since this album both dwells in new areas of aggression (shadow) and exaltation (light).

In terms of aggression, the sound is more compact than on previous releases – Aiming to increasingly build climaxes upon climaxes, making the album reasonably saturated. In contrast, the album also features our first ballad, Dolorum Memoria, our softest song to date, starting from a solemn whisper crescendoing into a neoclassical build.

 

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the new release and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

With Ex Umbra In Lucem, we dived down a hole we hadn't been before. We knew I needed to do something different.

On the previous releases, every song stood alone, but we wanted this album to be coherent. A backstory for LAMENTARI was created and found its way into the lyrics.

The whole album centers around an individual who conducts a ritual and becomes attached to an entity that essentially takes over him.

This whole ordeal plays out in a storyline throughout the album. 

 

 

4.I know that the bands name means 'a passionate expression of grief and sorrow' in Latin, how does this name fit in with the musical style that you play?

 

Our musical style is a true witch's brew of many elements, and the word lamentari came to us through classical music. The term "lament" is commonly used in Italian operas, often as a title for a climactic part of the story where the main character sings an aria expressing deep-felt grief and sorrow.

Dido's Lament by Henry Purcell comes to mind here, which is the concluding aria to the opera "Dido and Aeneas" based on the Roman Legend of Aenas. After a story of betrayal, Dido is distraught and ends her story by singing her song of lament before stabbing herself to death on a funeral pyre. 

The poetic nature of this word and its link to the dramatic subtext of Roman Legends and operatic grandeur have inspired some of the neo-classical musical styles in LAMENTARI. In addition, "Dido's Lament" is known for having an iconic stepwise descending bassline, and in line with this, many of our neo-classical chord progressions incorporate stepwise motion either in the bassline or chordal material.

5. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

Seeking inspiration, we were captivated by the look of oxidized copper. It's a straightforward yet evocative design that tells a story.

This aesthetic embodies the passage of time, a key element in LAMENTARI.

We wanted to delve into its backstory and challenge ourselves to explore the deeper world we are creating.

 

6.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Since our first show in 2020, we've had quite a few "Holy shit!"-moments, but three very memorable ones come to mind. We visited the holy ground at Wacken when we played at their W:E:T stage in 2022. It was midday during the hottest day of the year, and adding some extra hellfire heat to that crowd was a blessing.

Our performance at Copenhell, Denmark, in 2023 has been our biggest performance so far. In the dark midnight hours, we lit the stage with pyrotechnics and invited a full choir and conductor to play on stage. Watching the crowd that night was like witnessing the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Germany and at Wacken, it's not permitted to start a wall of death, but in Denmark, it's allowed, and that night, we got to see our lead singer, Daniel, part of the Red Sea of people in the audience.

Witnessing these shows from the stage, we're tempted to describe them similarly to a ritual mass. There's a solemn feeling in the air when we start. There's incense in the air, and walking up on the stage is like walking towards the sacrificial altar. Few words are spoken except for the songs and moments of Daniel addressing the crowd in an almost religious fervor.

 

Another show that we'll remember for a long time is from a few weeks ago at Hotel Cecil in Copenhagen. The crowd that night was particularly enthused with fervor, and the room had a thick sense of awe. We're grateful for that

 

7.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?

Yes. Now, after playing the album in full at the Ex Umbra In Lucem Tour, we will keep some of the songs on the set list for the upcoming shows in Copenhagen this summer.

 

8.Currently you are unsigned, are you looking for a label or have received any interest?

We have received interest from labels and have discussed offers from a few. Given the right deal, a label could be a natural next step for us on this path of developing our productions—both live and in the studio. Labels come in many shapes and sizes, so it's important that we find the right collaborator for this. Until that's established, we're comfortable simply self-releasing all our music.

 

9.On a  worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of symphonic black metal?

Since the release of our first EP, Missa Pro Defunctis, we've been amazed by the outpouring of positive feedback from the symphonic black metal world. We've found a keen audience, especially among fans of Fleshgod Apocalypse, Dimmu Borgir, and even the old synth-heavy Emperor.

LAMENTARI is not for everyone. Although the black metal tree has spread its roots into many directions, catalyzing many new fusions and sub-genres, it's also a genre that hosts fans who can be very particular about their likes and dislikes and what they deem authentic and in-authentic. Although I appreciate bands that keep a straight lineage back to the first or second wave of Norwegian black metal, it's clear that LAMENTARI is manifested to do something different. We're here to grow the roots into new soil and grow from sources that fertilize death metal, eighties rock, and classical music.

The worldwide positive reception for our type of symphonic black metal has been humbling.

 

10.What is going on with some of the other bands or  musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?

Daniel:

He Who Saw The Abyss is a side project getting ready to release an EP. We are looking forward to playing a few shows before the year is over.

Jamie:

Lysbaerer is a project Thomas and I started in the fall of 2021. It's a sort of Atmospheric Black Metal/Post-Black band, about our feelings and stories similar to our own.

We're currently gearing up to record an EP and play our first couple of shows, with Michael from LAMENTARI as one of our live members.

Lysbaerer was a catalyst for me joining LAMENTARI, as writing the first couple of tracks made Thomas ask me to play bass for LAMENTARI.

Furthermore, Michael is performing in Mother Of All, a progressive metal band featuring members from Afsky, Chaoswave, Timechild, and Withering Surface. They recently released their latest album, "Global Parasitic Leviathan."

 

11.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

Musically, we wish to develop our style even further. The goal here would be to retain the aggressive edge while making the songs even more dynamic, to codify the classical and cinematic storytelling in them.

12.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

It's hard to catalog our influences since they're ever-changing and varied. Because the muse of inspiration comes and goes in the vortex of everyday life, the origin of the catalytic spark may easily be forgotten. LAMENTARI is a witch's brew of many styles, and we're standing on the shoulders of black metal, death metal, film scores, neoclassical, and baroque. We're listening to all the music we like, and that can be cast across a wide horizon—from Aqua to extreme metal. 

 

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

We'd like to thank you for your questions and extend our gratitude to any reader who has been curious enough to read this interview. Thank you!

https://www.facebook.com/lamentari  
https://www.instagram.com/lamentari_band/  
https://cult-of-lamentari.bandcamp.com  
https://hyperfollow.com/lamentari 

God Dethroned/The Judas Paradox/Reigning Phoenix Music/2024 Full Length Review

 

   Netherlands's  God  Dethroned  has  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  shows  the  music  going  for  a  very  melodic  form  of  blackened  death  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "The  Judas  Paradox"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Reigning  Phoenix  Music.

  A  dark  yet  melodic  sound  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  a  heavier  direction  while  the  vocals  bring  in  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls.  Clear  singing  can  also  be  heard  at  times  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  having  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  while  synths  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.  Clean  playing  is  also  added  on  a  couple  of  tracks  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  great  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  can  also  be  heard  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  On  this  recording  God  Dethroned  remain  true  to  the  blackened  and  melodic  style  of  death  metal  that  they  have  established  on  previous  releases.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Mythology  from  around  the  world,  Christian  History,  Occultism,  Demonology  and  the  Symbolism  Behind  Tarot  Cards.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  God  Dethroned  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "The  Judas  Paradox"  "Black  Heart"  "The  Eye  Of  Providence"  and "War  Machine".  8  out  of  10.

  https://music.apple.com/us/artist/god-dethroned/56823032

https://www.facebook.com/goddethronedofficial/

https://www.instagram.com/goddethroned_official/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ZhMLSh6Zx7EzqOPJBvkbr?autoplay=true

  

Paradise In Flames/Blindness/Xaninho Discos/Demoncratic Records/2024 Full Length Review

 

  Paradise  in  Flames  are  a  band  from  Brazil  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  and  on  this  recording  plays  a  symphonic  mixture  of  black  and  death  metal  with  elements  of  Brazilian  folk  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2024  album  "Blindness"  which  will b e  released  in  July  as  a  joint  effort  between  Xaninho  Discos  and  Demoncratic  Records.

  Symphonic  sounding  keyboards  and  orchestration  start  off  the  album  and  also  mixes  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  Vocals  are  a  mixture  of  black  metal  screams  and  death  metal  growls  while  clear  female  operatic  singing  and  choirs  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  blast  beats  are  also  added  into  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs.

  Spoken  word  parts  can  also  be  heard  on  a  few  tracks  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  great  amount  of  melody.  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  the  songs  also  adding  in  a  good  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts   

  Tremolo  picking  and  also  be  heard  in  a  lot  of  the  faster  riffing  along  with  some  of  the  songs  also  adding  in  touches  of  Brazilian  bossa  nova.  Clear  male  vocals  are  also  added  on  some  of  the  tracks  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them. The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  a  philosophical  work  that  describes  religions  as  a  psychological  illness.  

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Paradise  In  Flames  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  symphonic  black  and  death  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Black  Wings"  "The  Cure"  and  "Angels  And  Devils".  8  out  of  10.

  Online Store - https://paradiseinflames.loja2.com.br/​

Bandcamp - https://paradiseinflames.bandcamp.com/​

Spotify - https://sptfy.com/QZRx         

Synopsis Interview

 

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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