For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
For those that have never heard of us before, we can say...listen to us (ha-ha). Band from Russia. Our music history started in 2004. But final musical direction was formed… maybe in 2015. We focused on emotions. On strong emotions. Hatred for people for their deeds, hatred for God for his indifference, love for the beautiful admiration for strength, enjoyment of freedom... The interweaving of words and music in close intercourse.
In 2022 you released your first full length, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?
In fact, this is the band's second full-length album. The first one was released in 2017. Our band was called ‘MemoriaL’ at that time. Despite the different name - it's the same musical style, the same people who worked on the material (I don't mean mixing / mastering, I'm talking about song development).
Compared to the EP, the album shines with sound. It's a symbiosis between a modern, over-dense sound and an archaic, iconic black metal raw sound. We didn't aim to record material "in a damp dungeon on an old microphone". No. We wanted to convey the liveliness of the instruments, so that the sound would be different from most modern tracks. I think we succeeded. Also, the compositions are worked out in much more detail on the album. If you listen not superficially - the abundance of string melodies and interesting drum moves will leave positive impressions. EP was a sketch. A preparation for a long term toil. While a full-length album is a big work, where all the tracks are interconnected by a single concept.
What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band has explored so far with the music?
Basically, these are philosophical questions of world perception. We are not trying to tell how the listener should feel. We describe what we feel. Unearthing one's own fears, understanding one's own feelings, complemented by malice and anti-religion.
Originally the band was called 'MemoriaL', what was the cause of the name change and also the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'NorthZyklon'?
The 'MemoriaL' was designed when we were very young. I wanted to emphasize the desired monumentality (at that time we did not have it), while adding gloominess.
The members of the group grew up, at some point the band completely broke up. Then a reunion spontaneously turned out, the group returned to its original cast. But with a more adult look at the music. We decided to change the name, nobody liked the old one anyway. We have always been attracted by the north with its frosty secrets. The group was called the Northern Cyclone, but the word "cyclone" itself was written in a German manner. Firstly, because I love the German language (very strong sounding), secondly... so that when anyone googles us, they would not get weather forecast (haha).
I will say in advance: we have nothing to do neither with the symbolism of the recent events in the world nor with Nazism, or anything like that. We've been suspected of this...
Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?
The cover is an illustration for the album's main track. In 2017, a song called "Witch" laid the foundation for the formation of an album. Despite the fact that the album contains earlier songs written in 2012-2016, it was after the creation of "Witch" when the idea was born: it seems it's time to record an album!
The fastest track on the album. A machine gun of drums, a whirlwind of guitars, an interweaving of melodies - all this is about the "Witch".
Following the lyrics, following the concept of the entire album, the idea for the cover was born.
The album is called "Inter Eos" (lat.), which translates as "among them". This is a part of the text from the second most powerful track "Non god, Non father". All tracks are connected by a single theme, the listener becomes an "observer" of an action that should not have been seen. It is a sacrament forbidden to strangers. Faced with what he saw, the hero himself (the listener) ceases to be himself. Spiritual throwing, doubts in faith begin to overcome him. All this is displayed in the texts and, as a result, in the cover of the "main action": the ascension of a new witch, the arrival of a new one in the world.
What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and also how would you like to describe your stage performance?
We practically do not give concerts. This is a difficult topic for our team, in our conditions. We have no interest in such events due to the current realities.
The group's main focus is the studio work. It is in the studio where we manage to reveal the meaning of the songs as we hear them at the stage of the idea's inception.
However, our YouTube channel has recordings of our live performances. If you want to see us on stage - go to the channel. And if you like what you see - wait, maybe someday we will have that very "best performance", and you will be able to see it with your own eyes!
Do you have any touring or show plans for 2023?
No. For 2023, we plan to release another single (maybe even two), which will be the harbinger of the upcoming 3rd album, the material for which is almost ready.
A few years ago you also did a 'Marduk' cover, what was the decision behind doing your own version of one of their songs?
Marduk is the greatest musical group. Marduk, Belphegor, Hate – are perhaps the top three in my playlist. Of course, when you're playing music, you want to keep up with the best. Well, since I listed the "best" ones above - the idea to create a cover for the "fathers" came by itself. This is kind of a challenge: are you able to play the same way as the eminent teams play? I think we’ve made it.
In addition to the cover of Marduk, in live performances we played songs by Immortal, Belphegor and some other bands (I hope they won't swear at us ha-ha).
If the question is connected with a hint of the song’s theme and how it's viewed by society - I repeat: we are not pursuing any "Nazi ideology". Music is always closely related to the perception of the listener. Alas, I cannot influence someone else's perception. We just like to play fast, heavy, complex, melodic music.
On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black and death metal?
It seems… The universe has not learned about us yet (ha-ha). But we are working in this direction.
I think everyone understands that your popularity now directly depends on advertising. But every moon has a dark side of the moon, right? If you "force" the audience to listen to your band, it may become annoying. Ideally, the most honest recognition of you as a musician comes when you are being listened to at the recommendations of friends. I mean live discussion, not imposed by advertising, paid, social networking algorithms.
There is a thin line between "I don't pay for ads and no one will ever hear me" and "I paid 100k people to be praised in the comments".
We just write songs that we like, play them, record them in the best quality and hope that the audience will find this music on their own.
Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
The tracks for the 3rd album (and even a couple of things for the 4th) seem to be more complex. I think we are developing. These are not always "faster" songs, more complex in terms of "playing technique". This is a growing difficulty to comprehend. In fact, I understand that this can chase away the listener. Very few people are ready to listen to a track several times in order to understand it. But that doesn't really concern us. The main thing is that music gives us satisfaction, which means that there will be those who are on the same wavelength with us.
I think we can record a dozen more albums))
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?
First of all - Belphegor. This is the band with which I realized that heavy music is as beautiful and multifaceted as classical music. Yes, this realization came after the song Lucifer Incestus, no matter how strange it may seem. From the first chords heard in 2004, I became a fan of this group. Vesania, Hate, DarkFuneral, Marduk, CristAgony, Taake, Satyricon, NocturnalDepression, Tiamat… I'm afraid that if you list all the bands we like and which influenced the formation of our style, it will take a couple of days))
As for musical styles - I do not presume to argue. Now there are too many varieties, and too many smart people who try to fit music into a certain genre. At the same time, the music itself is also evolving. Each group can find parts of a particular style. In short - we focus on black death metal.
Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Dude, yes, you who is reading this. Stop basing your musical tastes on what the ads tell you. If you love music, consider yourself a sophisticated listener - look for music. Feel the music. Listen carefully. Stop listening to selective tracks, start to perceive the work of musicians as a whole, collected, large-scale. Try to move away from modern algorithms, return music to the category of art, and not the background sound that buzzes in your headphones while you are doing business.
All of us, musicians, in each of our work try to reveal to you, the listeners, a part of our worldview. So try to hear it! This might be new and exciting for you!
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