So, the new CD is drawing closer. What have you gained, and whom have you lost along the way?
Pavel: Hi! We learned a lot during the recording of our debut album and the gigs we played to support that release, so we came into recording our second CD with greater knowledge — as advanced users already! Yaroslav Krek, who was the drummer on the first full-length, "Nenavist" ['Hate' (rus.) — ed.], left the band due to personal reasons. There was no conflict. He helped us while we held auditions. But it was tough to find a replacement for him because we were searching for somebody more than just a musician. We needed a person who could fight by our side and grow in all aspects together. So we were looking every day for several months. When it became clear that we had a show booked in two weeks and still no drummer, our manager Tatyana Kushakova suggested Alexei Platkov (ex-AGONIA). His style and skill turned out to be a perfect fit for us, so we added him to the group's ranks. He joined the lineup easily and showed his best in both songwriting and recording for our new album.
Dima: Hi! I think we found a really cool sound for our new songs. And our growth as musicians, I hope, is also clear.
Sasha: I think the most important thing is that we've arrived at our own style. Especially when it comes to Pavel, who has developed his playing manner into something unique.
There are bands who enter the studio with completely finished material, while others put the finishing touches on the album during recording. Which type does your band belong to?
Pavel: We enter the studio with completely finished material, because any rearranging in the studio really hits our recording budget.
Dima: Well... young bands have to fund themselves. That's why we finish everything before entering the studio.
Sasha: It goes without saying that when we start working in the studio, everyone is 100% ready and knows their exact task. We have enough rehearsal time to finish all the new songs.
Guitar maestro May Lian helped you with the debut album. Is any further collaboration with him possible? Will there be any guests on the new CD?
Pavel: Yeah, May Lian helped us greatly! He taught us many things. But this time we decided to handle all the work ourselves. Whether we succeeded or not will be clear once the album is released. The new full-length will definitely feature some notable guests. At the moment, violinist Edgar is preparing to play a solo on one of our songs.
Dima: May Lian is a MAN! His help — both as a guitarist and as a musician — is priceless for us. He gave us a foundation. We give him our sincerest thanks.
Sasha: May Lian's authority is incredible! We thank him for everything he has done for us. As for further collaborations, we always welcome a musician if they are talented. So guest appearances on the forthcoming release and future works are more than just possible.
What is the most complicated part of studio work for you? Is the producer's point of view important to you?
Pavel: We're producing ourselves this time, so the point of view... yes, it is important (smile). The most complex part for me is recording guitar.
Dima: I agree with Pasha. The most complex part is finding the right equipment. We managed to do it fairly quickly.
Sasha: Studio work is complex as a whole. Everything related to recording demands primary attention. Mistakes are too expensive.
What about the title of the new album? Could you tell us where the previous CD's title, "Nenavist," came from?
Pavel: There is no title for the new album yet. As for "Nenavist" — the title encapsulated the context of our songs at that moment. People ask me if I draw inspiration from hate. I say no. Hate is not about inspiration, but primarily about context.
Dima: I think it suits the style we play nicely.
Sasha: The new songs are more diverse than those on the debut album. We've significantly broadened our creative scope. Therefore, it's not that easy to name it this time.
As the bio on your website says, "...When the musicians had got exhausted from performing their own material, they decided to plunge into cover songs..." This suggests that "Nenavist" was more of a reconnaissance piece where original material wasn't the primary focus, doesn't it?
Pavel: Yeah, you're right! It was like a first attempt at writing. We had no other songs at that moment apart from what we put on our debut CD. We forged our sound with May Lian and spilled a lot of blood before arriving at a sound we were satisfied with. There was a period when we didn't play our own stuff because we got tired of it. I think we did right — you can't create on a schedule, you know.
Dima: Yeah, exactly! It was a first attempt in all aspects: songwriting, sound work, recording. We gained a lot of experience from recording our debut album, and we're using all of that baggage while working on the new one.
Sasha: "Nenavist" — as released — was exactly what you described. We paid attention to all the "error reports" coming from all kinds of people. As for originality, playing cover songs is good experience even though it leaves a certain mark on your own material. We tried to develop our own unique style on the new album. People will tell us if we succeeded or not.
Please tell us how you got in touch with the record label Misteria Zvuka. As I know, they didn't deal with metal music before...
Pavel: Okay (smile). I sent a letter to their manager with a demo CD attached — there were five of eight completed tracks on it. Within an hour I got a response: "We will release you." So it was a short story, you see.
Your debut CD sold out, hasn't it? Did you get any offers to appear on TV or radio stations?
Pavel: Yeah, "Nenavist" sold out in a flash. We were late getting our own copies (smile). New copies should be available shortly. There weren't any offers like that, but at the moment we're preparing to film a video for the upcoming album. If everything goes well, you might see it as an MPEG bonus on the CD.
What about the Western market? Do you intend to expand abroad? Could we expect ZATMENIE tracks in English?
Pavel: Oh YES [originally in English — ed.]! Certainly! Just between us, we made two promo tracks in English even for the first album — "Last Fight" and "Prayer" — so our fans in the USA, Germany, Japan, and South Korea could enjoy them as well. There's an upcoming review of "Nenavist" in Korean!!! We plan a full English album in the future. Still, our native language is russian, so I can scarcely see the point of making English metal for russian fans. I like singing in russian.
Dima: I also like to play russian (smile)! Transcribe as you wish (smile)!!!
Sasha: Dima means his morning tremolos after a wild night (smile)!
The first time you came on stage, you played with E.S.T. and Tchernyi Obelisk. Were you scared or embarrassed in the company of such authorities?
Pavel: Yep (smile)!
Dima: You mean were our arms and legs trembling? Of course! But we handled the problem the russian way (no connection to the previous reply (smile)!)
Sasha: I don't know if anyone was scared. We all felt good that evening.
A question for Pavel. As someone who graduated from the school of one of the greatest guitar masters in the world, could you give some advice to those who are still beginners at guitar?
Pavel: No! I'm self-taught! But Dima is a pupil of May Lian...
Dima: Ah, you've taken lessons too (smile)!
Sasha: This question should be redirected directly to May Lian.
A few words about your fan club. How close is your interaction with fans?
Pavel: Our fan club has only just started functioning, and the first convention is scheduled for the last week of summer.
Dima: It's cloooose! Very-very cloooose (smile)!
Sasha: We want to express our gratitude to all our fans for their support!
In a photo, you are standing above a chessboard with only one piece on it — the figure of Death. Have you faced it in your life?
Pavel: Yes, I have.
Dima: No.
Sasha: Yes.
It is a fairly common opinion that the Internet is the outpost of anarchy in today's society. Share your thoughts on spam, sex chatrooms, and MP3 music...
Pavel: Spam is definitely a problem! Sex chatrooms bore me... lately (smile)! MP3 is entertainment, but the fact that it enables uncontrolled piracy gives rise to some thoughts. I'm sure that in the coming years a system will be developed to prevent music from being copied to MP3, so this stuff won't be as free as it is now.
Dima: Let me stick to sex without chats and MP3 only! I think the Internet is a great thing.
Sasha: Apart from spammers, everything in this world has its bright side and its dark side (smile).
The russian metal scene is evolving, though maybe too slowly. And media outlets dealing with heavy music are also multiplying. How would you rate the current level of the metal press? Which publications are your preferred reading?
Pavel: I usually spend a lot of time at the computer and on the Internet. My preferred resources are and That's where I get my news from. I like that the metal scene is evolving into something greater, but the lack of funding is still too apparent.
Dima: Yeah, we need more people who would fund us and other bands without expecting anything in return!
Sasha: I read everything that comes my way and deals with heavy music.
If you had a chance to own the rights to a single song from rock history, what song would it be?
Pavel: "Master Of Puppets."
Dima: "Enter Sandman," "Keeper Of The Seven Keys."
Sasha: "Nothing Else Matters."
Something you ever wanted to say but no one asked you about...
Dima: Kirkorov has only two remakes — the rest is plagiarism.
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