Please tell us about the history of your band and its members.
Alexey: The first time our band was a "one man band". Autumn 2010 was so cold for me, I felt desolation and drank the tea. All I see was cold rain, all I hear was music... beautiful music. I could keep that mood and some melodies but something I couldn't keep. All that I could express became a songs. There are songs that were included into our first step of doom - Castus Lacrima. But about it later.
When songs became a something harmonious, I thought about movement to Moscow. There I’ve met gothic rock band Fright Night and played with them on rythm guitar. Day after day, weak after weak, so on. And once upon a time we played a show in Vermel rock club. It seems that was April 2012, I don't remember fine. There I saw one of lead vocals of Mea Vita, Mila Ionova. I liked her voice and got a contact. A long time we have been talking sometimes about art and beauty and finally I have suggested participation in records of voice parts. Present days we are doom metal duet.
Mila: We’ve met with Alexey when I was in the darkwave project Mea Vita. We’ve become good friends and Alexey has shown me his music and asked me to sing female vocal parts. When I’ve heard his music I was charmed by it and, of course, I’ve accepted the offer.
How would you describe your style? Which bands influenced your music?
Alexey: I'd describe our style as a blackened gothic doom metal. Our music has the purpose and that purpose is touching the evil grief by the innocent beauty. Of course, some bands influenced our music. At first there are Autumn Rain Melancholy, Desire and early Draconian in the past.
Why should a metalhead buy your demos/albums?
Alexey: Possible I will upset our distributors so but I thing that metalheads shouldn't go and buy it now. They should dress the black coat, meet the morning with a rain one by one and find that sweet mood of doom. When metal hearts are beating, their feet will come there, into dreamlands. Remember what you feel if you are sad. Now remember why do you buy compacts in the CD shop? There are similar things. I hope you understand me right.
Mila: Maybe people could find something beautiful in this music, something that could touch their souls and remember them, that they are still alive, with their own pain and gladness inside.
What have you released so far and how were your releases received by the public/media?
That was only Castus Lacrima 2013 on Total Metal Records. Thanks for guys that released us then. Good work!
Do you play live as well? How's your live activity so far?
No. We are a session band now. This is sadly story. Moscow is the greatest city in Europe but even there it’s too hard for us to find like-minded persons among musicians. We’re still searching people, who loves that kind of music like our and who wants to make it alive with us.
What should labels/zines/promoters know about your band? Why should they be interested in it?
They should know that we are pilgrims. Pilgrims in search of the rest.
What plans do you have for the near future as a band?
Alexey: Yesterday I found a keyboardist. Today I get a letter that he r she can not play with us. Time goes far away. And so over and over again. I hope that musicians will find us or we will find them. We’ve got the course to play live with a band.
Although I have many ideas and many many lyrics to sing to you. I want to sing about people's weakness, about love and death, about desolation. We love all fans that support us on forums and social networks. We cherish of any praise of our music.
Mila: Now I have the aim to find solution to implement special idea about my violin and also to find musicians for our band.
Where can we listen to your band and where can we buy your stuff?
Alexey: I think it must be sorrowland... but it seems you can buy nothing there.
Mila: You can listen to our music and buy it on iTunes, Google Play, Windows Store or on Metal Scrap Records site (http://metalscraprecords.com). I hope you’ll like it. Thanks!
October 2014