I came up with the idea for an interview with Anton "StringsSkald" while helping him with translation of his statement regarding the WALKNUT rights situation. I somehow suddenly realized that Anton had played in a considerable number of bands that were interesting to me, and I had never read an interview with him. At that moment, Anton refused my offer, but recently a reason presented itself: on Der Schwarze Tod and Werewolf Promotion , the album of ГРОМОВЕРЖ "Издревле" was just released. It's a new brainchild of Stringsskald, and this interview will help you learn more about the new project and StringsSkald's past and future activities.
UPD: Due to the fact that the comments under the interview are still periodically visited by the angry Ukrainians with their claims, I must add the following. First, in some sense, I love the Ukrainian nation more than my own, and I had the pro-Ukrainian and anti-Russian attitude long before many of your ultra-patriots even learned how to speak Ukrainian properly. Therefore, leave your sentences about "supporting the aggressor" to yourselves. You shoot in the wrong direction. Second, in RF, I support only the very small quantity of musicians and labels who have 100% healthy views, and Anton, as Nikolay from Der Schwarze Tod, are among them. And third, it's obvious that I won't as anything about the war in such interviews. On the 17th month of war, you could've learned that in occupied Belarus, for this you can get at best a fine (not the first for me), or even a prison sentence. So, enough with the far-fetched bullshit, and thank you for your attention.
Hails from Bagnik Zine! By tradition, let's start with the basics: tell us what got you into music? How, when and why did you get into metal? What artists have influenced you as a musician?
Stringsskald: Hails!
My parents brought me to music. Well, actually, they sent me to a music school :) Later, at the age of 12, I became interested in English rock, accidentally hearing the Deep Purple album “Fireball”, which literally turned my “musical universe” upside down. Then I got into Metallica, Slayer, Sepultura, Death... I think the passion for metal is already inherent and predetermined in some people, once it catches you, that's it, there is no turning back, hehe. There are a lot of artists who influenced me - roughly speaking, this is all the "old school metal", mostly from the 90s, which I listened to and continue to listen to. But if you want me to specify, then there is nothing unusual, of course: Burzum, Immortal, Emperor, Satyricon, Enslaved, Ulver, Isengard, Bathory, Marduk, Katatonia, Necromantia ("Crossing ...", if I'm not mistaken, is my very first Black Metal album, and I listened to it accidentaly), Cradle of Filth, Empyrium, Nokturnal Mortum…
Throughout your career, you have played all the traditional metal instruments, and some non-traditional, probably, too. How did it happen that you mastered all the necessary skills? Was it a desire or a severe need?
Stringsskald: Both. In this regard, of course, I was very impressed and inspired by Varg Vikernes. Initially, I did not want to depend on other musicians, I wanted to do everything myself as I see fit. In general, I mastered the drums as a self-taught, the keyboards - on the electives at music school. Bass guitar isn't a problem when you know how to play traditional guitar.
I wanted to start a conversation about your musical accomplishments in chronological order, but I was confused by the phrase from your statement about the situation with Walknut: «I played Heavy / Gothic / Doom Metal in 2003-2004». What was that?
Stringsskald: Oh, it was a hastily created and rather outrageous formation, with some good material, but with stupid and clichéd lyrics :) After a series of rehearsals and local concerts, we recorded a demo of mediocre quality, which I personally am not proud of, therefore, I would not like to say the name of this musical "Frankenstein". But it was one of the few experiences where I composed music with other members of the band.
How did you get into the right-wing musical environment? How did you met Kaldrad and Gorruth?
Stringsskald: It was quite a logical process. I was into German-Scandinavian paganism and "native faith" at the junction of graduation from school and goint to the institute. First, through correspondence, I got acquainted with S. Byshok, who was looking for like-minded musicians. He, in turn, introduced me to Gorruth. I met Kaldrad later at some kind of "party". We already heard a lot about each other, met very warmly, and became good friends from that day.
Volkoten' was one of the first bands with your participation. Tell us a little about its creation and split recording with Nitberg.
Stringsskald: Being Black Metal comrades with Byshok in those years, we decided to combine our creative forces in a common project. He had no problems with the names and lyrics, I had no problems with writing music, and we created these 4 songs very quickly. Kaldrad and Gegner appreciated the project and it was decided to split it with new Nitberg tracks recorded around the same time.
The split remained the only release of Volkoten'. At the same time, it is known that you wrote the music (or part of it) for the band's second album. In addition, the band has been renamed to Sonnenrad, because "it's musical style changed". Can you tell what it was like?
Stringsskald: Byshok really wanted to change the name of the project for some reason, but in the new material for the full-length, that never got any lyrics, there were no big changes, except for the inclusion of keys. Aside from that, it was the same Volkoten'... In any case, that's all it sank into oblivion, never coming true. And over time, the accumulated material was almost completely used by me for other musical deeds.
Have you seen Byshok after he became "an expert on right-wing extremist groups"?
Stringsskald: I don’t know who he really became, but we have never talked or seen each other since then.
During the same period, you played in the famous RAC band Vandal. If we believe the Internet, you worked on this band together with Kaldrad and the same Byshok, playing drums only. And how was it in reality?
Stringsskald: You know, probably, some confusion here is a good thing. I do not want to expand on this topic, let the knowledge be the property of a small circle of people. Let me just say that Byshok, as a musician, had nothing to do with the band.
How and why did Vandal cease to exist?
Stringsskald: Kaldrad and I decided to come back and focus on our original music, Black Metal. But perhaps the reasons were deeper than that, and I do not know all of them - of course, the main driving force of this band in the new incarnation was Kaldrad, and only he could have answered this question.
Your involvement in creativity of BlazeBirth Hall, if I'm not mistaken, started with an album of Forest: «In the Flame of Glory». It is believed that Ulv wrote the basis of the music for the album, and you added something and played everything. But, in my opinion, you wrote most of it, if not everything. How was it really?
Stringsskald: Not entirely true - it started earlier, from my participation in Nitberg, on the aforementioned Nitberg / Volkoten' split, where I was responsible for drums and some guitar parts. For the album "In the Flame of Glory", most of the music was composed and recorded namely by Ulv Gegner.
«In the Flame of Glory» offered a drastic change in style compared to previous albums, and, by and large, to everything that BBH released before. I guess this is primarily due to Kaldrad not playing guitar anymore, but how intentional was this change? Perhaps there was a goal to make the music more “propagandists” with a help of a cleaner sound?
Stringsskald: I think everything is much simpler: the raw “basement” sound and certain technical limitations in recording have been replaced by a new era of computer-digital music studios with the widest possibilities.
As for drastic change in style and "propagandism" - I would not say it was so dramatic. I consider all this a natural development of the project, relevant for that time.
While «In the Flame of Glory» quickly became a truly cult release, most fans of BBH consider it the most unsuccessful album of the Hall. How do you feel about it years later?
Stringsskald: I like this album very much, and I've never met any negative feedback about it. In my opinion, Forest doesn't have unsuccessful albums.
Has the notorious Chernoboba ("Ragnarok Records" owner) contacted you about acquiring the rights on "In the Flames of Glory" or any other BBH releases?
Stringsskald: No, definitely, although he lies to everyone that he talked / communicates with me. Luckily, I never got in touch with him.
It is known that you've been working on a next album of Forest, called "When the Night Retreats into Dusk". However, it never saw a light of day. At what stage was its creation and why was it cancelled? What did it sound like?
Stringsskald: For a number of reasons, I will leave questions about it without comment.
Another creation of BBH with your participation is «Nagelreid» of Nitberg, which, on the contrary, was and will remain an unshakable masterpiece. As far as I know, you wrote and recorded all the music for it, is that correct? Why did you decide to make one big song out of it?
Stringsskald: Again, not entirely correct - some of the musical material was composed by Gegner, but the entire album was arranged and recorded by me. The decision to publish it as one track was connected with the conceptuality of the lyrics, which is a wreath of sonnets that is interrupted in the middle by a separate text (composition) «Тучи затмили полей горизонты…», and ends with the nīd «Заставьте гневно петь прибой…». All this must be perceived as one whole piece, so we did not leave the possibility to click through the tracks.
Why the album, unlike other works of BBH, had strictly antichristian message?
Stringsskald: I disagree with the statement that the lyrics to "Nagelreid" are strictly anti-Christian. If you look at its poetry more closely, you can note that it consists of three themes, which I just mentioned in the previous answer. The first, conceptual, which forms the basis of the album is a wreath of sonnets that touch upon such processes as the decline of morality and the replacement of values that took place due to changes in the culture of European society simultaneosly with the spread of Christianity. The second, “Тучи затмили…” is the theme of heroism, perseverance, devotion to one's deeds, a highest ideal. The third one,“Заставьте гневно…”, is a curse which is the original intent of the project, because Nitberg is a blasphemous song. All in all, the antichristian motives were probably born by Kaldrad's interest in this topic at that period of his life.
Question from a fan from an Internet forum that I visit often: how did you record the drums on «Nagelreid»?
Stringsskald: Just like other drummers: by blasting drums and cymbals :)
I do not quite understand the meaning of such questions, and more often than not, I prefer not to disclose some technical moments.
Let's summarize the conversation about your period in BBH with this question: is there anything unreleased / unfinished left, besides the above-mentioned?
Stringsskald: From what I was involved in - no.
Now, about Walknut. Many things related to this project are described in your statement, which I will include in this interview. But something is not clear to me. For example, how did you even come up with something like this? In 2004, when you started doing the first sketches for Walknut, an independent atmospheric direction of extreme metal as such, by and large, did not yet exist. What inspired you to create such music?
Stringsskald: Well, how could it not exist, did you forgot about our beloved Burzum? :) (accepted, although I don't see any musical similarities between Burzum and Walknut – F1sher16) You know, a lot of people say they really like to roam the woods and other distant places for musical inspiration. Of course, I am no exception, but this is not at all necessary for composing atmospheric or any other music for me. I immerse myself in this Magic when I consider it necessary, I can do it without any preliminary walks and "merges" with nature. Music is always inside of me, in my head, fingers, strings, keys... It's just that one day the time had come to reveal something like Walknut.
Stringsskald's statement on WALKNUT and ТЕМНОЗОРЬ:
Well, usually I speak with music and not with words, but now, apparently, the time has come when I need to shed the light on the situation with Walknut and related things. I really don’t like to air dirty laundry in public and stir up some events and circumstances, but it is obvious that there is no other way to defend my music and Walknut project, although sensible adequate people already know the whole situation in general and aware of "who is who". There will be mainly details and facts together with refutation of someone’s far-fetched lines. You can even consider this as kind of my interview, compelled by the recent statements of other persons. I have something to say.
I should start to from the times when Gorruth, my friend and comrade in the past, was very inspired by my instrumental tape demo of Walknut (the name that was invented by me already at the time of composing the first riffs, in early winter of 2004) and offered to write the lyrics for it, to which I willingly agreed. Thus, he immediately added himself to the line-up as Ravnaskrik, and although I did not plan to enroll anybody else into the line-up and was about to mention him only as the author of the lyrics (as it usually happens if a person does not play any musical instrument) I said to myself: ok, let it be, after all he is my comrade. Inspired by the opportunity to release my project, I gave him the recorded album without asking for anything at all, just like that, relying on his honesty and decency. There were excellent responses, accolades, expectedly good sales, the friendly pat on the shoulder: "you did great!"...
My friendship and collaboration with Gorruth/Ravnaskrik, that "Black Metal manager, great re-releaser and self-proclaimed master of Walknut", began to collapse around the same time when his greed became too strong and he started to play dumb too often. It was the time when Walknut was on top of its fame, 2009-2010. I tried to justify the behavior of the lyricist and the manager (at that time, I used this word in a good sense) of Walknut before myself in every possible way, but justification was becoming more and more complicated and dissonantly. In addition, my now gone comrade Kaldrad, who saw many things very clearly and through and through, even then he told me: "open your eyes", confirming my guesses.
We have gathered for the discussion with Ravnaskrik in the summer of 2010, which was also attended by Kaldrad as my supporter, where Ravnaskirk was accused of appropriation of the entire profit from Walknut’s CDs sales. Of course, at first, he denied it in every possible way and shielded himself, but my reasons that the money earned on Walknut are like "manna from heaven" and also easy pressure from my supporter's side made him to admit it. As the result he had agreed to return the designated amount of royalty to me. The promised six-month return period lasted for more than 3 years, during which I had already buried the thoughts about the debt’s fulfillment (eventually, it was fulfilled), but that's not the point.
The most interesting thing is that shortly before this period, vinyl version of Walknut album was released (by Northern Heritage), and I knew nothing about it! But even if I’d heard something, I would not pay much attention because at those times I was not interested in any re-releases and licenses, nor financial part from the sales. These were the times when I totally relied on the honesty of my comrade and still believed that in underground Black Metal everything is being done only in the name of the Idea. I have no doubt that the idea was the paramount thing for Gorruth too, but as we already know, he was never willing to share the "side product", i.e. royalty.
So, I have not received a single cent, nor even a single copy of vinyl version. The same story with that limited edition Walknut CDs repress. And that happened the times when we were still friends and comrades! I found out/realized all this only a few years later, and it became the point of absolute no return.
In early winter of 2011, we met again. Gorruth offered me to participate in the upcoming summer show of Temnozor and I refused (we didn't play for year at that moment, since the last Temnozor European Tour). By that time, I understood the true nature of this person and was disappointed, and I did not want to collaborate with him anymore nor have anything in common. By the way, at this meeting, offering to continue our collaboration, he has dropped the phrase "From this time, I promise, everything will be clear and honest"... Regarding Temnozor matters, not everything is (was) so smooth and clean too, I won’t even talk about it here.
At our last meeting, at Kaldrad's funeral, I no longer wanted to speak, listen to, or discuss anything with him. What could I already talk about with him after all these circumstances? And of course, any new royalties from his side are completely out of question now. Well, now Gorruth says that I am thinking only about money, haha! Pot calls the kettle black… Yes, of course, getting the royalties from your music is a pleasant thing, and anyone would hardly refuse it, except probably the most reckless young enthusiasts. Indeed, in those past years I had little interest in this regard, until the moment when you began to realize that your comrade earns on it, but does not consider it necessary to inform you about it and even more does not want to share this income with you.
About "mutations" and "betrayal" on the Black Metal scene... Who does really care what this or that musician plays? Only musically narrow-minded, blinkered ones can built the reproaches on this. For some reason, when I played RAC in 2003-2005 and Heavy/Gothic/Doom Metal in 2003-2004, he had no problems with that. I am originally a musician who is interested in both listening and composing/performing, besides Black Metal, in the other styles of Metal and Rock music and the one who seems to have some success in it. But what can the person that didn’t spoke to me for 10 years know about me, what have I been living with and what have I been doing all these years? And what else can he say when he has lost "his" composer and multi-instrumentalist (and not the worst one) because of his own behavior and deeds? Of course, there can be only accusations and belittling. And it should be noted that besides me, some fair amount of people also turned away from him, including our common friends and comrades.
Rather strange that the man who presents himself as a true underground Black Metal ideologue divides Black Metal labels into huge and tiny, famous and unknown, promising and pathetic. Apparently, the German label's fee (Eternity Records) seemed too small for him and could not satisfy his hard-headed financial appetite. I’m even a bit surprised that there hasn't been any Walknut re-release, if I know all the truth, since 2009. Probably he was looking/choosing for so long for not tiny not pathetic not unknown label that could generously endow him with lots of dough. I have never really cared about Internet statuses, and my friends have nothing to do with it either. It does not change the state of affairs in reality.
And now Gorruth imagines himself as the new owner of Walknut and tries to get his hands on this successful and famous (mostly due to the music) project instead of creating something of his own. But why, if he can re-release/sell the rights for the old stuff further again and again, parasitizing on my music and even bragging by a forthcoming new album under this name. "A new album", seriously? Hahaha! He talks about it since 2008 (by the way, I didn’t even know that "we are preparing a new album"). Anyway, it's very interesting how high would the level of plagiarism of my style be, or would it be another trivial black metal released under Walknut name? But it will be a real surprise if everything will turn out not the same as with nowadays Temnozor - all sizzle and no steak – they haven’t written or recorded any new stuff within the last 10 years.
"The walking corpse" called Temnozor does not interest me since the times when my bandmates of "golden era line-up" have played those last great concerts in 2011 already without me (as I said, I quit by myself). Everything that happened after, with a constantly renewed line-up, only got worse up to a complete shame and outright regression (fortunately, none of my friends/bandmates plays here now; I also note that some of new members are quite good musicians and people).
So maybe it's time to stop beating a dead horse already? But no, because the cult status of the band does not allow it and the name is very ponderable and remunerative thing here. No more new creativity, just hype and trying to rise at the expense of the past merits. I’m sure, he would’ve gone the same way with "his Walknut". Black metal management at its best!
By the way, I want to announce that from this day on I prohibit the use of all my music written for Temnozor, including performance at the live shows by any new line-up of Temnozor, any re-releases on any media, and sales on any digital platforms. This, of course, will not stop this hustler, but it will further spoil his already dubious reputation among the informed folks.
Summing up from all above: Walknut was, is and will remain my own project. I have never renounced from it. The person who had treacherously jumped into the project many years ago no more has any relation to it since the time he began to deceive me. By this statement, he is officially exiled from it.
Eternity Records continues to prepare the official LP re-release of Walknut album "Graveforests and Their Shadows" authorized by me, the creator of the project. Do not support Walknut bootleg from Heritage Records if it comes out one day.
Finally, I reveal a secret that the full-length album of my new Pagan/Black/Folk Metal project that was in making for more than 5 years (hello, my "abandoning of the Black Metal scene"!) and which mainly consists of the stuff that I composed during my Temnozor's era (2001-2010) has been finished this summer and will be released. Also, some time ago, I started to compose an Atmospheric Black Metal stuff again and who knows, maybe one day it will be embodied as the second album of Walknut.
Stringsskald
You wrote that there are several editions of «Graveforests and their Shadows», and indeed, I came across at least two different options on CD, released at that time. Are you aware that there is also a very plausible pirated CD, released, if I'm not mistaken, by Coyote Records? :)
Stringsskald: I am not very interested in such things, I'm far from this nose dive.
Even if so, what can I do - go confiscate counterfeit goods and wag a finger? :) Probably, everything that is successful and can sell well is being pirated sooner or later, and this is an uncontrollable process. Knowledgeable people usually know what and where they buy.
How did you get in touch with Eternity Records and agreed to re-release the album?
Stringsskald: The label itself contacted me, offering a re-release. We agreed on everything on mutually beneficial terms and shook hands, and after that we worked together on minor modifications in the design.
Are there any developments or at least ideas + desire for a second album of Walknut (or its spiritual successor)?
Stringsskald: There are. All in due time...
Speaking of your former comrade and his mysterious project Woods of Fallen: in addition to the two tracks that were released on the tribute to Burzum and the compilation «The Night and the Fog», are there any other records? According to Interner sources, you also played in this band. Allegedly, there are two rehearsal CDrs with the titles "Traitor Moon" and "Distances".
Stringsskald: Oh, this is such a mysterious project that it has already received the "cult" status without a single intelligible and complete composition! But I say it without any beef or irony, when it comes to the only musician of this formation known to me, who is my old friend, whom I respect very much. I won't say his name here. It was me and him who recorded an instrumental demo material, mostly written by me, which was transferred onto two aforementioned CDrs. But since Gorruth, who invented this project in a first place, totally abandoned it over the following years (lack of concept, lyrics, no vocals, etc.), and since I eventually terminated all my relationships with him, I "withdrew" my material and gradually distributed most of it to my other projects.
One of these rehearsals includes a cover of «Deep Dark Forest» of Absurd – a cover of the same song is present on "In the Flame of Glory" of Forest. Gorruth told on the old forum of ТЕМНОЗОРЬ that this cover was made for ТЕМНОЗОРЬ, but was "given" to Forest. I don’t quite understand how you can give away a cover song - what’s the story behind this?
Stringsskald: In general, I hardly understand the meaning of "covers" on albums - why are they there? Well, and since I don't really care about this thing, I'm not really sure about this particular cover song. Who did it, what for, and so on. And I'm not interested to know that, to be honest. Actually, I forgot about this cover song on the aforementioned Forest album, and I don't know why it ended up there. Moreover, I have nothing to do with its recording.
Now, about ТЕМНОЗОРЬ. You were, by and large, the main reason and the key to the huge success of the band. At least when you left, everything went out quickly, and it still won't flare up again. How did you get into the band and become its main songwriter?
Stringsskald: After I met Gorruth, Byshok gave him a cassette with my demos to listen to, which included Pagan/Folk/Black Metal compositions and raw sketches. Gorruth really liked it. In the future, this material served as the basis for the first ТЕМНОЗОРЬ album with my participation, "Horizons ...". Since I was already writing the entire songs and recording all instrumental parts by myself, and Gorruth had no other familiar musicians for this “position”, he offered me to become the songwriter of ТЕМНОЗОРЬ. Of course, I accepted this offer with a great joy and enthusiasm.
By the way, the song "Pagan Sunrises - The Faith of Fire" was originally planned and recorded specifically for the album, but since Gorruth categorically did not want to make a long LP (worried about redundancy, or already calculated the commercial expedience, haha?), this track served as the basis for the mini-album "Fragments ...". This mini album was a compilation of the material that we didn't use on debut album, and the newly recorded material; a first step before the second LP, but not a demo for the debut LP, as many people think.
Have you been affected by the story of "snatching" the original ТЕМНОЗОРЬ away by Gorruth?Did you knew about it at all when you became a member of the band?
Stringsskald: Hah, "snatching away" is a correct phrase :) This story didn’t affect me, but, of course, I had certain questions about the old line-up, because I already knew the band very well thanks to "Sorcery Is Strengthening..." album; I listened to this tape a lot. So, Gorruth, my newfound friend and ideological colleague in those days, in his characteristic eloquent, and, as it often happened, exaggerated manner, enthusiastically told me that the musicians from Obninsk are now "rock star"-like loafers, alcoholics, drug addicts, and even DJs who were corrupted by the "rock fame" of the first album. He was tired to push them towards the next album, he said. In addition, one of them went to the army, someone moved, and he "was left alone". But, since he wrote most of the lyrics for them, and also sponsored the recording and the purchase / rental of instruments to some extent, now all the rights for the band belong to him, and if the rest do not care about it, he is not going to stop there... Of course, I was a little shocked by what I heard, but I didn’t have a reason not to trust my new comrade and the “artistic director" of newborn ТЕМНОЗОРЬ. I accepted this, reasoning that if the band members really don't want to continue, making such music, then why not give it a try. In the end, they could make a statement, reclaim the rights for the band, arrange a meetingor something, but as far as I know, no words / actions from them followed. It's funny that in 2013 the "revived" original members eventually "snatched" the band back, reclaiming the debut full-length for the discography of their Obninsk version of ТЕМНОЗОРЬ.
At ТЕМНОЗОРЬ live shows in 2005-2010, you were the drummer, although songwriters usually play the guitar. Why did it happen?
Stringsskald: It's no secret that there is always a lack of good drummers in "metal", especially in such a specific genre, and even in a relatively tight circle of musicians. Therefore, after some ordeals with invited drummers, none of whom stayed in the line-up for a long time, it was decided to find a replacement guitarist instead of me, and I, already having some drumming skills, moved behind the kit, eveloping my skills along the way. At first it was hard, but I'm glad that it happened, because through all these years of playing drums in ТЕМНОЗОРЬ, I've developed my drumming skills very significantly :)
How deeply did you delve into the affairs of ТЕМНОЗОРЬ, in addition to purely musical ones?
Stringsskald: To a sufficient extent in terms of the lyrical / ideological component and some issues of album design, but, unfortunately, not enough in business terms, where, due to the simplicity of the “Russian soul” and the lack of life experience, I involuntarily allowed our "manager" to hog the cover.
ТЕМНОЗОРЬ ceased activity at the peak of its popularity, and this left ordinary listeners at a loss. As I understand it, at some point in 2010 or 2011, almost the entire line-up left the band; you left it a little earlier. What happened?
Stringsskald: By some point, I clearly understood that I don't want to walk the same road with a "businessman" and a swindler Gorruth, and I simply broke off all relations with him, leaving him at the “broken trough of ТЕМНОЗОРЬ". I talk about it in detail in that statement you are going to attach to this interview.
It seems that ТЕМНОЗОРЬ still exists, playing some gigs, and for many years now they hint at the imminent release of a new album. According to your information, how realistic is all this?
Stringsskald: Well, let him hint further, periodically issuing pretentious vague speeches and throwing dust in people's eyes. Modern ТЕМНОЗОРЬ is some kind of misunderstanding and even a laughingstock that exists only due to someone else's music. I don’t really care about this mess, with one single exception - and in my statement I mentioned this aspect - which concerns the prohibition on the use of my music (which is almost all tracks from 3 albums and two tracks from mini album "Fragments ...") for live shows of any possible line-up of Gorruth's rabble. t’s even curious whether they still play my songs withou a blink of an eye, or did my statement somehow affected them? :)
By the way, according to information on the Web, the flutist from the old line-up is still mistakenly listed in the new line-up. But as I already said, fortunately, none of those musicians who played with me in this band does not belong to it at the present time.
After leaving ТЕМНОЗОРЬ you play in the band Old Sea and Mother Serpent, that performs stoner doom metal. This, of course, was a big surprise. How did you get interested in this music?
Stringsskald: I have always been interested in Doom Metal, since I was very young. Previously, I was mainly attracted to “classic” Doom (with prefixes Death, Gothic, Epic) and partly Funeral Doom, thanks to which I later came to Funeral/Sludge Doom, and from there to Sludge/Stoner Doom. In addition, the satiation with the standard “metal” of the mid/late 00s, with its often plastic sound and boring melodies in all styles, from Pagan/Black to Death/Doom, probably influenced my transition. I wanted something new and lively, fat and powerful, unhurried, but certainly dark and primordial, and I found it in the music of some representatives of the Sludge/Stoner Doom scene. Eventually, our band Old Sea and Mother Serpent became the quintessence of all this.
Your participation in caused a lot of negative feedback from many parties, including Gorruth himself. However, on the right-wing scene, where people will always find a reason to accuse their neighbor of Jewishness and betrayal, this is normal, although I myself also can't stand stoner doom :) One way or another, I'm more interested in the reaction of the other side. After all, there were always enough punks and antifa in the stoner environment - how were you received there with your background?
Stringsskald: You can meet all kinds of people on stoner doom scene, but I have never come across openly leftist punks and antifa there. Maybe there were some questions regarding the identification of my personality, but rather out of idle interest, without any beef or enthusiasm. And, of course, this scene is more about music than about worldview and political ideologies.
All your work to this point has had a noticeable impact on the global underground scene. What do you think about this?
Stringsskald: I don’t think much about it :) I was always a creator, and I continue to do this with full dedication, perseverance, and sometimes even some kind of obsession. And it's great that already in my youth I found my life's work and realized myself as a musician, creating something that attracts many.
Finally, about your new project called Gromoverzh. Nikolay from Der Schwarze Tod called it "essentially a new ТЕМНОЗОРЬ", and indeed, it sounds quite similar. In addition, the album has been created since the early 2000s. In your opinion, is it really an “unreleased ТЕМНОЗОРЬ album”, or are there fundamental differences?
Stringsskald: The project was based on material that had been accumulated since the formation of ТЕМНОЗОРЬ with my participation, but for various reasons was not implemented. In fact, the debut album of the project, "Izdrevle", is a logical continuation and development of the musical ideas of those years in a strictly "old school" way. There are probably two main differences. The first is the lyrics and the concept itself, in one way or another connected with the “warrior cult” and “warrior fate”; I used Veleslav's poetry because it talks a lot about it. The second is new vocals from session members, and my own vocals, which were almost never used in ТЕМНОЗОРЬ,
Judging by the credits, you made an attempt to record an album back in 2015, but finished it only now. It didn't work the first time? :)
Stringsskald: Why, I was just trying it on :) In fact, I recorded a demo album by the end of the summer of 2016, but it was a rather raw product that needed a lot of work. For the next 4 years, I gradually added some parts, put arrangements in order, weaved music with texts, worked on vocal parts and so on.
You performed almost everything on the album by yourself, but you still had the help of guest musicians. Tell us a little about them. I found information only about Anton Kochemirovsky, who is clearly not a metalhead - the man received some prestigious prize for his vocals. Unless, of course, it was not a namesake.
Stringsskald: These are great musicians and my good comrades, who helped me with the recording of the album with great pleasure. Anton is young and very promising, and he is also a multiinstrumentalist musician, not just a “winning vocalist”. Vitaliy is the leader of an excellent, in some ways even unique folk-rock band Yurga (URGAband), in which, by the way, I have been playing bass guitar parts for almost 2 years now. The mysterious flutist… Well, I think you know the flutist of ТЕМНОЗОРЬ who played in the live line-up during it's "golden era" :)
Are you planning some kind of active support for the album "Izdrevle" - a live presentation, for example?
Stringsskald: Gromoverzh is a studio project, and no concert activity is expected with it. And in general, as time goes by, I'm less and less enthusiastic about live performances on the Pagan/Black Metal scene.
Are there any other musical projects in your portfolio that we haven't mentioned?
Stringsskald: It seems that now you know everything.
Finally, tell us about your plans for the future, and also, if we overlooked some important things, share them with readers of Bagnik Zine.
Stringsskald: My plan, as always, is to create the Magic of Music!
Thank you for the interesting questions and the opportunity to shed some light on some things. It was very entertaining to remember both the affairs of bygone days and to tell about current events.
Gods be praised!
English (UK) 
Крыўская
Гэты ваш urgaband на сваёй старонцы ў вк віншаваў прыхільнікаў “с днём победы”, а ў каментарах расейцы Сраліна з цырвоным сцягам лайкамі абмазваюць
За сраліністаў у камэнтах я адказнасьці не нясу, а наконт гурта Антону пытаньне задалі. Калі б я ведаў, што ён там грае, то спытаў бы папярэдне, канешне.
Дзякую за інтэрв’ю, аказалася што банальныя сваркі за бізнэз і бабло існуюць нават ва ўмоўна “ідэйных” металістаў.
Рэтарычнае пытанне, але агучу: проста цікава, як усе гэтыя музычныя праварадыкалы зараз глядзяць на падзеі ў Расеі, бо як быцам бы іх мроі аб ідэалогіі з свастонамі (хай сабе і спрошчанымі), ды райхамі эйнхірыёў (якімі аздоблены школьныя парты) рэалізуюцца нарэшце на дзяржаўным узроўні. Ці такія нюансы ім не даспадобы, ці ўвогуле адчуваюць сабе ідыётамі, як мабыць павінен адчуваць сябе ўмоўны Varggoth з NM, які рупіўся за трыадзіны “славянскі мір” разам з расейцамі ды беларусейцамі? Цікава, якая зараз ідэалагічная салянка ў іх усіх у галаве…?
З.Ы. насамрэч класна было б пачытаць інтэрв’ю з Dagorath, былым удзельнікам Forest, які не так даўно (па мерках старпёраў) выпусціў новы/стары альбом The Beastrealm свайго праекту Rundagor. Асабліва цікава было б даведацца аб яго трактоўцы падзеяў канца 90-х, калі яго папёрлі з гурта і BBH наагул, вось там магчыма сапраўды ідэалагічныя “скандалы, інтрыгі, расследванні.
Як ні дзіўна, але вялікая частка правых музыкаў якраз ёсьць найбольш адэкватнай. Дарэчы, з тых знаёмых асабіста мне вельмі нешматлікіх расейцаў, якія маюць на 100% правільную жыцьцёвую пазыцыю па ўсіх вострых пытаньнях, і празь якіх я ня здолеў цалкам адмовіцца ад будзь якога ўзаемадзеяньня з расейскай сцэнай, усе – правыя рознай ступені радыкальнасьці 🙂
Што датычыцца Rundagor, то я яшчэ ў 2018-м намагаўся зрабіць інтэрвію зь ім і Sternatis, але Віталь даволі абыякава паставіўся да адказу на пытаньні, і ў выніку наогул забіў. Як я зразумеў, яму толькі хацелася аднавіць “гістарычную справядлівасьць”, а больш яму сказаць было асабліва няма чаго.
Дзякую!
Хутчэй за ўсё, па майму меркаванню, уся гэтая праварадыкалізацыя расейскай, ды часткі ўкраінскай блэк сцэны была выклікана найперш нядбайнай мігрантскай і нацыянальнай палітыкай у гэтых краінах, памножаннай на палітычную інфантыльнасць музыкантаў, чым сапраўдная прыхільнасць таталітарнай ідэалогіі. У любым выпадку культурна-сацыяльны фенамен гэтай з’явы даволі такі цікавы, можа калі небдузь дачакаемся кнігі-аналізу на гэтую тэматыку.
Тут усё значна больш проста і лягічна: найбольшая колькасьць правых рознай ступені радыкальнасьці жыве ў краінах постсаўку і месцах кшталту былой ФРГ, дзе людзі ведаюць, чым ёсьць камунізм, і таму цягнуцца да яго антыподу. І з гэтай жа прычыны правыя радыкалы, напрыклад, у ЗША моцна адрозьніваюцца ад усходнеэўрапейскіх. Там на першым месцы расавыя пытаньні, тут – нацыянальныя, бо народы прагнуць аднаўленьня сваёй культуры і звычаяў. Сучасны сьвядомы правы ўсходнеэўрапеец – гэта, як ні парадаксальна, часьцей за ўсё нацыянал-дэмакрат, які ненавідзіць таталітарызм.
На самой справе, у нашай экс-СНДшнай частцы сцэны ў перыяд 1998-2002 існавала вялікае захапленьне таталітарызмам, але я дакладна ведаю, што амаль усе людзі, якія тады прасоўвалі гэтыя ідэі, цалкам зьмянілі свае погляды на палітычны лад, пажыўшы пад гэтым самым таталітарызмам 🙂
У сувязі з тым, што ў камэнтары пад інтэрвію перыядычна набягаюць раззлаваныя украінцы з прэтэнзіямі, вымушаны дадаць наступнае. Па-першае, у пэўным сэнсе я люблю украінскую нацыю нават больш за сваю, і я меў праукраінскую і антырасейскую пазыцыю задоўга да таго, як палова з вашых сёньняшніх ультрапатрыётаў навучылася розмовляти українською. Таму ўсе свае сэнтэнцыі пра “падтрымку агрэсара” пакіньце сабе. Не туды ваюеце. Па-другое, у РФ я працягваю падтрымліваць толькі тую вельмі невялікую колькасьць музычных дзеячоў, якія маюць цалкам здаровыя погляды, і Антон, як і Мікалай з Der Schwarze Tod, ёсьць гэткімі дзеячамі. І па-трэцяе, відавочна, што аніякіх пытаньняў пра вайну ў падобных інтэрвію чакаць няма сэнсу. На 17-м месяцы вайны можна было б ужо і ведаць, што ў акупаванай Беларусі за гэта можна атрымаць у лепшым выпадку штраф (ужо ня першы для мяне), а то і турэмны тэрмін. Таму досыць пісаць надуманую хуйню, і дзякуй за ўвагу.