A Q&A with Arctic Dreams
Metal, classical and electronic goth…
What’s the title of your latest release, and what does it mean to you?
[Alex_Y]: ‘Frozen Little Beings’ – The story of the Dyatlov group of tourists who died in the mountains of the northern Urals in 1959.
What was the hardest part about putting this release together, and why?
[Alex_Y]: By the way, this release was the easiest of all our releases. The song was created and recorded easily and quickly, without any pressure.
[Gena]: Time, there’s never enough of it.
[Mirko_Death]: Not having much time is an issue.
[Roman]: To persuade Alex that we don’t need an endless ending. We almost did it.
Who produced the release – what did they bring to it? If you produced it yourselves what do you enjoy most about producing your own material?
[Alex_Y]: I own a recording studio where some of the musicians in our band work. Of course, we also do mixing, recording, and producing for other artists. The best thing about mixing your own material is that you’re not limited by the client’s requirements and can do everything the way you want, haha.
[Mirko_Death]: Gena is the main producer.
What do you want the listener to take away from listening to your music?
[Alex_Y]: We would be very pleased if our music became a breath of fresh air in the lives of our listeners. Just as our idols are for us.
[Gena]: Any range of emotions, as long as they want to listen to our tracks again, and of course hear new ones.
[Mirko_Death]: I want listeners to take home pleasure and anger and all possible emotions at our gigs.
[Roman]: Pleasure.
How does a track normally come together? Can you tell us something about the process?
[Alex_Y]: Well, if you ask me as the main author and composer, the process is similar to wine fermentation: an idea pops into my head, matures for a while, and then I turn it into words and notes.
[Gena]: It always varies. Sometimes one of the band members brings in a track that’s already finished, and sometimes everyone participates in the arrangement.
[Mirko_Death]: First idea is what topic we will play about. Which event left an impression on us, and then we implement it into a riff, and then from that riff the harmony develops further.
[Roman]: Alex writes songs, we record our parts, and Gena mixes them.
What band/artists have influenced you the most since you started this project, and why?
[Alex_Y]: A huge number of artists in completely different genres.
[Gena]: There are too many of them.
[Mirko_Death]: Mostly thrash metal bands and especially Fear Factory band.
[Roman]: IDK, maybe Children of Bodom or any other straightforward Death-Metal band.
What countries would you like to tour? Are there any standout venues you’d like to play in?
[Alex_Y]: Worldwide. Wacken, Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting.
[Gena]: Everywhere, I want a huge world tour lasting two years!
[Mirko_Death]: All countries, all stages. I want to play everywhere. Especially at the festival 70000 Tons of Metal, a famous ship.
[Roman]: I would like to be in a world where a tour of Russia is possible.
[Ivan]: Germany and USA.
If you could pick one track for our readers to listen to in order to get a taste of your music, what would you pick, and why?
[Alex_Y]: ‘Let me introduce my cosmic hell’.
[Gena]: ‘Let me introduce my cosmic hell’.
[Mirko_Death]: ‘Let me introduce my cosmic hell’. The song is punchy and hard, that’s why.
[Roman]: To me personally, the most descriptive song is Blind Guardian – ‘Mirror Mirror’. It has everything I love in music inside.
[Ivan]: Dimmu Borgir – ‘The Insight and the Catharsis’.
What ambitions do you have for the band/your career?
[Alex_Y]: We are all mature adults, so we would like to leave a legacy behind.
[Gena]: More releases, more live shows, conquering the universe.
[Mirko_Death]: Well, I want more albums to come. More gigs, more festivals.
[Roman]: Maybe one day, I’ll be able to earn money with music. Sweet dreams…
[Ivan]: My career is music, so the plan is to always take everything related to the highest level possible, including the Arctic Dreams.
Finally, as you leave the stage, what are your parting words?
[Alex_Y]: Thank you for coming! We will be back soon!
[Gena]: Damn… Now I have to gather up all these wires and pedals…
[Mirko_Death]: To my band mate I say: Slackers, tomorrow is rehearsal and when our next gig is.
Find out more about Arctic Dreams at arcticdreamsofficial.com
