Moderix

That would be pretty stupid to talk through internet or phone with people from your city, so after long coordination of schedules (everyone has work and other stuff as you understand) our meeting finally happens. Unfortunately not all musicians were present, Notgrov and Vergonth haven’t come, but presenting musicians were enough to tell about past, present and future plans of the band.

So, ACT I. 
Scene of action: Lipetsk, rehearsal base
Characters: yours truly, Cor – guitar, Darkness Fall - bass, Vlad – drums. 
Here I’m asking band members questions in their breaks between rehearsing new and old songs before the show in Voronezh.

Mr.Doctor. How many songs are ready for next album?

Darkness Fall. Six, we now are planning 2 or 3 songs more.

MD. So the album’s length would be 35-40 minutes, same as two previous albums?

DF. Yes. For example, I don’t like very long 60+ minutes albums.

MD. Is everyone writing music?

Cor. Yes, everyone. Only Vlad doesn’t does that, but he attentively listens to our ideas and knows very good what he should play.

MD. Does it happens that someone from musicians brings his sketches but general meeting of the band refuses them?

С. Not so frequently, but happens. Mostly it happens in cases when we can’t combine all instrumental parties in this song.

MD. And who’s writing lyrics?

С. Vergonth 

DF. Yes, Vergonth does it all
(I don’t have an ear for music but on this moment I hear that played song doesn’t have any black metal elements and that this song is classical death metal with guitar party like Trey Azagthoth and with death-metal-styled blast beats by Vlad. So I ask musicians about that).

С. Yes, I like death metal  very much and I had death metal project before. In Moderix all black metal parties are played by Notgrov, and I’m trying to add more groove and heaviness in guitar’s sound.

DF. Even more, it’s not even our song, it’s cover of Khold's song. 
(And it’s completely true, this cover was recorded by band on ЕР "Х". But I haven’t recognized it, as I said, I have no ear for music). 

MD. Cor, is it hard for you to play black metal after death metal?

С. I can’t say that it is easy and simple. Sometimes I have to force myself to play exactly black metal sounding guitar.

MD. Vlad, have you played black metal before?

Vlad. No, earlier I was playing in the band which played hardcore.

MD. And how you have joined Moderix? 

V. I’ve heard the band and also I’ve heard that their drummer is rather bad. It was interesting for me to play such music, I’ve offered my services, I was invited for tryout, and so I’m here.

MD. And how you, fathers, joined the band?

DF. I know musicians of Moderix for long time, the band was on hold for a few monthes after the release of album “Amoralbloom” and only Notgrov and Vergonth left in band’s roster. But then nevertheless band members decided to gather for recording of new songs.

С. I have known only Vergonth before, we even wanted to make together sympho black project, but it didn’t happen. So I’ve joined the band. 

MD. You wanted to make sympho black project, then why on new album you decided to play black death, and not sympho black ? 

DF. It’s not easy, it requires buying of expensive instrument and taking of musician to the band.

MD. Is it hard to find a musician?

С. Yes, pretty hard. There’s a lot of good musicians in Lipetsk, but the band is ensemble first of all, so even if you’re super virtuoso it’s not enough. Complete mutual understanding is required. You know well how many good bands have split up due to disagreements between members of the band.

DF. Even more nearly everyone is already occupied with other projects and people just don’t have enough time for everything. For example, I would gladly do some gothic-rock project, but don’t have any free time for that.

C. I remember, when I was in college, I’ve played in the five bands in the same time. When lessons finished, I took the guitar and went to garages where in this time the best rehearsal bases were. In one band I played hardcore, in other one – power metal and so on.

MD. Please tell, what caused such big pause between previous album and the next one?

DF. The cause is trivial and it’s money. The label is ready to publish our album, but recording costs 30 thousands roubles and printing of 500 CDs costs 15 thousands more. For Lipetsk it’s not much expensive but isn’t also cheap at all as well.

Now rehearsal time of musicians is over so we have to leave this place.

ACT II. 
Scene of action: Lipetsk, pub Drova (“Wood”)
Characters: yours truly, Darkness Fall, Cor. 

MD. Where your scene names came from?

С. To be honest, I don’t even remember. It comes from old time and so goes on.

DF. Also long ago in 2010 I was young and had split-up with my girlfriend. So I was upset and was listening to the song of band Nitemare Machine. There is such words, I liked them and took them as my stage name.

MD. Who’s in charge of booking and how does it happens?

DF. Me and Notgrov. Sometimes we arrange it ourselves and sometimes we are offered.

MD. Does it bring you any financial profit?

С. I beg you, our music is not commercial, we are not paid for road or food expenses at all. It’s good if our show covers all our costs and frequently we pay for those costs ourselves.

MD. Let’s imagine that before the show you’re making soundcheck and you listen that sound is crap. How are you gonna act?

С. We ask sound engineers, of course, but if we see that they can’t do anything so let it be as is. Sometimes we have to ask sound engineers during the show, but if the venue is small and acoustics in it is pretty bad, it’s understood that you can’t do much with it.

MD. I always wondered if it takes long to clear corpsepaint after the show?

С. Long, much longer than to apply it.

DF. Water won’t help. I clear it with wet napkin.

MD. As I understood, music doesn’t give you profit. And how you earn for your life then?

С. I’m military man.

DF. I work in the office of the firm that repairs truck crane. Notgrov works in  auto salon that sells trucks. Vergonth is land-surveyor. Vlad works in tattoo salon.
 
MD. Which bands do you like the most now?

DF. Now I listen a lot to the band The 69 Eyes. 

С. I always loved middle-paced, groovy death.

Now our conversation ends, as it’s too late and everyone has to go to work tomorrow.