15133868_1431443230217102_509319837_o-1

Moscow’s Sky Crypt is one modern melodic death metal band, that recently released their debut album ‘Incipit Anarchia: The Element of Anger’, which featured some of the best metal songs for this year, like ‘The Prophecy’. Alexandr Mikhaylov & Marina Kuznetsova or if you prefer Sky Crypt were more than willing to answer our questions, and those of you who are following melodic death metal, will surely find this interview at least interesting if not intriguing.  

Sky Crypt. Really nice band name! The story of the name and the band so far?

Thank you! The history of Sky Crypt began in 2011 with composing the first two songs for the future melodic death metal album. But before that (since 2008) we had started playing music in Volnovoy Front. That was a Russian heavy/power metal band which released two albums in 2013 and 2014. But after nine years of band’s existence its members decided to break up. After that we moved to Moscow and founded Sky Crypt. The band‘s name was created after drawing a “Y” of our logo. The first word was “sky” and “crypt” appeared after minutes of thinking about something dark, cold and empty that never associated with “sky” before. In spiritual sense “sky” is pure and beautiful but “crypt” is cold, dark, empty and closed place for dead.

You are coming from Russia, a country that carries vital tradition in melodic death metal bands. Why should we pay attention to Sky Crypt? What would you tell to the unaware genre fan?

The Internet is a priceless gift to the humanity. Thanks to this gift we’re now living in a kind of borderless space. Or at least we want to live this way and we really have this chance. In our view, a true artist – an artist in the wide sense – never takes into account any political frames. One of the main ideas we want people to hear from us is just about that: in a healthy society there is no room for a government, there is no more need in a government. The society should become mature enough, but it is not this day. And the first step must be taken by an artist. So the fact we are from Russia does for sure leave a slight mark on everything we do, in one way or another. But this fact should by no means affect the listener’s attitude towards our music. We hope it won’t. And isn’t our mutual passion for music the good reason why you should pay attention to Sky Crypt?

A few weeks ago you released your debut album ‘Incipit Anarchia: The Element of Anger’. Can you share some information about the album regarding the tracks, production, etc.?

In February of 2016 we went to CDM Records studio to record drum parts. There were two professionals who helped us to do that. One is Andrey Ishchenko (drummer) and the other is Sergey Lazar (producer). After that we started to record other instruments at our own studio (guitar reamping accomplished at CDM Records also). Album was mixed by Alexander and mastered by Sergey Lazar in June of 2016.

15183947_1431443853550373_1594033996_o

Would you like to share some words about your great song that you chose to release as lyric video ‘The Prophecy’?

That song was composed in 2011 after our first visit to Norway. We were very impressed by nature and people there. So the idea to play melodic death metal was born and Alexander started creating the new music for us. Lyrics were written by him later in 2011. It was about the soul who wanted to live in a human form. So it is almost the same lyrics there on the album now.

How is it like working as a duo? Is it a man-woman balance in the studio? Are you thinking of involving more band members in the future?

The duo is the core of the band. It’s all we need to compose music, write lyrics, come up with cover art ideas, future album concepts and so on. But for recording process we have to (and we do it with pleasure) invite extra musicians – those who can do what we two cannot. We’ve had a great experience with Andrey Ishchenko who recorded drums for our first album. We hope to collaborate like this in future. As for gigs – we are going to perform with live musicians only, so we’ll get session guitar, bass guitar players and a drummer as well to take part in our shows. For the time being we consider only session musicians.

Please name your 5 melodic death metal albums that defined your sound or even your existence as a band…

Hmm! There are not only five melodic death albums that defined our music. But those five are the most representative for us. In chronological order then:

– 1995 – ‘Slaughter Of The Soul’ (At The Gates);

– 1997 – ‘The Mind’s I’ (Dark Tranquillity);

– 1999 – ‘Hatebreeder’ (Children Of Bodom);

– 1999 – ‘Burning Bridges’ (Arch Enemy);

– 2006 – ‘With Oden On Our Side’ (Amon Amarth).

Along with other GlobMetal Promotions’ acts (Absorbmetal, Radtskaffen, The Outsider, Tyrants of Chaos and Arkos) you were featured on Russian Radio Schock. Are you happy with the promotion so far?

Of course we are happy to work with GlobMetal Promotions! That is our first experience to promote ourselves and it has already given some harvest to us.

15152998_1431443613550397_1968646099_o-1

A tricky one now! Pussy Riot are the most known act from Russia the last 4-5 years for their Anti-Putin attitude. Also, Motorama are another well known one in the wave/indie field having gained global recognition. What’s your opinion about these two bands?

Motorama? Never heard of them… But Pussy Riot – yes, it was a nice, probably the best way to draw attention of the vast masses to the problem. But it is one hundred percent not the best way to solve the problem. Here we can make a conclusion that their goal was just to turn the searchlight on  this (anti-Putin, anti-religion, anti-Russian, anti-everything maybe) aspect. Well, the attention was drawn. And now, partly thanks to Pussy Riot, we have the blasphemy law we hadn’t had before that incident. It is one of the most diffuse and flexible articles which always can be turned against certain characters. This law allows to cancel gigs like Behemoth’s concert in 2014. This is why Batushka band is strictly prohibited in Russia. Unfortunately these are not the only examples. After all, the art itself is not about offending anyone. It is rather about holding a mirror and showing a real, sometimes a bit distorted and exaggerated, but still real face of the society. If someone feels insulted, if someone doesn’t like the reflection – whose trouble is it? So Pussy Riot is a fine example of how one should never behave in Russia if he wants to change something for the better – or how one should act if he purposes to make things even worse.

What’s next for Sky Crypt? Touring? Recording your second full-length?

The very next step for Sky Crypt is recording the second part of ‘Incipit Anarchia’, right. We’re going to to do that first and foremost, and then we can think of touring and other essential stuff. Secretly, as soon as we release the next album we’re gonna make a solo gig in Moscow.

A message from you to lastdaydeaf.com readers…

Actually we’ve got a lot more to say – but the thing is, we find music the best means to deliver the message properly. That is why we do what we do. So just be watchful, be conscious, be aware. Do your best to be kind, consider ecology and never forget your roots.

Christos Doukakis