This interview was conducted by Philip A. Wickstrand with guitarist Sergei “Lazar” and bass guitarist Ruslan “Kniaz” through a translator at the Hawthorne Theatre in Portland, OR on December 5, 2011.

Russia has a number of great Metal bands. Sadly, most North American Metalheads are in ignorance of this fact since you have to dig to find them on this side of the globe. Fortunately, ARKONA, one of Russia’s best and brightest, have gotten some exposure here thanks to their deal with Napalm. The Slavic bands have always had a different take on Folk Metal than their contemporaries in the West and ARKONA loves their bagpipes, thus ensuring my love of the band. Their latest album, Slovo, was released in 2011.

Phil: First of all, how is ARKONA’s first North American tour going so far?

Sergei & Ruslan: The tour is going very good, like people know ARKONA here, they know our songs, jumping screaming, make a lot of noise.

Phil: Have you experienced any culture shock coming over here, like are things radically different from touring in Europe?

Sergei & Ruslan: Yes, of course, here is very big difference from Europe, but here is very similar with Russia, so it was no cultural shock. At the beginning, we have a little bit of problems with food, but we are now find a way how to eat and what to eat. But people are really the same as in Russia.

Phil: Tell us a bit about the new album, Slovo.

Sergei & Ruslan: It’s the newest album, so it’s the most favorite for us all now. As always, like with a big job, new folk instruments, new guest musicians, so now it’s for us as a favorite and we present it here. There are more brutal songs and more folk songs.

Phil: What was the song writing process like for this album?

Sergei & Ruslan: Here is Masha, who make the whole lyrics and music and all she made by herself. She creates the music on her computer, then she brings (it) to the band and the band learns how to play and then we make the record. This is always process, like the same.

Phil: What was it like in the studio for this album?

Sergei & Ruslan: Like as you know, Sergei, he make the mix, mastering and the recording of the album by himself, so we record all instruments in different studios and different towns, so it’s difficult to say how it was in the studio - there is a lot of studios and it would take a lot of time, like a big amount of time. From the beginning to the end, it was like one year, so it’s called a process.

Phil: What are your favorite parts of the album?

Sergei & Ruslan: Songs, you mean?

Phil: Not necessarily just songs, but it could be…

Sergei & Ruslan: What is favorite things in this album?

Phil: Yeah, just overall favorite things.

Sergei & Ruslan: Songs. [laughter] And picture. [more laughter]

Phil: Okay, are there any plans for reissuing the first three ARKONA albums in North America through Napalm?

Sergei & Ruslan: It’s impossible because the rights on this album have The Netherlands label, Vic Records, so which is print the CDs, made the CDs, but not like sell it, don’t sell it, so it’s impossible to reissue. So the only way how to find this albums is buy from ARKONA shows because we have a lot. But it’s sold out today. [laughter]

Phil: Tell our readers a bit about your other band, ROSSOMAHAAR.

Sergei & Ruslan: This like more older band than ARKONA and it’s a band which play Russian Metal and we just some days ago, some week, we played Canada, like with the same bands because we played before with ARKONA and ROSSOMAHAAR played in Canada. Last album was one year ago. Band have five albums. It’s quite interesting, like experimental Black Metal.

Phil: If one of our readers wanted to check ROSSOMAHAAR out, which of the releases would you recommend for them?

Sergei & Ruslan: We can recommend to listen Regnum Somni, it’s 2003. And all the albums, you can download from the official website for free. (http://www.rossomahaar.ru)

Phil: What is one thing you would like your North American fans to understand about Russian culture?

Sergei & Ruslan: You mean what to tell North American fans about Russia to know better, yes?

Phil: Yep.

Sergei & Ruslan: That Russia… there is not big bears in Red Square with vodka. [laughter] There is the same as here, as much as very similar to Russia.

Phil: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Sergei & Ruslan: We like all here; very good people and some people around us told us before this tour that here is difficult or something, but here is all okay, so we like it a lot and will come back soon.

Arkona

Interviewer: Philip A. Wickstrand

January 21, 2012

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TO THE TOP

(Click on Photo to Enlarge)

Formed: 2002 
Moscow, Russia
Label: Napalm Records
Genre: Pagan / Folk Metal

CURRENT LINE-UP:

Masha "Scream" Arhipova:  Vocals
Sergey “Lazar”:  Guitar
Ruslan “Kniaz”:  Bass
Vlad "Artist" Sokolov:   Drums & Keys
Vladimir "Volk":  Flutes & Bagpipes

DISCOGRAPHY:

Vozrozhdenie (2004)
Lepta (2004)
Vo Slavu Velikim! (2005)
Zhizn Vo Slavu DVD, (2006)
Ot Serdtsa K Nebu (2007)
Poem Vmeste   (2009)
(Night of Veles DVD (2009)
Goi, Rode, Goi! (2009)
Arkona - Stenka Na Stenku EP (2011)
Arkona - Slovo (2011)

PHOTOS BY PHIL A. WICKSTRAND

(Click on Photos to Enlarge)

Check out Deathstalker's review of Slovo here