Leslava: Hello. I hope you are doing well. Tell me how started your love to metal and why the choice, in the end, was the death metal?
Alexey: I started with Deep Purple 70-72 through thrash and all easier styles in my junior classes of the school, but I wanted a heavier, more extreme,
I listened to a lot of everything... With age, the tastes settled...
Zlatoyar: Hello. When I was small, I listened
to different music, but once I got the album
of Metallica ‘‘…And Justice for All’’, which just tore
me up and forced me to sit in front of the tape recorder and wave my head))). But the death-metal for me started with In Flames, and later I was finally absorbed by the Schuldiner’s Death...
Andrei: Well, to the above, it all started from extremely popular Scorpions in the second grade of the school, I did not yet understand the styles/genres. But I remember very clearly that I first heard the answer to the question: ‘‘Dad, what is this?’’ — the answer: ‘‘Son, it is AC/DC ‘‘T.N.T’’ — real hard rock”, well it was just the beginning...
Gennady: I have everything the same as my colleagues described. Someone gave me to listen to Iron Maiden in the early school years (because in those years this music was popular and everyone was crazy about it, I also got into this stream), (as it also turned later I could not get out from this stream as well), then I heard trash, it was Sepultura (early), then black, it is Darkthrone (early), Enthroned (early) and so on, and also death metal, it is Napalm, Cannibal Corpse (again early) and so on.
Leslava: Before Endocranial, you already had experience working with other bands. On the basis of what common tastes/worldviews do you agree? Favorite bands in the BDM style?
Alexey: I was invited to already successful band, which at that time had two awesome releases to my taste. We were already good friends for several years at the time of my invitation to the band, we met each other on the same stage many times, so I was perfectly aware where and for what I go. For me, this is the continuation of initially chosen path in music and in life it is a new stage in creativity... So we agreed on the love of this subgenre of music and on the big desire to succeed in business!
Deeds Of Flesh (early in the main), Pyrexia 1993, Suffocation, Defeated Sanity, Cannibal Corpse, Decrepit Birth (2003), Despondency, Lust Of Decay, Dying Fetus, Disgorge (USA), Malignancy, Internal Bleeding, Hate Eternal, Skeleton Of God, CerebralEffusion, Disavowed, Pyaemia, Deprecated, Immolation, Morbid Angel... I like a lot of different music, not only death metal.
Zlatoyar: It all started with Andrey’s invitation to record a bass on a longplay, and then so on. It is sooo hard to list favorite bands... I’m omnivorous, I like a lot, but, nevertheless, closer is like progressive, for example, TheFaceless, BeyondCreation, Meshuggah, Gorod, Opeth, Anata, Cattle Decapitaion, Sadist, Nile etc.
Andrei: Yes, of course. There it was also nice and wonderful, it was a necessary experience, bands: Agnosia, Magavira, Usurper, Untitled, SacrificeJustice, which later developed into Endocranial. In regard to the tastes so here there is no sense to go to the mountains, it is quite clear — this is the path of metal splits and a mighty brutal playing.
Leslava: Who is responsible for writing music and lyrics?
Andrei: The final candy we create by the team on our rehearsals, but I bring the foundation or the skeleton, as well as the name of the songs. As they say, I pass through myself, filter and then present to a venerable jury on rehearsals. Gennady is responsible for the text part.
Gennady: Andrey brings riffs to the rehearsal and idea, then there is the process of creating the skeleton, there created the parties of dramas, bass and vocals, as a result, it is all polished and cleaned.
Leslava: Your last album «In Presence of total absence» sounds alive, dynamic and experimental. But, perhaps, it is «Creeps to revenge personally» that leads the album, makes it listen to it several times. What is this song about?
Andrei: Well cool, it’s inspiring. This song is about the courage and bravery of the guys, who, despite all their hopelessness, will overcome mason enemy.
Gennady: Well, I do not know, for me, every song is in the lead in its own way, each song has its own story and a musical zest, but I would personally lighted out the «committee of 300», but it depends on a person.
Leslava: How many bipedal upright have you already destroyed?
Zlatoyar: Daily ‘‘extermination’’ of narrow-mindedness and stereotypedness in opposing characters))).
Andrei: Apparently this is the most mysterious knowledge that has yet to be comprehended).
Gennady: It’s not enough! We must also exterminate and exterminate, but not always our desires coincide with the reality.
Leslava: Some story of the life of the band.
Zlatoyar: Alexey is the main expert on stories))). In fact, there were a lot of things that happened during this period, but it seems to me that the dinosaurs of this band will find a suitable story))).
Andrei: As you know, dinosaurs died out many years ago and that is why the story is just beginning and we can tell it, in the most powerful way on our lives and digital and in the near future on analog media.
Leslava: What is Endocranial doing now?
Andrei: We sublimate our creative energy.
Gennady: Yes, sublimation is one of the creative aspects. The last time the sublimation took us 2 years, but in the end the album turned out to be a good one, it is about ‘‘In Presence of total absence’’ and since all in the group are creative people, the sublimation is multiplied by 4;). This is of course a joke. We still rest and there in 2018 we’ll see what will be.
Leslava: What are your plans for concerts in 2018?
Andrei: We are ready for the proposal entirely.
Gennady: Re-release under the “Amputated vein records” sign of our debut EP ‘‘Sociopathy’’, in general we’ll see how things are going. 2018 has just begun, what surprises await and what awaits us is not known. And in fact we will inform everyone about our performing.
Leslava: Where do you play with pleasure?
Alexei: I like to travel with music, live communication with like-minded people from different places, new places and views... Great festivals and local events on the periphery are also good... I am not really a fan to play too often in the same city/club, but this is also a good thing and necessary only if it is in moderation.
Zlatoyar: Any city/country, rooms with good sound, public, atmosphere and conditions - then you play with pleasure and give in the full way.
Andrei: Everywhere, except social sewer
Leslava: What is your attitude to the Ukrainian death-metal scene? Strong and weak sides?
Alexei: Our scene is growing and developing. We can proudly list 10-15 names of the most distinctive original brutal native bands that have their own signature handwriting occupying their seam/niche in the selected sub-genre of death metal and they are capable of competing with the world stage in a powerful way. The high activity and success of our gangs is praised! !!
A good moment is that in this circles there is a spirit of brotherhood, commonwealth, mutual support! There is no sick competition, dastardly sticks in the wheels from colleagues, which is often observed in the mainstream movement.
Zlatoyar: Of course, the Ukrainian scene is growing, and growing in all styles and directions, it is becoming more serious, commercial and thoughtful, which is very encouraging. But still, we need sooo much to learn; if there are local groups that stand out from the others, then transporting them to the west, one can feel a good reference, not in our favor. Nevertheless, there is progress, it is very tangible, I really want to see what will happen next, and of course participate in it.
Andrei: I think that the scene is stronger than ever, maybe in 10 years everything will settle down and there will be metal for everybody.
Leslava: Do you like horror movies? What are you afraid of?
Alexei: Sometimes I can watch. The effect of surprise is sticking out :), I’m not afraid of the rest...
Zlatoyar: I prefer films with a ‘‘thought’’ and a good story, instead of popcorn blockbusters and monotonous horror films. Well, I’m afraid that a good cinematograph is dying out)))
Andrei: I prefer movies by Tarantino, Lars von Trier, Zvyagintsev, Scott.
Gennady: horror movies, well, I can see but without fanaticism. In childhood the effect was really bright, just remember, for example, the same «Nightmare on Elm Street,» and now … What about I am afraid, I worry only for my relative and close friends, hope they will always feel good.
Leslava: Finally, a couple of words to your fans.
Alexei: Do not be lazy to go to concerts, buy discs/merch of good bands... Support the native underground! All good and positive! \m/
Zlatoyar: Happiness and health! Become people, personalities; carry the fire of justice, progress and goodness!!
Andrei: Play tanks and watch TV, hammer on everything. What is done – is done for better :)
Gennady: support metal stream, listen to good music, buy a merch, because everything is done for you!