Dmitry Belyaev And Dmitriy Arkhipov
Hello EVERLASTING, how are you? How did this project started and how did you guys formed as a band?
D.A.: Hello. Back in 2007 I started to shearch people in my town who share my musical interests and after some time I met Dmitry Belyaev. At the same time i started to write my own music and soon we decided with Dmitry to start rehearsals with this material. Its how EVERLASTING was born.
D.B.: Hello. It all started with my search for the musicians with whom I could work to create a doom metal band. Starting from 2003 I was looking for the musicians, creating various bands that wouldn’t last long because they didn’t want to play the music of this style. In 2005 I got acquainted with Dmitriy Arkhipov, and a couple of years late, in 2007 we have launched a band and started rehearsals.
As your band EVERLASTING is not that known in Czech Republic, could you please introduce it and its music to the readers a bit? No need for biography though, just in basic terms… 🙂
D.A.: Everlasting is a funeral doom metal band with deep atmosphere and emotional melodies. Our music bears spirit of nature and personal feelings and influenced by funeral doom founders like SKEPTICISM and THERGOTHON, and by funeral doom genre itself.
D.B.: Our music first of all brings out our deep emotions and feelings. We are not trying to copy anybody, however we follow our idea of this music style that we have developed through listening to the classics of this genre.
Let’s have a look now at the new album “March Of Time“. How would you introduce it to the fans, what would you point out for them?
D.A.: This is our first album and also first serious release since creation of band. Its not that polished and shiny like albums from old and mature bands out there, but I hope fans of funeral doom and other melodic music will find something interesting in this album. As we see so far our album is different for every listener, everyone find different points of interest within our songs.
D.B.: This is our first album in 7 years. In this album we have included everything that we have brought to completion so far. Of course, there are many unfinished compositions, but they will become a part of our other projects. Our music is certainly quite far from we are aiming at, but I hope that the listeners would find it interesting. It will be especially pleasant for us, if everyone will be able to find something new for them.
Your album is obviously in sad or melancholy mood, but I believe, there´s also something deeper, more personal…?
D.A.: Yes. Music for this album was written under different personal circumstances, but most of them was quite sad. It is very personal for me, but after all I’m glad that I have a possibility to reflect some my feelings in music.
How much of your time did it take to come up with the ideas, compose and record „March Of Time“? What was the main source of inspiration for the album?
D.A.: I’m responsible for all EVERLASTING music. First parts of the songs was already written when band formed. Of course there wasn’t any shedule in writing the songs, it is everlasting process. From time to time various pieces comes to mind and my work is to put them to right places. Song grows and takes its shape, and when I satisfied enough with result I send this song to Dmitry and he write the words for it. All in all writing and releasing our debut album takes all 6 years our band is existing.
D.B.: The concept of the album was suggested by myself. Together with Dmitry we have been working out how to put it forward. The album was compiled from the material that we have created through all these years, plus some compositions were created right before its recording. Further, I was developing its artwork, keeping it simple, natural and laconic, thanks to the inspiration that mainly came from the glorious Russian nature of the wooded plains in the Don region.
Could you please also tell us something about the lyrics of the new album? Are they anyhow connected, is there some kind of concept behind them?
D.B.: The album has kept a certain lyrics style. I have been writing the song lyrics for quite a long time already, and this album contains some of my old songs. My personal perception of the doom metal is first of all connected to the feelings of light sadness, regeneration and the catharsis. I always pay lots of attention to the meaning of the lyrics. The March of Time is an ode to the inexorability of time and its surreal nature, an ode to the triumph of the inviolability of the course of history. The realism that is transformed into the monolith of feelings that everyone is familiar with, but not everyone is able to acknowledge. Only the whole harted acceptance of the fact that every minute brings us closer to death may allow one to overcome the fear of death. You know, I have spent some time being a consultant on the psychological telephone helpline for people with suicidal thoughts. Helping these people is a very special job – before you start asking direct questions about the possibility of a suicide it is impossible to have a open dialogue to talk about other options. Our life as well as any dialogue requires awareness, which is not possible to reach without having overcome the fear of death. Each song in this album bears certain tone which complements the previous one and continues its meaning, because the main motive of the lyrics is the philosophical reflection on the purposes, personal choices and the human destiny.
What is your opinion on Christianity and other religions? Does the members of EVERLASTING?
D.A.: I’m trying to completely avoid Christianity and any other religions. I think everyone is free to choose things to believe in, or even create his own things and believe in them without any religion. Also I don’t like any religion because of many religious extremists that continually appears in different parts of the world.
D.B.: I have to say, I do not support any kind of ideology in music. Writing music is a freely floating creative process, and so I do not see any point in submitting it to any specific views or keeping it locked up in the requirements of any particular set up. This is why I find the concepts like «Christian metal» really absurd. But I am a believer and I do regularly participate in the Orthodox Church services. Speaking about the religion as a whole… Generally, it is a very complicated issue and it is hard to express it in a couple of sentences. Religious feelings to a great extent form our cultural identity. That is why a sincere religious sentiment is very dear to me, and do not want to exchange it for any attributes of the modern “mass-media consciousness”.
If you had enough money to shoot a video, how would the clip look like?
D.A.: I think there will not be any video from us even if we had enough money. As I said defore our music is differrent for every listener. Everyone can imagine whaever he want while listen our music. For someone it will be night and nature, for someone else it will be sunset and tranquillity. Somebody will remember his personal feelings form the past. And so on.
D.B. : It is very hard to put music into the visual braces. This is the reason why I do not watch video clips, I prefer concert videos instead. Let everybody find in our music the world that is close to them in spirit. I am for the freedom of creativity.
Is there anything, what really hamper you on this world and what would you unmake, if it is in your strenght? What relation do you have to today´s society and values?
D.B. : As for me, nothing hampers me. To a great extent it all depends on the family that come from, where you have been brought up. Society is only a background that surrounds you in life. Whether you cave in to its pressure or not – depends on you. That’s why family values are so important to me as well as everything else I have acquired in myself with my personal life experience. Of course, I do not like it when the governments of many European states try to do everything possible to intrude into the internal life of the family and to change it according to the commercial interests of the modern world. But it can only be changes on a personal level. Switch off the TV, stop buying things that get imposed on you, stop doing things that others urge you to do. I am against the globalization, against being a colourless mass. But I don’t deny its usefulness – think about the internet, or the possibilities to travel the world. But everything should be in balance. One should not renounce things that differ them from others.
Are bands in Russia in good relations and which bands would you recommend for us?
D.B.: I’d like to recommend such Russian bands as EKKLESIAST, AMBER TEARS, NEUTRAL, WINE FROM TEARS, OMELA, MAJDANEK WALTZ, Orgia Pravednikov.
What about you and concerts? That really interests me because I can´t imagine so atmospheric and specific music on the platform. Do you manage to keep the original musics feel?
D.A.: We perform live concerts and always interested to perform more. Yes, its very difficult to save the atmosphere of studio recording at stage, everyone knows that concert sound is always raw and loud. But we do our best to make our sound as atmospheric as it should be. Of course our music is not for big open air stage at some big festival, but I suppose in a small club with liable listeners we can create some atmospheric art.
D.B. : Our music is very atmospheric, it is hard to convey it on the concert in the same way as on the album. But I am optimistic about it – large part of it depends on the experience, frequency of performing.
I would like to know your opinion on these bands. Could you please characterise very briefly what do you think about them or simply what do you have in mind, when I mention their name:
LAKE OF TEARS:
D.A.: Few ther songs comes to mind when I hear their name. I like this band, especially their early works. Also saw this band live and it was one of the best concerts I went on.
D.B.: I don’t like the atmosphere in their music, it doesn’t resonate with me.
TIAMAT:
D.A.: Actually don’t like this band much. Never was familiar with their music.
D.B. : Tried to listen some of their songs, don’t really like it, just a few of them may be.
SWALLOW THE SUN:
D.A.: Yes, this is good band. Not my favourite though, but they create very melodic music and I enjoy it since their beginning.
D.B.: I only like the first album. All others are not my taste. But it’s worth nothing their effort and individuality.
ARKONA:
D.A.: Didn’t listen to their albums, not my favourite genre, but saw them live recently. It was very interesting and energetic performance.
D.B.: Haven’t heard it, although I ought to. But their music style is not specifically close to me.
SÓLSTAFIR:
D.A.: Didn’t hear their music. Sorry.
D.B.: Island music is a special genre. No matter what it’s like – joyful or sad, it is always filled with asceticism and some detachment from the everyday hustle. Good job.
Thank you for your time and answers. I wish you the best for the future and hope to see you!
D.A.: Thank you for this interview. It our first international interview and it means alot for us. Hope to see you someday too.
D.B.: Thank you so much. We’re always glad to have a dialogue and to hear the comments on our work.
ALL