1. For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the band?
Gungrind: Hi. The idea to create Unmercenaries visited us in late 2013 - early 2014. Prior to that, me and Slava (E.S.) have already managed to work together on the Forbidden Shape project, as well as to record an album and a couple of EPs with Decay Of Reality. By the way, we have given quite a bit of cool gigs with Decay Of Reality, so we had an experience of joint creative work. Well, the fact that I play the guitar in Who Dies In Siberian Slush, is also a sign of close cooperation.
In a word, at a WDISS rehearsal Slava invited me to stir up something individual and solid, as an independent project. I got wildly enthusiastic about the idea. Besides, I already had a bunch of groundwork and riffs, just suitable for this venture, so it remained only to lick it all into shape. I took music composition and recording, while Slava developed an overall vision of the project and themes for the lyrics. By the way, inviting Jürgen and Daniel was his idea. I got a real kick out of writing and recording the album material. I hope my colleagues did too.
E.S.: Unmercenaries are the result of joint creation by people of different cultures, nationalities and beliefs.
The recording brought together musicians from Russia, Germany and England. The lyricists were three friends of mine from America, England and India. The album art was done by a Russian artist.
In short, a true national cohesion. We are the real peace envoys! Decepticon politicians must acknowledge it at once, give us all huge awards, and release a special TIMES issue with our mugs on the cover!
2. In December you had released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording?
Gungrind: Personally, I would describe our music as follows: a slow, heavy death metal, not lacking in a fair share of melodies and a funereal, doom melancholy.
E.S.: This is a huge red-hot iron, which would slam you down, so that you'd see black smoke coming outta your butt! If the prospect does not please you, you'd better not listen to this album.
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Gungrind: Our lyrics mainly concern meditation about man as such, about his greatness and at the same time his insignificance, his strength and his own weakness.
E.S.: The greatness of space, the insignificance of man, the coming of death that makes both the poor and the rich alike equal in the last moments of one's life.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Unmercanaries'?
Gungrind: The project name 'Unmercenaries' means persons that above all are open, unselfish, sometime even naive and trusting. As a matter of fact, it's ourselves.
5. The band has members that live in both Germany and Russia, do you fell this makes your music a little bit
different with all of the long distance?
E.S.: Distances influence the music rather indirectly. The main things are the ideas, and there's plenty of them in this album. In my opinion, the album deserves some extra interest for this reason.
6. Has the band done any live shows or has this been strictly a studio project so far?
Gungrind: We have not given a single concert with Unmercenaries so far, but we definitely plan to do so.
E.S.: If we find a fat investor, it'll be possible to make a show with holographic images of the band members. Thus, there'll be no need to gather everyone from different countries. Those willing to finance such a performance can contact me directly.
7. The album was released through both MFL Records and Frozen Light, and while I have reviewed plenty of stuff off MFL, can you tell us a little lit more about about the Frozen Light label?
E.S.: Frozen Light is a more diverse and original label than MFL. And such a coalition is no wonder, when we are talking about the release of Unmercenaries.
8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of funeral doom and death metal?
Gungrind: I think that funeral doom fans liked our music. At the very least, quite a lot of people write to me from all over the world, "Hey, man! Your album is good! Give us some more!" It's very nice!
E.S.: Join the UNMERCENARIES community on https://www.facebook.com/pages/Unmercenaries/1576397015927238 and be aware of all the events! There are responses, and they're almost 100% positive. It is very satisfying.
9. What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?
Gungrind: Our side projects are doing ok. Decay Of Reality released a full-length album in late 2014. I recommend it to all death metal fans. Forbidden Shape has the material for a new album almost ready. It was originally planned for recording in 2014, but then it was decided to concentrate on Unmercenaries, and Forbidden Shape was shifted to 2015. For those interested: the music of the new Forbidden Shape
album will be simultaneously grooving, rapid, but more avant-garde in comparison with the first one.
We're gonna record a full-length album with WDISS. In May, we play at Moscow Doom Festival- VIII, in a swell company with Worship, Ophis and Below The Sun. And in January, we played in St. Petersburg with our friends from Comatose Vigil and respected Shape Of Despair.
E.S.: Soon we start working on our third album Who Dies InSiberian Slush. The team is now in its best form, and we have no throw-outs among us. The material is a killer, so everything should turn out just fine.
10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
E.S.: All in the same direction: slow, fat and glum. The new material, no doubt, will back up the claim!
11. What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Gungrind: Personally, I was influenced by such bands as Colosseum, Shape Of Despair, Tyranny, Candlemass, Isole, Esoteric. In general, I listen to a lot of different music. I can spend days listening to powerful death metal in the vein of Immolation, or to something not metallic at all, such as Die Antwoord. There are cool artists everywhere!
E.S.: And I'm a big fan of Soviet era Baltic pop. I can spend hours listening to Anne Veski, Jaak Joala, and
especially Tõnis Mägi!
12. What are some of your non musical interests?
Gungrind: Besides music, I read a lot. I like fiction, both our own, Russian, and world literature. I also like smart movies. Speaking about recently viewed ones, I did like "Whiplash" very much.
E.S.: My secret hobby is making paper collages. I cut foolish faces from various magazines with scissors and
stick them in different inappropriate situations. I plan to open a page soon on instagram.com with this crap. Follow the news!
13. Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
Gungrind: Thanks for the interview. I wish everyone peace and good luck in everything. Listen to the music and stay humane.
E.S.: Yea, stay humane! Listen to funeral rock and wait for our new releases!!
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