Ovnev Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

Ovnev is a solo black metal project with a focus on atmosphere. I like to focus on creating a mental picture of the wilderness.  The debut album Cycle of Survival is a concept album about a man living off the land, surviving in the desolate mountains.

2.So far you have released a demo and a full length, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings and also how do they differ from each other?

On my demo, I was more in a mindset of creating a raw atmospheric black metal sound with obscure lyrics about landscapes and the human condition. On the full length, I chose to go with a cleaner sound and added melodic solos and acoustic guitars. I wanted to tell a complete story and have all of the songs connected.  I feel like acoustic guitars and solos lend to the beauty of an environment that is untouched by man and scattered them throughout the album. I had 7 years of practice in between the two so I had lots of time to develop better skills which is another reason the two sound so different.

3.The project has been around since 2008 but you waited until 2015 to release any material, can you tell us a little bit more about the long wait?

When I created Ovnev in 2008, I had just gotten back from a lengthy stay living in the wilderness of Colorado. I was there for about 4 months. When I came back I didn't have a steady way to support myself or my own place to live. I wrote those two demo tracks along with a few other things and then had to focus on getting my life together. I didn't have the funds then to release the demo so it just fell on the backburner for years until I got a steady job and was able to get serious about my music.

4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?

My main focuses at this point are on nature, landscapes and their relation to mankind.

5.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Ovnev'?

To be honest, there is no meaning behind it. It is a word I made up alongside my logo. It is so easy to have the same band name as another band and I wanted mine to be unique. I never thought a band name was very important, the sound is what matters.

6.With this project you record everything by yourself, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?

I am definitely open to working with other musicians, it is just extremely hard to find someone with the same mindset, musical taste and schedule as myself. In previous bands I was in, I ended up having to compromise too much and did not enjoy it. There are not many black metal musicians in the area that I live and I would rather work together in person.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?

It has been overwhelmingly positive; everyone I have heard from enjoyed the album.

8.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

I plan on continuing on the path of black metal and creating more atmospheric music first and foremost. I really enjoy playing deathgrind and neofolk as well and may pursue something along those lines in the future.

9.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?

I would say my single biggest influence is Dissection. Later on I drew more influence from atmospheric/folk black metal bands like Agalloch, Falls of Rauros, Panopticon, Old Graves and Gallowbraid. I also am influenced by various death metal/deathgrind, doom metal, post-rock and neofolk projects.  Nowadays I am always on the hunt for good black metal and make it a point to listen to at least one album I have never heard a day.  Some of my favorite albums released this year are Wędrujący Wiatr, Waldgeflüster, Uada, Coldworld, Elffor, Void Omnia, Woman is the Earth, Marsh Dweller and Thrawsunblat. 

10.Does Satanism or Occultism play any role in your music?

If you consider Paganism part of the Occult then yes. I love music focused on Satanism along with the philosophy but thought it was a bit too overused for my band. I would consider myself an Atheistic Pagan. I believe in no gods, I just have a deep, spiritual connection to nature which plays a big part in my music. The inverted pentagrams that are used in my logo represent the 4 elements (earth, air, fire, water) on the top four points and the human spirit on the bottom point to symbolize nature being superior to mankind.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

Hiking, backpacking, camping, bushcraft, traveling, kayaking, fishing, reading and PC gaming

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

I am working on the second full length right now and should be finished sometime next year. Thank you for the interest in the band and it was a pleasure to do this interview.

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