Raven Throne Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

The new album is coming soon. We are preparing for the upcoming gigs supporting the album and we are working on the conception for the next album.

2.You have a new album coming out in May, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

All our albums differ from each other. I think it is dignity of RAVEN THRONE. The new album is quite melodic, dynamic and diverse with recognizable cold atmosphere inherent to the band. All this is perfectly combined with its poetic conception. The arrangements are more thoughtful and more mature. Despite the use of cello and acoustic guitars, the album cannot be called soft or commercially sounding.

3.The lyrics on the new album are based upon poems; can you tell us a little bit more about the poems and poets you explore on the new album?

They are poets whose lives were grinded by the Soviet machine of totalitarianism. The tragedy of a creative person through the prism of history is the main message of the album. The lyrics and music formed an amazing unity. The time, the language, the images and the landscapes came to life, so and you can feel and see them.

4.The lyrics on the older albums dealt with Slavic Paganism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

There are still authentic pre-Christian traditions in Belarus. It is a unique European country. This fact and my fascination with traditional culture affected the early Raven Throne albums. But RAVEN THRONE is a band with black metal roots but not a folk formation. Simply put, a man as a part of the Universe that’s how we understand paganism.

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

The name ‘RAVEN THRONE’ arose easily on the subconscious in 2004. ‘Raven’ is a powerful mythological image and ‘throne’ is a symbol of power and majesty.

6.Currently there are only 2 members in the band, are you open to having a full line up again or do you prefer to remain a duo?

We have a full lineup ready for concert events. But it turned out that it's more comfortable for us to work in studio and to create as a duet. Perhaps the situation will change in the future.

7.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

We can’t say that RAVEN THRONE is an active touring band. Usually we have occasional performances. One of the memorable gigs is our supportive performance with ROTTING CHRIST in Minsk in December 2017. It was cool! We always give our best on the shows. Each of them is a classic metal performance with all genre attributes. It should be noted than RAVEN THRONE sounds live more aggressive and dynamic.

8.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

Yes, we have such plans. We hope to do some gigs supporting the album outside of Belarus.

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

We've seen only positive reviews by the present time. Actually we don’t depend on somebody’s opinion but a positive appreciation is always pleasant. To all not-indifferent hail and respect!

10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We always like experiments. So, we are not going to make copies of our previous albums. We improve our style while remaining within the genre. I can confidently say that the next album will be a step forward.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

As for me, I listen different music despite genres and styles: classical music, trip-hop, folk, classical rock and metal albums, post-rock and so on. It has no sense to list the all. Something definitely affects me as a guitarist. But at the same time I try to avoid the direct influences on me to be capable create original material. That’s why I prefer the widest range of musical styles.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

My main interests besides music are literature, photography, history. Last years I am fond of popular science stuff about space exploration, evolutionary biology and biogenesis and so on.

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

Thanks for the interview. See you at our gigs. Stay true and follow the Raven!

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