Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Horyn Interview

 


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

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It's a good question, because I don't know how to answer it so that the reader doesn't fall asleep from boredom. In general, nothing unusual, after recording the album, I started looking for a label for a full-fledged release, and in addition, I continued to suffer from insomnia, and a terrible mood every day, everything as usual!

But most importantly, I started writing music for the next album while I have this inspiration, so the foundation for the next album is already there.

2. Recently you have released a new album, musically how does it differ from your previous ep?

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As I said in the press release, in this album we preferred to use solo and bass for the melody, accordingly the rhythmic guitar and loud drums took a back seat, also our album differs from others in its simplified, experimental and instrumental parts, we wanted to write album, which would be imbued with a mystical and emotional aura, it is important to convey this atmosphere and the impressions it evokes.

Musical transitions resemble the mood of a depressed person, constantly changing from fast to slow or from melodic to aggressive.

You can also understand this position by reading the lyrics.

3.This is also your first release since 2017, can you tell us a little bit more about what has been going on during the time frame?

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To be honest, after the release of "Way of wisdom" we decided to start performing, so we were written offers to perform at a concert or a festival, so we were going to rehearsals, but when it came time to go on stage, the band members suddenly had other plans, so I had to cancel all scheduled performances.

Because of such events, I became discouraged and stopped playing, and soon I announced to the other members that I was leaving the band. Since I was the leader of Horyn, I decided that it was my fault that I wasn't a good enough frontman if I couldn't organize the band and raise their motivation, probably because of that they didn't take the band seriously.

I didn't write music until 2022, that's when I picked up the guitar again and started playing, and that's when the war started in Ukraine, Russia invaded the territory of my country killing people, and a severe and prolonged depression invaded my life, killing me from the inside, due to the huge volume of problems and sudden changes, I was simply unable to keep myself in my hands, and this created even greater problems, I began to be disappointed in this life, everywhere everything is falling apart, everywhere there are lies, high-minded and mercantile people who think that better than each other, this world is full of dirt, and the saddest and at the same time absurd thing is that we humans have built a world for ourselves and created rules that make it difficult for us to live and exist in it.

So I started playing, before that I asked the permission of the former members of the band if they would mind if I played myself on behalf of Horyn, they did not mind.The only two changes I made were the translation of the name from Cyrillic to Latin and created a new logo.

When the rhythm guitar, synthesizer and drums were already recorded, I accidentally ran into an acquaintance of mine with whom I once played as a session guitarist, so I offered him to play together again, he agreed, and in a few months I already recorded the solo and bass guitar.

It would also be logical to add that all of the above created that rush of emotions that spilled into the music you can hear now.


4. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you explore with the new music and also how would you describe your progress as songwriters over the years?

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The main theme is misanthropy and society, about how a person carries disappointment, pain and malice and infects the whole world with it.

About the destruction of the inner world, about the disappointment and disgust of Libido, in our texts we try to make the listener think that as it was once, it will never be again, the only thing we will keep with us for the rest of our lives is the ability to think, we think about what we see, if we open our eyes, we see chaos around us, that's why thought is like a parasite, bit by bit it will bite us from the inside.

As for progress, it's hard to say. Of course, if you take into account playing the guitar or writing lyrics, then I try to develop and come up with something new and unique, hopefully someday I will succeed.

The only thing that can be said for sure is that this time I will try very hard not to leave the band and continue playing.


5. Some of your earlier lyrics cover Paganism, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in this topic?

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Around 2015, I encountered for the first time such a genre as "Pagan black metal", I immediately liked the music and its presentation, I paid special attention to the lyrics, I could translate and read them, and if it was a Ukrainian band like "Ognekolo", then in general excellent, everything was clear and interesting, so I began to delve deeper into this topic.

I visited Slavic temples glorifying the Old Pagan Gods, and taking into account the fact that I come from Ukraine, and as you know, our capital Kyiv is the capital of the former powerful state of Kievan Rus, which was a pagan state before its baptism, then this even more inspired me to respect traditions and study the history of their ancient culture.

Later, I began to notice that from the traditions and beliefs of our ancestors, some individual minorities began to make a movement that is often associated with the Nazis, whose propaganda began to affect me as well, but after thinking about everything that this could lead to and whether I needed all of this at all, I decided to stop. I looked at it from the other side and realized that I don't need to belong to any movement or stand up for any idea, in order to respect the history and tradition of my ancestors, I can do it alone.

Therefore, I still respect the heritage of my ancestors and the history of my country, but I cannot say that I believe in Gods or God, I am more inclined to the fact that there are no such beings, sometimes I would like to believe that I am wrong, but I have not yet seen miracles from my wife's religion or movement.


6.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Horyn'?

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Horyn is the name of a river in Ukraine that flows through our small town, often in the forest near the river bank we could meet with friends around a big fire, drink beer and discuss music or some life events, this was before the band was created, probably that's why we and this name came to mind.

By the way, the river is drying up, when I was last at home, it was generally very shallow, in some places it looks like a small spring, probably just like our group dried up, only I, the first and last member of this project - the Source - remained.


7. Can you tell us a little bit more about the artwork that is presented on the new album cover?

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In essence, everything has already been said above about feelings and outlook, the cover is part of this vision.

it was drawn for us by the artist Sierra Mirsa, I described for her how I see the ideal version of the cover and she managed to convey this apathy beautifully and clearly by showing loneliness and powerlessness, or to quote a sentence from the last song of the album "Pathetic" (And there is no more power

Compete with nothing.)

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

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I'm not good enough to work alone, I can record everything by myself, but I always feel that something is missing, I prefer rhythm guitar, although I can play solo too, but I don't know anything about bass guitar, I've never been interested in how to play it play, maybe I will do it in the future.But for this album, I called for collaboration with session musician Rodoslov, who is also good at conveying emotions through a musical instrument.

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

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I do not consider my project popular enough to notice any reaction.

Regarding what I have heard and seen reviews and criticism, I can consider that we made a great company, maybe not high quality in technical terms, but to the best of our ability, we tried to do the best.


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

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I can definitely say that unless I die or become incapacitated, I will try to keep playing.

As I mentioned above, I have a lot of material, some of which is already recorded, so there will definitely be a new album, I can't say when, but I hope as soon as possible.

And in general, it is difficult to speak about the future when the world is collapsing and we are together with it, but if it turns out that everything will stabilize someday, then maybe I will start gathering a group for live performances, but I do not really believe that everything will get better, I think that what will happen next only worse.


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?

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I can't clearly say that any specific band influenced me and I wrote this album based on their influence, one commenter recently said that my playing style reminds him of Burzum, but one thing I know for sure is that mostly old Black metal albums are composed of I have a pleasant impression, and if you learn something and get inspired, then it is only them.

The vast majority of my playlist consists of old albums, when black metal was not yet a perfectly polished genre, when there was no industry that turned it into show business.

And in general, maybe now I will say what I am criticized for, modern Black metal is rapidly rolling into an abyss in which there will be no place for a worldview, only money, which will dictate the rules. Specifically from my observations, I dare to say that Black metal in Ukraine is a big swamp with shit, in which bands, media publications and labels are boiled and all of them are high-minded, mercantile and lying and treacherous sheep who pretend to be wolves, it is disgusting to observe such a thing, I I would very much like to be wrong and believe that I am wrong, but from my experience, only such impressions are formed.

Regarding the bands I mainly listen to, for example, in my Spotify or YouTube you can often find such bands as Gorgoroth, Satanic Warmaster, Rotting Christ, Belphegor, Anaal Natrakh and others.


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

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I don't have a special phrase or instruction for the reader, I can only share the truth that I began to discover for myself and still haven't fully discovered - it's that you shouldn't betray your principles and your worldview, we don't live for someone - we are first of all we live for ourselves, so the main thing is to remain who we are, to be where we are and to do what we do, and if we are disappointed in the whole world, then to have the strength to send it to hell, and help it to collapse, whatever in the new civilization start all over again.


Also, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts in your magazine.


https://www.facebook.com/Horyn.bm

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