U Kronakh Interview

 

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

1 - After writing and recording the album, mixing and mastering, as well as creating the artwork and design, the next stages follow. Right now, we are in the final stretch, and the release is coming soon. After all this, we will start working on new material.

2.You have a new album coming out later on march, musically how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

2 - The difference between Archaic Dance of the Winds and our previous releases lies primarily in the different sound and the evolution of the project's stylistic concept, as the search for "our sound and style" has been ongoing and will continue.

3.A lot of your lyrics cover  the mysticism of the Carpathian Mountains and the events of ancient times, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in these topics?

3 - The raw mountains hold all the inspiration. There are still places untouched by human activity, though they are becoming fewer. At the same time, only by understanding the past can we understand who we are and where we came from. In fact, we and our present existence in this form are consequences of the past. Since history has been distorted, rewritten countless times by those in power for their own needs, we are left with myths, legends, and the ability to think for ourselves.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'U Kronakh'?

4 - The name U Kronakh (in Latin script), which means "in tree crowns" in Ukrainian, naturally emerged from the places mentioned above, where our inspiration comes from. When you are in the forest, you look up, and in the tree crowns, you witness the same phenomena and objects that humanity has seen and revered since its inception.

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

5 - The cover is based on a personal photo taken during a hike to Mount Pip Ivan Chornohirskyi in the Ukrainian Carpathians. It depicts a real place from the route.

6.The band started out as a solo project, what was the decision behind working with other musicians?

6 - The project, in essence, remains a solo endeavor, as all the music is created by one person (Voidger). However, at the recording stage, the help of other musicians is needed to bring all the ideas to life in the best possible way, as the author is neither a vocalist nor a drummer.

7.Has the band had any opportunities to do any live shows?

7 - Yes, there have been offers, but there is no desire to go on stage. The initial idea, which remains unchanged, is that this is a studio project. However, the possibility is not entirely ruled out.

8.On the new album you also have some session musicians, can you tell us a little bit more about who they are and their contributions to the recording?

8 - Vitalii Wormwood joined the project to record vocals. The drums, as on previous albums, were played by Lycane. Everyone involved in the recording and overall production contributed something of their own, adding their unique touch, which only benefited the album. The guys have experience. Also, we should not forget the significant work of sound engineer Roman Morvudd Sapozhnikov, whom I jokingly called the second composer because he played a crucial role in how everything sounded.

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

9 - Overall, the reaction has been positive. Given my perspective on this—creating music for personal satisfaction first, and if someone else enjoys it, great; if not, that’s their choice—everything is going well.

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

10 - There is a war in our country. It's impossible to plan anything, and we don’t even know what tomorrow will bring. But we will continue working—albums don’t record themselves.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles the band members are listening to nowadays?

11 - I mostly listen to black metal—bands like Inquisition, Dark Funeral, Taake, Drudkh. Sometimes I listen to death metal, funeral doom, or post-metal. I also have a massive Dungeon Synth playlist for reading books.

Vitalii Wormwood has recently been into the Swedish avant-garde/black/post-metal band Terra Tenebrosa and French black metal bands like Mütiilation, Sektemtum, Doctor Livingstone.

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

12 - Listen to the new album coming very soon—it’s always interesting to get feedback. See you.

https://ukronakh.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/ artist/5z3uyxvAUSRWNfWQbcvWfF
https://www.instagram.com/u_ kronakh
https://www.facebook.com/ ukronakh