1. Can you tell us a little bit about the band for those that have never heard of you before?
Vlad Rommel: I created SYMURAN with my comrades in Kharkov,Ukraine in 2008.
In a short period I found a drummer, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist and I became a vocalist.
Then we began to search for our style, but this led to many conflicts because all members tried to bring down their own musical preferences, so as a result, we have changed a lot of bass players and guitarists until we get a full line-up in spring 2009.
In the same period, we did live-demo "DEMOnized", which includes three our songs and two covers of Amon Amarth and Belphegor. Quality was terrible, but still with this demo-recording, we were able to start on stage and made debut in a friendly biker-fest "Nothern Lands-2009."
After that we’ve been first mentioned in the glossy magazine article))
In the end of a year we recorded one song and made another demo-tape called " The Night Will Fall Down Again " as online single. Until the spring of 2010 we have travelled with concerts all over Ukraine, and than we turned into a studio project.
In October 2011, we began the record of our debut album and in February 2012 it’s been mixed & mastered at one of the Kharkov studios.
At the moment, the album was released by Metal Scrap Records, now Khort and I going to recruit participants to transformate "studio project" in real band with live shows.
Also, now we are working with a new material - more technical and faster than our earlier works.
2. How would you describe your musical sound?
Vlad Rommel: First of all, our music is initially contest between two composers: master of melody and master of uncompromising hardness. We don’t have Pagan metal in music, but we use it as a lyrical component. Black metal dominates in earlier material such as DEAD and PESSIMIZM, in newer UNDER THE RUNES OF THE SUN and RISE OF HELHEIM'S BONEHANDS sound refers to Technical Death metal.
Absolutely darkness and cruelty :)
3. What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the music?
Vlad Rommel: - Main topics of the lyrics that I write for SYMURAN - war, destruction, Fire, Death, and anti-Christianity, pride, appeals to the ancient gods.
The idea of rebirth through the death flows through our music.
4. What is the meaning and inspiration behind the bands name?
Vlad Rommel:
I suggested the name SYMURAN and all the rest of the formation supported me. Actually, Symuran is demonic incarnation of one of the most important Slavic Gods - Semargl-Ognebog. Symuran - winged wolf, spewing flames, destroying in the name of Creation, killing in the name of Life.
I do not think that our formation could go through all the problems having another name.
5. I have read that the band started out as a satanic band before evolving into a more pagan direction, what what the decision behind the change?
Vlad Rommel: - It’s true: we really began our path under the inverted pentagram. Maybe we followed the fashion. However, our band was originally an anti-Christian, and not satanic. Satan is the biblical character so we rejected to use it in lyrics t and replace the pentagram symbol on Semargl.
As for me, it even looks better, more aggressive or something :)
6. What are some of the best shows that the band has played so far and how would you describe your stage performance?
Vlad Rommel: - The best our show was in Dnepropetrovsk in early 2010. We were headliners at extreme metal fest.
On stage, we are warriors, murderers and violent punishers. We use the war-paint, various military accessories and symbols of the pre-Christian era.
Going wild emotions pour out into the hall and are given back with a powerful roar of the crowd and active slam.
7. Do you have any touring plans for the future?
Vlad Rommel: - Unfortunately, we haven’t such plans because nowadays SYMURAN horde cosists of two people, and it is not enough to enter the stage.
8. On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black, pagan and death metal?
Vlad Rommel: - The worldwide release of our debut album "Syklus av Helheim" will be only in October 1. So wait and see.
9. Are there any other musical projects besides this band or is this a full time line up?
Vlad Rommel: - Personally, I am involved in two projects with different levels: cover-poject and gothic-doom metal band. There, I'm just a vocalist and have no other responsibilities.
Khort: I have some propositions, one of them to became a member of black-doom project and I think it's interesting.
10. What direction do you see your music heading into on future releases?
Vlad Rommel: - More technicality and aggression along with the black atmosphere.
At this point, we already have most of the material for the new album. And I assure you, it will be awesome!
Khort:Actually nobody knows how our future music will change because I think we must try to experiment to get something really hardplayed, something that included more agression speed and violence.
11. What are some bands or musical styles that have influenced your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Vlad Rommel: - There are a lot of bands that have influenced our music. Among them Behemoth, Zyklon, Slayer, Sepultura, Belphegor, Amon Amarth, Dark Funeral.
I listen to a lot of Pagan, Folk, Viking, Black and Death metal, also I love Blues and Punk-rock.
My favorite metal band - Slayer. Really love Nile and meditative art of Varg Vikernes.
Khort: I have many bands in my musical library, some of them are: Dark Funeral, Darkwoods My Betrothed, Penumbra, Gorgasm, Fleshgod Apocalypse, King Diamond, Nile, Hour of Penance ,Immolation and so on.
12. How would you describe your views on Paganism?
Vlad Rommel: - I am of the belief of the Slavs and Aryans of pre-Christian era, and I think that it is best alternative to the decaying world religions. Freedom, honor and pride, not subservience of our soul and repentance.
Khort: I'm not religious.
13. Outside of music what are some of your interests?
Vlad Rommel: - Beside the music, I do graphic design and cary on my family. My wife and I often travel around the country - it's good broadens the mind :)
Khort: A few years ago I started to do some extreme things such as roup-jumping, parachuting etc. I want to try as much as possible to have my own opinion about all.
14. Any final words or thoughts before we wrap up this interview?
Khort: develop one's personality: do not lose a thirst for knowledge, courage to act in conscience and justice.
Vlad Rommel: - To live according to conscience., remember that there is no future without a past and without death there is no rebirth.
Thank you for your interesting questions.
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