Sidus Atrum, an Ukrainian atmospheric black metal band, has evolved from a solo project to a dynamic group, reflecting profound themes of war and resilience in their music.
1. Sidus
Atrum has undergone significant evolution since its founding in 2015. How has
the transition from a solo project to a full-fledged band impacted the creative
process and dynamic within the group?
The process
of Sidus Atrum evolving from a solo project to a group happened gradually.
Initially, there was an interesting experience of collaborating with guest
participants. Then, a decision was made to turn the project into a group with
two members. This accelerated the recording process, in
addition, Serhii brought his ideas and skills to the project, making it more
technical. He also mixed and mastered the album, so the recording was made
taking into account the idea of the future sound of the album.
2. Your
first album, "Cold Silence," was released in 2019. How do you reflect
on the journey from that initial release to your latest album, "Розірване
Небо (Torn Sky)"? How has your music evolved over time?
Sidus
Atrum's music has evolved both ideologically and technically. The first album
was dedicated to depression and immersion in oneself, while the second album “Spiral
Of Life” allowed to analyze the life of an individual from birth to death, to
think about possible cyclicality and reincarnation. The third album was more
global, dedicated to the most difficult ordeal that millions of people go
through. As for the music and arrangements,
with each release, they became more and more harmonized and complicated.
3. "Ghost
Song – Lullaby Of The Lost" featured a collaboration with Margarita
Arabadzhieva from Clouds Vocal Collaboration. Could you share with us the story
behind this collaboration and how it influenced your musical direction?
In 2019 I
participated in vocal collaboration arranged by Death Doom band Clouds and in
March 2020 the song “Path Of Sorrow” was released together with the studio
video. It was the exciting experience of composing lyrics and vocal lines
together with other vocalists, recording the vocals and the video. This
collaboration gave us many emotions and new friends. We really loved how we
sounded together with Margarita and decided to record a song. Thus appeared the
single “Ghost song lullaby of the lost” with music composed by Sidus Atrum and
lyrics by Margarita. She has also drawn the illustrations and made a lyric
video for the song.
4. "Spiral
Of Life," your second album, introduced special guests Serhii Lykhotvor
and Daniel Neagoe. What was the experience like working with these talented
musicians, and how did their contributions shape the album's sound?
The work
experience was very interesting and beneficial, allowing me to broaden my
horizons somewhat. Serhii made the music more atmospheric and airy, while
Daniel contributed more ideas regarding the arrangement of the vocal parts.
5. Serhii
Lykhotvor later joined Sidus Atrum as a regular member after successful
collaboration as a guest musician. How has his inclusion impacted the band's
dynamic and overall vision?
Our musical
tastes are pretty similar, so I wouldn't say the overall vision has changed in
any way. We want to express our emotions, experiment and do we want.
6. Your
latest album, "Розірване Небо (Torn Sky)," explores themes of war and
resilience, reflecting the band's emotions and experiences since the invasion
of Ukraine. What inspired you to delve into such heavy subject matter, and how
do you hope listeners will connect with it?
The inspiration for the album was our own experience of the beginning of the war, when the old world and familiar life were destroyed, as well as the notion that human nature has changed and brutal bloody war has no place in our days. What everyone saw after the de-occupation of the Kyiv region, the brutal crimes of Russian soldiers against the civilian population, plunged us into an abyss of pain and anger. During the time we were recording the album, many sad events happened, the narrative in the album followed these events and ended on a note of hope for the victory of life. I really hope listeners can understand our pain, our anger, frustration and hopes. We want people to realize that if you let evil win, it will move on and in time, knock on millions more doors of civilians. War and cruelty have no place in this world.
7. Could
you walk us through the songwriting process for "Розірване Небо (Torn
Sky)"? How do you approach crafting music and lyrics that convey such
profound themes?
All the
songs for the album were written under the influence of strong emotions from
events happening around. Most often, the melody would come first, followed by
the idea of what the song would be about. After that, there was work on the
arrangement, and then the lyrics were written. However, the song "Worse
Than A Torturer" was written a bit differently; the lyrics came first.
8. "Розірване
Небо (Torn Sky)" consists of six tracks. Can you give us insight into the
overarching themes and emotions explored throughout the album?
The album
touches on themes of war, the destruction of the familiar world, and the loss
of everything once cherished in life, as well as violence and dehumanization,
sacrifice and bravery, disappointment, and the longing to see the dawn when
this horror ends. Among the entire range of emotions, pain, hatred, and hope
dominate.
9. The
new album is accompanied by an official video clip and a lyric video. What can
fans expect from these visual accompaniments, and how do they enhance the
listening experience?
The
official music video “When The Earth Was Screaming” was filmed in Irpin and
Hostomel, which were affected during the occupation of the Kyiv region by
Russian forces. We wanted to give fans an idea of how children who have been
impacted by the war and lost their homes and loved ones are forced to live. The
war will forever remain with them, in their broken hearts, in their memories,
but for now, it continues in real life, and they are forced to hide from
shelling in bomb shelters. Along with the emotions of pain and rage embedded in
the song, the video is meant to help people understand that what is happening
in Ukraine is unacceptable in the modern world. “Pulse of Life”, through visual
imagery, helps to transition from grief to hope for a better future.
10. Looking
ahead, what are your aspirations for the future of Sidus Atrum? Are there any
new directions or collaborations you hope to explore in your music?
It's
difficult for me to say what the future of Sidus Atrum will be; there may be
significant changes in the musical direction or even an expansion of the
lineup. There are many ideas I'd like to try to bring to life, new techniques
to master, and I also understand that staying in the same style as the last
album isn't as interesting anymore, unless there are deep emotions and
experiences that specifically call for that direction.
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