piatok 24. septembra 2010

Interview - Viter (english)



Slava to our eastern brothers!

You have recently created the band with the name VITER. If you may, please tell us the reason what was the idea of create Viter?

Hi! First of all I must admit that the idea and process of VITER creation were well planned but at the same time spontaneous. Before Viter I’ve created music and sang in a pack of different bands but in early 2010 I felt that I’m ready for something special, for the band in which I could realize all my free mind ideas and potential.

The band consists of four members: you, Tur, Volkovlad and Sudymyr. How did you all come together?

This answer continues the previous one. In spring 2010 I started to search a line up for the new band and first of all I called to my old friend Tur. He was an ex drummer in the most of my previous well known projects. After short conversation he became VITER’s drummer and percussionist. Than we’ve posted a notice on some local Internet sites that we are looking for guitarist and keyboardist and in a few days these guys – Volkovlad (guitar) and Sudymyr (keyboards) were in our band. Some days after that we started active rehearsals and now you can hear a result of our work.


On the official site people can listen to songs from your mini album with the name Dzherelo. What is the main theme Viter is dealing with? What's the main idea behind the music, in the texts.

Initially we based our music on folk metal themes and on Ukrainian Carpathian folklore. But during a process of material creation we added a lot of other different influences and styles to our compositions. We really do not want to be limited by some style frames and in future there probably will be a huge amount of experiments. The lyrical part of VITER is based on my personal thoughts, feeling and life experience. Our lyric is not very typical for such style of music, but we do not try to meet some wide accepted patterns. We do not sing about religion, politics or similar sings. We do not try to prove something to someone; music for us is just a way to embody our feelings.

“Dzherelo” was released a couple of days ago. It was released by Casus Belli Musica a label that also released bands like Chur and Yav. What were the main reasons for you to choose this concrete label?

I was in contact with the owner of this label for some time before VITER creation. To be honest, Casus Belli Musica was the first label which recieved a proposal for cooperation from our band. We were interested in effective promotion and quick releasing of the album after the recording and mastering sessions. CMB was able to do such things for us so there were no need in a further search. Now I can say that we are quite satisfied with the label promotional activity. The first circulation of the „Dzherelo“ print is almost came to the end and there will be second print in a few months.

What is your main inspiration in creating lyrics and what does old Slavic faith mean to you?

I find an inspiration in different things such as nature, reading, philosophy and simply in surrounding life. One of the topics of my lyrics is relationships between people, their feelings – friendship, jealousy, envy, hate and love. In traditional music such topics were wide spread and were the reflection of the folk’s soul. Now due to the some stereotypes people are ashamed to use such texts in heavy type of music. They probably think that it will be not so “true” or “cool” – we don’t care.


What attitude have members of Viter to old faith of Slavic? Are the band as “one think”?

You know, Slavic old faith is not a main crossing point in our band. All of us do like nature and respects it, but all other things such as faith is not a main point in our musical cooperation. We put musical art on the first place in VITER, and the rest is his (band’s member) personal view on life and it was left behind the band. In general we do not have any disharmony on the field of musical creation and this is the most important fact.


Ukraine is a wondrous Slavic country though ruined by egoistic politics. What does love to your land and country mean to you?

Yes, Ukraine has so powerful resources which after the last 500 or even more years of destruction process still remain and can feed people. From the other hand people as usual want to take and nothing to give. It’s in the human nature – it’s close to the viral existence. People that are standing aside this process of destruction are usually concerned to be weird. I really do not think that situation can be improved significantly in some way in next 50 years. Answering the question about love to my land – I really cannot go far from the place where I’ve been born; I do not feel good in foreign lands. In other countries, especially with strongly different nature I feel simply lost and like on other planet. And what is mostly disappointing - I feel no inspiration (in my home land I can write music every day). I think it proves a “Dzherelo” conception that Native land is a real Source and Origin of life power including gift of secondary creation - music.

You named your music "Carpathian Folk Metal" could you please explain?

This “label” used to describe generally our initial point of start, the beginning of our thoughts. We used some folk metal elements, mixed them with Ukrainian Carpathian folklore motifs and added a bit of alternative, rock and ambient. I think that in case of VITER it is hard to talk about music definition – too many styles are mixed together. I even think that there is no need trying to find this definition – just listen to our music and that’s all. If you do like it – it’s great, if not – I cannot imagine that! :))

You are using a wide range of folk instruments in your music. Could you please tell us why did you decided to use them and please name some of them.

I used to collect Ukrainian and other traditional instruments. I have an interesting collection and I really love to play all of them. We constantly use Ukrainian wooden winds such as sopilka, telenka, trembita, horn, koza (bagpipe), rebro (panflute), also drymba (jaw harp), zozulia (ocarina), many types of percussion and noise effects, wooden xylophone, domra (a kind of lute). Also you can see on our first photo session long instruments (about 3 m long) reminding trembita’s (similar to alphorn). Those long pipes were made by me from a poisoned plant Heracléum that can be more than 3 meters high and vegetates in Carpathians and in many other places in Europe. It sounds low like horn but also you can play on it like on didgeridoo using continuous breathing.


A few days ago, you released video to song Dzherelo. It is really excellent, what is it about? I saw, the abstract themes, maybe about new life or cycle of nature, am I right? Who was the maker of video?

The translations of our lyrics will soon be published on our site so all English speaking people can understand what we are singing about. In general the main conception of the album was “Dzherelo”. This word in Ukrainian means “Spring”, “Source” and “Origin” at once. We enclosed different types of sources in this meaning – life and power sources, sources of feelings and wisdom. Such source can be a little spring – source of river; or soil – source of the trees and grass life; or even mothers breasts – source of power of a child (with milk kid will receive defensive strength).
The camera operations, screenplay and montage were performed by me during this summer, right after the end of “Dzherelo” recording sessions. Filming took place in Carpathians near the Magura Mountain and lasted about 3 days. Some additional staff was filmed by Alexander Denisenko (we used it for VITER trailer).

A bit off topic question: the design of your official site is truly marvelous, could you please tell us who is the author and from where does your inspiration come from?

The main author of site was me again, additional site programming was performed by A.R., and Hornorth. I think that the main source of our inspiration is a world outside us in its different forms and displays. Sometimes you just need to stop and to look carefully around you – and you’ll always find something inspiring. Sometimes sad things can be inspiring – it all depends on your mood. 

Next I would like to ask about live performances. Do you have a lineup that is able to do live performances? After the release of the first album do you plan to go at a tour to promote your band?

We are able to play live and we are currently working on new songs for the full length album. After recording and releasing it we plan to start live performances. I think 4 songs it’s not enough to go on tour and present your band. We need more time to prepare really good shows.

Would you accept an invitation to Slovakia?

Hopefully we will come to you some day! Slovakia is a beautiful country; I was there many times and also this summer.

Thank you very much for your time and willingness to do this interview. We are very grateful we wish you all the best in the future and the gods be at your side! Slava!

Thank you Stano for support and interest! For all readers – welcome to our web page http://www.viter.org.ua and enjoy our first video and mp3 tracks!

Written by Goryvlad

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