Stoned Jesus: 'Seven Thunders...' si concertul de la Bucuresti (Interviu)

de Andreea Gherfi

Stoned Jesus:  'Seven Thunders...' si concertul de la Bucuresti (Interviu)


Stoned Jesus sunt un nume extrem de cunoscut pentru fanii scenei de stoner. Cu o istorie care incepe in 2009, ucrainenii au lansat multiple materiale pana in prezent, cel mai notabil fiind Seven Thunders Roar, un album care a devenit un milestone al genului. Avand in vedere ca in 2017 trupa va aniversa cinci ani de la lansarea acestui album printr-un turneu care ajunge si la Bucuresti, mai exact la SoundArt Festival, ne-am decis sa-l luam putin "la intrebari" pe Igor Sydorenko, liderul formatiei.

Metalhead: Hello, how are you doing?

Igor: Hey, Igor's here! Thanks, I'm fine.

Metalhead: What were the highlights for Stoned Jesus in 2016?

Igor: Well, we had the busiest year in the history of StJ so far! Some 84 shows and festivals played, including the first South America tour by Ukrainian band and the first Ukrainian band's set on Hellfest; "Stormy Monday EP" re-released on vinyl; "The Seeds, vol.II" jam compilation uploaded... Oddly enough, we even found some time in December to start working on our fourth full-length album, but it's too early to share any info on it - but we already got a hashtag for it! It's #StJFourthLP.

Metalhead: I saw your recent announcement that this year you are celebrating 5 years since the release of Seven Thunders Roar by playing the whole album live. Will that be the whole set or can we expect some extra songs from First Communion and The Harvest?

Igor: Considering that "Seven Thunders..." is 45 minutes long of course we'll have to add some more songs for an extended encore! But the main focus of our setlist is definitely on playing this semi-cult record of ours in its entirety.

Metalhead: Since you are returning to Romania with a show at SoundArt Festival will you guys have any special merchandise related to Seven Thunders Roar or are you planning on re-releasing the album in a special edition?

Igor: I guess we can't keep it in secret for long, so yes - there'll be new limited edition colour vinyls and tour-only t-shirts!

Metalhead: While you were composing Seven Thunders Roar did you expect it to become such a well regarded album? You can call it a classic if you ask us.

Igor: It's really nice of you, thanks! Well, you never know, do you? I just brought these songs to the guys, we fleshed them out and recorded and mixed and released...And "Seven Thunders..." was a slow burner in many ways, I actually think it'll grow even bigger with the time. Which somewhat surprises me, but I also can understand why it's happening.

Metalhead: There's great songwriting there. I'm curios about what drivers your inspiration before composing something moody (might be an understatement) like Stormy Monday.

Igor: Thanks again! Oh yes, this particular song was a bit too personal for me, so we dropped it off the setlists for almost four years. Basically, all kinds of experience, everything you go through, everything that's around you and all the ways for a human being to interact with the world - all is reflected in "Seven Thunders..." material, both musically and lyrically. It's a very much "Man & Nature" type of record conceptually.

Metalhead: You followed Seven Thunders Roar with The Harvest album. That felt like a natural evolution with shorter songs which are more straightforward. Where are you heading in terms of sound with your future album?

Igor: "The Harvest" was also way more aggressive and angry than "Seven Thunders...", mainly becase we were pissed with the whole Russian intervention thing - and we still are. But unlike with "The Harvest", now our anger is not a prime influence on the new material. I wouldn't say we've regained that inner Zen we had on "Seven Thunders..." and lost on "The Harvest", but we're getting there. So #StJFourthLP will be pretty intense, dark and heavy - but not doom-metal-heavy or any-metal-heavy...just another kind of heavy!

Metalhead: Any chance to see a live Stoned Jesus album or do you believe live albums are a thing of the past?

Igor: I actually quite like the idea of a live album, and some of my favourite albums are the live ones. It'll work especially well with "Seven Thunders..." songs I think, because our current drummer fits our music way better than the one we have on that record, with all due respect. So maybe one day...

Metalhead: Have you felt that being a band from Ukraine or the Balkans makes things harder?

Igor: Touring-wise you mean? Yeah it kinda does. The roads are s**t, the distances are crazy, the flights are expensive, so we're permanently on the verge of bankruptcy, hah. Also lotta people still think rock music is made in the UK and the USA only, no matter how good your regular Ukrainian/Balkanian/Polish band could be. But it also makes you appreciate your little victories twice as much and strive for more. This is why we're having this conversation right now I guess!

Metalhead: The last couple of years have been hard for Ukraine. How are things now?

Igor: The proxy war with Russia is still not going anywhere, the Crimea's annexation too, the economy is screwed, but at least we can play our music and spread the good vibes. Looking forward to do more of that in 2017!

Metalhead: Could you recommend some good bands from your scene and tell us about your favorite albums?

Igor: Of course! I'm really proud of the quality level that Ukrainian rock underground is famous for. Somali Yacht Club, 5R6, Ethereal Riffian, Bomg, Mother Witch & Dead Water Ghosts, Maloi, City Of Me, H.Soror, Septa, My Personal Murderer - anything from experimental stuff to down-to-earth punk. Even these guys you definitely know well, Jinjer, are pretty far from being yet-another-female-fronted-metalcore-band quality-wise, y'know. Anyway, for the taste of Ukrainian underground you better check those two compilations from our local heroes Robustfellow Records, Electric Funeral Cafe and Electric Funeral Cafe vol.2 , part 3 coming soon, too.

Metalhead: Thank you for your time! Any message for the fans that are coming to see you play in Bucharest at SoundArt Festival?

Igor: Thanks for having us! Well, we hope they're looking forward to this festival as much as we are! See y'all there.

Stoned Jesus vor concerta la Bucuresti pe scena festivalului SoundArt ce va avea loc in perioada 4-7 mai in Club Quantic. Pentru acest eveniment gasiti bilete online pe www.iabilet.ro si in reteaua fizica de 1800 de puncte iabilet: Hard Rock Cafe, Beraria H, Magazinul Muzica, Agentiile Perfect Tour, stand-ul de bilete de la Metrou Unirii 1 (langa casa de bilelete Metrorex), Magazinele IQBox si Uman, Cafe Deko, Club Vintage, Club Quantic si pe terminalele self-service ZebraPay din Kaufland, Cora, Auchan, Carrefour si Mega Image din toata tara.

Online puteti plati cu cardul, Paypal, pe factura la Vodafone, pe factura Orange, ramburs cu plata cash prin FanCurier oriunde in tara sau prin OP.

Poze Poze pentru articole - stoned jesus



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