DemUnillusions- symphonic-metal band established on the 2nd of October 2012, in the city of Severomorsk (Russia). Sounding of the group comprises both pure male and female vocals, altogether with unusual orchestrations
Interview conducted on June 16, 2021
By Dan Locke
DemUnillusions – a symphonic-metal band established on the 2nd of October 2012, in the ice city of Severomorsk (Russia).
The music is based on themes of freedom, insanity and struggle with oneself. The sound combines both dark motives and light melodies and energy. A powerful and epic symphonic base, heavy and melodic riffs, ringing and elastic bass, pulsating drums and non-academic vocals that is not standard for the genre.
The track «Lost Vanguard» has an old version in Russian in 2015, but was re-recorded in English and in the modern sound of the group in 2021.
You from Russia. What is your upbringing?
– Thomas: The group developed more slowly than it could be in countries where there is an industry. The beginning was in 2012, in 2015 there was the first concert, but only in 2019 the group switched to English and received a new and fresh round of development.
How did you discover music?
– Thomas: Once in my childhood, I was introduced to metal by an uncle’s friend, and these were «Edguy», «Kamelot», «Imperanon» and «Children of Bodom».
– Ayracsana: As a child, in a sanatorium, I heard the punk band «King and Jester». It was my acquaintance with the «DemUnillusions» that led me to symphonic metal and similar music.
– JK: Once they bought me the first mp3 player, and a classmate pumped me different music there. This is how I got to know «Linkin Park». And in 2017, when he was already studying music, he began to listen to more metal and realized that it was mine.
How did you start to write music?
– Thomas: In 2008, I accidentally heard «Avantasia – The Scarecrow». This made an indelible impression and aroused the desire to create something myself.
The band was formed on October 02, 2012. How did your band form?
– Thomas: At that time, for 4 years my friends and I were engaged in music, wrote some songs. And after graduating from college, we decided that it was time to organize our aspirations into a group that would start recording their music and performing.
How did you get your bands name?
– Thomas: Initially, we worked in Russian, so we were looking for a combination of words and meanings so that it would not be found anywhere else and would be individual. In Russian it literally means “Demon of illusions”, but in our language the word “Demon” and the word “Without” sound the same, but are spelled slightly differently. Therefore, the name had a second meaning, which was easy to hear – “Without illusions.” At some time, the question of adaptation to English arose, which was very difficult. And we came to what we have, but with some liberties – «Demonillusions» plus «Unillusions».
What does your logo mean?
– Thomas: The logo depicts the Demon’s trident piercing the carnival mask. What can be interpreted as the absence of illusions, getting rid of illusions, “Unillusions”. We begin each of our concerts wearing such masks and take them off at the beginning to emphasize this meaning.
Describe your music.
– Thomas: We play symphonic metal, where the parts of each instrument are self-sufficient and musical. Symphonies take a very important place in our tracks. Therefore, all tracks have independent symphonic versions.
How did you get Ayracsana in the band?
– Ayracsana: I have been doing music on my own for many years, participated in various projects. And at some point, she met «DemUnillusions», and in 2019 she joined the group.
What was your first performance at like?
– Thomas: The first concert was in 2015, and the group had been preparing for it for a long time. It probably could have been better than it was, but we did a show worthy of the first time. At that time, the composition of the group was much larger – there are 7 members. Therefore, in the provincial scene, we experienced some difficulties with time coordination and interaction.
Royalties never appear like magic. Royalties are only sent to you through work undertaken by a PRO to ensure that their members are getting paid. If you’re not yet signed up to a Performing Right Organization like ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you may not be receiving all the royalties you deserve.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
– Thomas: This topic is new to us. Unfortunately, we still do not have complete information on this issue, and we are not members of such organizations.
What makes a good songwriter?
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What makes a good songwriter?
– Thomas: Melody, pulse of rhythm, meaning. If musical chemistry is born in this and everything interacts, the goal is achieved.
– Ayracsana: If he can convey to the listener what he wanted. There is music that is not at all about this, and in this case, it does not work for me if I do not feel emotion from the melody, lyrics, and their interaction.–
JK: I only listen to music from a musical point of view. Instrumental, vocals and their interaction.
What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?
– Thomas: The first song was “Lost Vanguard”. In 2015 we recorded it in Russian and released it as a single. Now in 2021 the track has been re-recorded in English and in the modern sound of the group and re-released.
What is the process of writing your music?
– Thomas: The beginning can be anything: motive, riffs, and lyrics. One way or another, I try to create some kind of conscious and understandable demo, to organize the idea. Sometimes it is quite extensive at once and even includes elements of the orchestra. After that, we play it all at rehearsals, until we decide on all the elements outside the symphony. Then an orchestration demo is created. Then we record drums, bass, guitars, create an independent track symphony, and record vocals. Further – the work of our sound engineer.
Why did you wait so long for a music video? «The Sound of Madness- Shinedown».
– Thomas: This is the result of several aspects – unwillingness to do badly, complete lack of money for production, lack of opportunities to do something original in our city.
How difficult was it to gear up for an English album?
– Thomas: In fact, this stage has not yet been completed, and it is still very difficult. And the difficulties are associated with the money for the recording, opportunities in the region and the city, the lack of industry support in the country.
Tell me about «Lost Vanguard»?
– Thomas: In general, it so happened that it was told above. But we are very happy. That this track was able to attract some attention to us and was warmly received by the listener.
Tell me about «New Role» as «Madness»?
– Thomas: «New Role» will be the thirteenth track of the «Madness» album. A track describing the events before the very denouement of the album’s plot. At the moment, he has already absorbed adventures in the form of a children’s choir, elements of a “Broadway musical”, a jazz fragment of a song, as well as, of course, metal and symphonies.
What is The MIRACHELL show?
– Thomas: This is the same pun as in the name of the group. A mix of «Miracle Show» and «Hell Show».
What is your favorite track on your album?
– Thomas: During the recording period, this is a very volatile state. Every time we love the one that is being recorded at that moment. Now this is probably an «Unillusion».
– Ayracsana: I agree with the above and separately want to say about «Dreamteacher».
– JK: This is «The Madness».
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
– Thomas: We are at the beginning of this path, so I have a positive attitude to everything that talks about our existence.
– Ayracsana: This is good because it helps the listener to hear us.
– JK: It is convenient, and you can get acquainted with something new and listen to your favorite. But there is so much music that I don’t understand at all.
Digital vs. vinyl?
– Thomas: Digital is for everyone. Vinyl for collectors.
– Ayracsana: Vinyl is so romantic!
– JK: Digital. Vinyl, of course, is beautiful and nostalgic, but digital is simpler and more modern.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
– Thomas: «Avantasia – The Scarecrow» for me is the beginning of all my musical life.
– Ayracsana: «Halestorm – Break In». This is a great song. She makes me get better at vocals.
– JK: I have a lot of favorites. And each evokes different emotions, so I find it difficult to answer.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
– Thomas: I think that live music cannot be killed this way. It seems to me that the virus took only time from some bands, but it will have a positive effect on the development of the music business in the end.– Ayracsana: No, he didn’t kill live music, but he has already influenced the music business since online concerts appeared. This is also a very interesting format, but they will not replace live performances.
– JK: I agree with the above. The virus allowed the development of an alternative to live performance. But of course, the live performances will be back in full force.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
– Thomas: We all made music and worked on the album.
How do you stay healthy during the lockdown?
– Thomas: The isolation was calm and in good health, but after the JK I suffered Covid-19, and Ayracsana and I got sick right now.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
– Thomas: No.
– Ayracsana: I began to read more.
– JK: I allowed myself to watch more movies.
Ayracsana – How was it to work with the photographer Vitaly Alexandros?
– Ayracsana: There have been many photoshoots in my life. Unfortunately, most of the professional photographers I have met have overestimated their skills and their behavior does not deserve professionalism. Once there was a photographer who even allowed himself to insult me and declared that I would not achieve anything in my life.With Vitaly, I was on my own. The photo session took place in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and warm jokes.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on livestreamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users «may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience. This will include Facebook Live» and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
– Thomas: For us and Facebook is still a novelty, so we have no idea how this will change it.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
– Thomas: Be in touch and release tracks.– Ayracsana: I don’t think the lack of concerts affects the love of the fans. If the group is capable of creating, then I think the fans will wait for it.
– JK: Streams, communication, online concerts. Joint play in online games.
In the past, if a musician stops doing music, they find a new career. For example, David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice-over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.
If you can’t do music, what would you like to be doing?
– Thomas: There is no such thing now.– Ayracsana: I like the profession of a dentist.
– JK: My self-realization is in music.
What is your happy place?
– Thomas: Being beside my wife.– Ayracsana: Home.
– JK: My place is behind the drum kit – there I feel like a good person.
Red Hot Chili Peppers are about to sell their entire song catalog for $140 Million. In the past year, a lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks ($100 Million), Bob Dylan (over $400 Million), Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, K.T. Tunstall, and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year. Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million. Neil Young song 50 percent of his worldwide copyright and income interest in his 1,180-song catalog to Hipnosis Songs Fund limited. Once you get to the age of about 70. Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artists based on sales, airplay, and streams. A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985. And in the late ’80s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.
The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.
Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs?
– Thomas: This is entirely possible, but depends on when it might happen.
Spotify’s ‘Stream On’ event on (February 22), the company confirmed that more than 60,000 new tracks are now being ingested by its platform every single day. This means people are added new tracks uploaded to its platform every 1.4 seconds.
The figure, announced by Spotify’s Co-Head of Music, Jeremy Erlich, means that across the course of this year, approximately 22 million tracks will be added to Spotify’s catalog. Spotify confirmed in November last year that its platform now played host to around 70 million tracks.
Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.
But still back at the beginning of the year Spotify deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists.
What do you think what that could mean to independent artist?
– Thomas: It depends on what the reasons for deleting tracks are. I think the reasons are objective and the groups have nothing to fear. But I could be wrong.
Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed on (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group.
Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?
– Thomas: We are already using it, but we have yet to figure it out.
Breaking news: TikTok is launching TikTok Radio, a full-time SiriusXM music channel going live this summer. The station will be available in vehicles and as a streaming channel on the SiriusXM App, desktop, and all connected devices.
The station will be part of a new TikTok collaboration with SiriusXM and its subsidiary, Pandora, to jointly promote emerging talent.
Do you think this platform could became a force in the future of streaming music?
– Thomas: Everything is possible.
What is disfigured conscience?
– Ayracsana: A disfigured conscience is «Ayracsana». This word does not exist. We created it and put this meaning into it. It is very likely that there is something on the conscience of every person that he is not proud of, something shameful. Something that kind of disfigures a clear conscience. And the name of any disfigured conscience is «Ayracsana».
Anything you would like to say in closing.
– DemUnillusions: We are a band from the very end of the world and we just want to be heard.
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