THE
ARROW
"Devils never die and still
we go on lookin’ back impossible to stop".
Pavel is a person that despite the hard times he faced with his band,
knows that hope is the leading force. Hope is the force that makes him
keep fighting for his beliefs and musical identity. Personally, I believe
that when you do something that you really love and you are dedicate in
achieving it, you will manage to make your dreams come true... I wish the
same thing to Pavel and The Arrow in general and to all the bands out there!
1. CAN YOU POINT OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT
MOMENTS OF THE BAND'S LIFE UP TO DATE? WHICH IS THE CURRENT LINE UP?
The band was formed in 1994. First
shows were played in 1996, but the debut album was released only in 2001.
Due to some difficulties of various kind our way was marked with troubles
and obstacles, in many respects connected to realities of living in our
country, and we can fearlessly say we had no chance to fight our way through
and to get the adequate attitude towards our work at all. So, the most
important moment of our band’s life was the 7-years expected debut album
release. Not considering the merely Russian problem peculiarities that
marked our way, one might could say that all our achievements were undoubtedly
important for us. And the main thing is that we knew from the very beginning
that our music would be appreciated only in case of getting a deal abroad.
2.WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE BAND NAME
FROM THE BLACK ARROW TO THE ARROW? WAS THERE ANOTHER BAND USING THE SAME
NAME?
There was no other band with the
same name. Nevertheless, the name-change is connected with the enjoyment
of legal rights for it. The point is that one of our former bandmates took
the occasion and registered the Black Arrow name for himself, whereupon
on qiuttin’ the band he presented us his claims. We were in kinda deadlock
and were obliged to change our name from black Arrow to The Arrow. However
now it doesn’t put us to inconveniences at all; but at the very nonce we
had enough of negative emotions and various difficulties.
3. GIVE US YOUR OWN DESCRIPTION REGARDING
YOUR MUSIC. WHICH ARE THE BAND'S INFLUENCES AND NAME SOME OF YOUR MOST
BELOVED ALBUMS.
Our music is heavy-power metal
with some thrash elements in arrangements. Our style is frequently called
simply ‘power’, but we cannot totally agree with the statement that our
music is considered to be classical Power. The matter is that we were brought
up in terms of classical Heavy Metal Rock, and the creative preferences
today are thrash-metal arrangements and sounding in spirit of Rage, Megadeth,
early Annihilator, Testament, Overkill etc. But this seems to have a certain
attitude towards our second LP "Damned Land". The sound of "Children Of
Gods" is somewhat more gentle plus the fact that the majority of songs
were written in 1988-1994 and they were not fundamentally changed during
the recording process. So you may follow the difference while listening
to our second CD. Our music was unquestionably influenced by the bands
in terms of which we were brought up. Such bands are Accept, Judas Priest,
Iron Maiden, Manowar, Helloween, W.A.S.P., Gamma Ray, Stratovarius etc.
Accept ‘ 84 "Balls To The Wall"; Helloween’ 85 "Walls of Jericho"; Europe
‘ 86 "The Final Countdown"; Judas Priest ‘ 90 "Painkiller"; W.A.S.P.’ 91
"The Crimson Idol".
4. YOU SAY IN YOUR BAND BIO THAT YOU
COMBINE ORIGINAL AND TRADITIONAL METAL, SPEED AND HARD ROCK ELEMENTS WITH
BACH' CLASSICAL COMPOSITIONS. HOW EASY OR DIFFICULT IS IT FOR YOU? DOES
IT COME OUT NATURALLY? DO YOU THINK THAT HEAVY METAL CAN BE PERFECTLY COMBINED
WITH CLASSICAL MUSIC?
As long as the origins of this
combination are spontaneous, it goes without saying that it looks quite
natural, especially when the composer with classical musical education
takes it as a base and foundation for his creative work. There’s a lot
of striking and varied examples of usin’ classical themes in metal music,
and the majority of such examples witnesses that classical music successfully
co-exists with distortion. Of course, all bands present it to the audience
their own way.
5. HOW MANY RELEASES DO YOU HAVE? TELL
US A FEW THINGS ABOUT THEM AND MAINLY CONCENTRATE ON YOUR LATEST RELEASE.
WHEN WAS IT RECORDED, WHERE, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU, WHO WAS THE PRODUCER?
ARE YOU STILL SATISFIED WITH IT OR IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO CHANGE?
Only our debut CD "Children Of
Gods" is released to date. It took plenty of time to record this album
as the recording process proceeded parallel with the building of our own
studio and with simultaneous mastering of newly-acquired equipment. The
"Children Of Gods" album was produced by the main composer and songwriter
Pavel "Blackie" Blischenko at our personal studio Black Cat Records. As
far as the level of technical producing of our CD is concerned, here, in
Russia, it seems to be entirely agreeable to the western standards. The
matter is in labels releasing albums of our native bands. There are no
labels in the proper acceptance of this word in Russia to date. Our
second album "Damned Land" which is almost finished differs from the debut
in a way. If some changes exist, they happen towards thrash-metal arrangements
and sounding, as it was mentioned above. Basically, the material approached
to the creative level we wanted to reach. Accordingly, these are more heavy,
more actual topics that worry us, and we want to share them with our fans
in order to make them reflect a bit upon these themes. As for the rest,
we didn’t betray our style at all. It is still heavy metal with some thrash
elements.
6. WHAT ARE YOUR LYRICS TALKING ABOUT?
WHAT KIND OF THEMES DO YOU LIKE TO "HURT" THROUGH THEM? WHAT INSPIRES YOU
AND WHAT CAN TAKE AWAY THE INSPIRATION FROM YOU?
Each of our songs ain’t just the
pack of cool riffs and fine chords; each of them is born as a result of
some emotional experiences. Our lyrics deal with a real man, his correlation
with himself and with the world surroundin’ him. We had never been interested
in singin’ about dragons or magic castles. Most songs of our second album
are about living in Russia, ‘bout problems of our society. Some bands entertain
the audience with their lyrics, but we suggest to reflect. Especially it
is actual owing to our Anglophone lyrics; due to this fact, we have a wonderful
opportunity to tell our Western listeners ‘bout the realities of living
in our country. It is very important for us, for the audience abroad doesn’t
know how we live inside these realities. There’s no need to search the
themes. They can be found at every step of our everyday life. It can even
be said that such thematic songs were written in the total absence of inspiration
but under the impression of the bygone. Inspiration is required for composing
ballads, some psychological tracks and legend-songs, which are based on
historical facts.
7. YOU'VE PARTICIPATED IN SOME TRIBUTE
ALBUMS. HOW WAS IT ARRANGED? TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT THEM. WHICH ONE
DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST?
In the beginning of 2001 we were
invited to participate in Russian compilation called ‘A Tribute to Helloween’,
so we covered the track "Ride The Sky" from the famous Helloween album
"Walls Of Jericho" (1985). Some time later it became known that the compilation
of Russian bands ‘A Tribute to Aria’ will be released. In March of 2001
The Arrow recorded the Aria song called "Give Me Your Hand" from the album
"The Hero of Asphalt" (1987). This track we covered together
with the band Roza Vetrov. In April-May of 2002 The Arrow became the only
Russian band that was invited to collaborate in the international Tribute
To Blind Guardian. For this compilation we recorded the track "Time What
Is Time" from the Guardian LP "Somewhere Far Beyond" (1992). Each of these
works was interesting in its own way. During the "Time What Is Time" recording,
we used a number of technical innovations that can be appreciated in full
measure on our second album "Damned Land", and were satisfied with the
result we received. That’s why we consider this Guardian cover to be the
most successful of out tribute works.
8. WHAT HAPPENED BACK IN 1997 AND MADE
YOU DECIDE TO DISBAND? CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR SUCH A DECISION?
1997 was the third year since the
moment of the band’s formation. The Arrow confidently advanced, plenty
of shows were played, the band had its own imposing fan-club. It was necessary
to start working in the studio with already performed concert material
as quickly as possible. But it was impossible to fulfil our ideas under
existed conditions: some studios were completely crappy, the others too
expensive. And, of course, we had and still do no have any sponsors, so
we had to pay for the record ourselves. Inter ana some musicians from the
line-up of those days fell victims to the star fever, and they rejected
all possible salvation of the problem that were offered by their bandmates.
The result was the following: lack of future, lack of appropriate prospects
for further creative and musical activity. The band’s leader Pavel
Blischenko decided to build his own personal studio. The staff was dismissed,
and the studio-buildin’ process took almost 3 years. For this purpose Pavel
bought a lodgment at the outskirts of Moscow, did the major repairs and
bought all the required equipment. In the upshot Andrey Khramov, the original
line-up singer, decided to continue working with Pavel, three new musicians
were hired, and 16th of October, 1999, the band began to records its debut
album.
9. YOU'VE RELEASED A VIDEO AS WELL.
WHAT CAN YOUR FANS SEE IN THERE?
In 2002 we played a number of live
shows, and following it the video for the song "Z – 13.9" from our preparing-to-be-released
second album "Damned Land" was filmed. We recorded a concert album called
"Fuckin’ Gods’", also to be released soon. Some of the video material that
was filmed during those live performances was, along with the mentioned-above
videoclip, included in The Arrow’s video-compilation "Flyin’ High Life";
it was released in June 2002 by Abyss Video.
10. GIVE ME ONE OR MORE REASONS WHY
SHOULD THE METALLERS BUY YOUR RELEASE INSTEAD OF SOMETHING ELSE?
In our work we always tried to
shed light on questions actual not only for our country but for the
whole mankind to date. We were always worried by such topics as human’s
fate, the relationship between him and surroundings and the stand between
a person and society. The meaning of life, fate, influence to which we
are exposed every day of our existence. Here are the themes of our songs,
and it is also the thing where The Arrow differs from many other power-metal
bands that compose fantasy-based lyrics.
11.I READ IN YOUR PRESS RELEASE THAT
YOUR MUSIC CAN BE "AN IDEAL SOUNDTRACK FOR EVERY MUSIC LOVER AGED
30 OR MORE". WHY? CAN'T YOUNGER METALLERS LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC? I AM 22
YEARS OLD FOR EXAMPLE. CAN'T I "UNDERSTAND" YOUR MUSIC LIKE A 30 YEAR OLD
GUY COULD DO?
By these words we didn’t mean that
the listener younger than 30 wouldn’t be able to understand our music.
To our minds, the matter is that noxious tendencies in culture of 90s built
a so-called wall of misunderstanding between the generations with seemingly
funny age differences. Our younger brothers often mock at our ideals, stepping
into the new era - the ear of compromises ad halftones where the true fan
of hard-edged and rough heavy of the 80s feels a stranger. The purity of
the style is being lost, everywhere appear hybrids of various kinds, which
are not to old-heavy-metal lovers’ liking. Fortunately, this tendency is
not always correct, and some individuals who were brought up in terms of
right music do exist even among the youth. They have all chances to understand
our songs none the worse than their elder brothers.
12. WHICH WAS THE BEST AND WHICH WAS
THE WORST REVIEW YOU HAVE RECEIVED TILL NOW? ARE YOU SATISFIED BY THE FEEDBACK
YOU RECEIVE?
At the moment a series of reviews
in western metal-editions is planned, but still it is difficult to speak
'bout it specifically. As far as the Russian press is concerned, a number
of metal magazines issued interviews and reviews of our debut album "Children
Of Gods", and the majority of them were positive. We were blamed only for
the excessive classical sounding and certain conventionality, and some
foretell us success only among old Heavy Metal-fans. But, contrary to all
predictions, we had an opportunity to make certain of necessity of our
material both by the old and new generation of hard rock fans, that is,
undoubtedly, good for us and assures us in accuracy of the chosen direction.
13. WHICH DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST
AND WHICH IS THE WORST PART OF YOUR MUSIC. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU NEED
FURTHER IMPROVEMENT?
One might could say we are trying
to grow and develop constantly and in all directions. And certainly
it is the most important thing for the composer. We always watched our
songs to reflect definitively the realities of today-and-tomorrow’ living,
especially in our country. It is connected with the existence of lots of
mistakes or simply lack of information ‘bout the practical situation in
Russia. We’d like people in the whole world who hear our songs to imagine
how we live here and what worries the most progressive minds of the present.
14. IF YOU COULDN'T INVOLVE WITH MUSIC,
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU COULD DO?
It is so difficult to speak about
it, because for most of us music is the only thing we can, love and want
to practice. We all studied in musical school, graduated from musical colleges
and from our early childhood identified ourselves and our future with music.
Of course some of us got another education and even academic degrees, but
we received it just in order to practice music in full value.
As far as I (Pavel Blischenko, the founder and the leader of the band)
am concerned, I’d probably become a killer?
15. IF YOU HAD THE ABILITY TO MEET
THE CREATURE THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?
If it had happened, perhaps I would
like to say: "Hey, asshole, where and when we would find any western contract
for our band, 'cause we're so fucked up to wait for it durin' all these
fuckin’ years...!" Now we are searching for the contract with Western record-label,
for we finally could evenly occupy ourselves with composin’ and recordin’
our music.
16. WHAT TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS
INTERVIEW TO HAVE?
"Devils never die and still we
go on lookin’ back impossible to stop". These are
the lyrical lines of our song from the second album "Damned Land". This
track is about those who will fight till the very end, because it is their
cause and duty.
17. THANK YOU! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE
YOU'D LIKE TO ADD AND I FORGOT TO ASK YOU?
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