#Saint Sludge Convention

[doomedandstoned]

How To Get The Attention of A Record Label

~Bacon's Blog~

Photographs by Mo Nemo

People hit me up all the time asking for the best way to get a label’s attention. As there’s tons of labels out there -- and tons of bands, all in different situations -- what I’m going to talk about here is by no means definitive. That being said, I do think some of what we’re about to dig into is going to help just about any band figure out their label situation. Remember that at the end of the day, getting signed to your first label as a nobody band is based on kindness, gratitude, and engaging with your community. If you can’t be a cool guy in your scene, then nobody’s going to want to work with you. Underpin your approach to labels with the understanding that it’s really as simple as this. Once you’ve got that in your head, you need sick fucking music. Meeting all of these criteria puts you in a position to get signed, get opportunities, and reach that crucial next level.

The first thing you can do to get a label’s attention and make them want to work with you is to start hooking up shows. If you develop a reputation as the guy who puts on cool shows and helps to make sure a certain label’s bands feel catered to, then you’re going to get more opportunities. Eventually, people from the label will start to reach out and express their gratitude. The bands you hook up will tell their friends, who will in turn tell their labels. Fundamentally, most bands are in it to play cool shows. If you show initiative and prove that you can be a part of the world of live music, then you’ll start to get some real traction. It’s important to remember: fuckin’ nobody wants to book shows. If you show that you’re willing to get your hands dirty, people will respect and try to connect with you.

Now, some people reading this article may live in rural areas and maybe can’t put on a ton of shows. It’s easy to book shows when you live near a major market, but what if you live in the middle of nowhere? Well, you can start off by commenting on people’s Instagrams in a cool and friendly way at scale. This means that if you want a label to sign you, you make damn sure you’re dropping comments on their shit every day. The thing is, generic and forgettable comments (i.e. "sign my band") aren’t going to work. They need to be friendly and relevant. If your content is cool and proves that you want to build a relationship, people will take note and you’ll see them interacting back. It’s through showing a desire to make friends with people (and not just use them) that you’re going to get value. When people start to realize who you are and what you’re about, they’ll pay more attention. If they pay more attention, well shit, suddenly you’ve got yourself into a very positive situation — assuming you have the music to back it up.

Here's my secret that has opened a bunch of doors over the years, both for me and my bands. I write about everyone. A lot of people don’t realize this, but I write eight or more reviews every week. I’ve run Two Guys Metal Reviews for almost a decade, and I drop reviews about once a week on Metal Injection. Every once in a while, I sneak some coverage in through other places, such as premiers and interviews. The thing is, I used to write about bands way more often than I do now, cranking out something like fifty pieces of band coverage a month. This led to tons of really sick relationships, the majority of which I still pursue to this day. When I was writing about bands, I was able to open doors. Why? Because I was giving away an asset that everyone wanted: attention. Offering attention is what so much of this comes down to, because when you do it people feel catered to.

Now if none of this seems appealing to you, then start thinking of other things that you can do for bands on the label, or at least things you can do for the label that require no supervision on your end. I’ll explain this using an example from my experience. There are a ton of people who want to help out at Ripple or Prophecy, two labels I work for, but in most cases I know that it would just mean more work for me, because I’d have to make sure that all of their work was done right. I don’t want to have to do that. I don’t want to have to hustle my face off for someone else who’s trying to curry favor with me in the first place.

So think about things you can do for the label’s bands, and think about things you can offer that are easy to implement. This often entails things like graphic design. I know a few people who’ve opened doors by doing shirt designs for free, or even charging a discounted price — either way, they become known throughout the community as "the shirt design guy." I know other guys who’ve managed to get signed by doing layouts for a lot of their friends, then using that experience to start the dialog. Like I said, anything you can do to get people talking to you and seeing that you’re for real, not annoying, and have damn good music is going to be a good thing.

The music business is an unforgiving place and, yes, it sucks that you need to do a bunch of stuff for free to even get your foot in the door. The thing is, these things aren’t guaranteed to get you a label, nor are you guaranteed to not get a label by just staying in your room and cranking out good music. The thing I’m trying to outline here is simply the fact that if you connect with people, sharing your attention and passion for the music, then people are going to want to connect with you. People are going to appreciate the hustle you bring and reciprocate. You can either embrace that or shoot yourself in the foot. Give, give, give and you’ll be surprised how much more receptive people are to working with you. I didn’t invent the rainy day, I just have the best umbrella.

☀

Matt Bacon (IG: mattbacon666) with Dropout Media is a consultant, A&R man, and journalist specializing in the world of heavy metal. Matt also co-hosts the Dumb & Dumbest podcast with Curtis Dewar of Dewar PR.

[maritimecyprus]

(http://www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The IMO considers exhaust gas scrubbers to be an acceptable means of reducing vessels’ sulphur emissions and ensuring compliance with MARPOL Annex VI.  A separate guideline, Resolution MEPC.259(68), specifies the requirements for the verification, testing, survey and certification of scrubber systems and sets out the criteria for discharging scrubber washwater into the sea.

However, some coastal states and ports have implemented local regulations with more stringent requirements that restrict or completely prohibit the discharge of washwater from open loop scrubbers or prohibit the use of scrubbers. We are currently aware of the following regions/states/ports with local regulations that have an effect on the discharge of exhaust gas scrubber washwater, although the list should not be considered as complete.

AFRICA

Egypt

Discharge of washwater from open loop scrubbers is prohibited in the Suez Canal. The attached clarification to circular 08/2019 also states that Egypt is in the process of ratifying MARPOL Annex VI. It should be mentioned that although use of fuel with a sulphur content greater than 0.5% sulphur may be allowed without the use of scrubbers, vessels should always refer to their flag state regulations which may not allow this.

AMERICAS

Bermuda

Use of open loop scrubbers is not permitted. Environmental Policy for Ships states: “Washwater and residue from the EGCS shall be not disposed of in Bermuda or discharged into Bermuda’s waters but shall be stored on board the ship until outside of Bermuda’s waters”. If a vessel has to use closed loop scrubber in territorial waters of Bermuda, permission needs to be sought from the authorities.

Panama

Notice to Shipping No. 01 of 2019 states that discharging EGCS washwater into bodies of water under the responsibility of Panama Canal is not permitted. Use of closed loop systems is permitted.

USA

Hawaii: Conditional section 401 WQC (Water Quality Certification) as mentioned in section 6.7 of 2013 VGP allows for discharge of washwater subject to certain requirements being fulfilled. These requirements can be found in the same section. Connecticut: Connecticut has laid down specific conditions as part of the 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) requirements. In accordance with section 6.5.9[UK1]  of the 2013 VGP, discharge of exhaust gas scrubber washwater into Connecticut waters from any vessel covered under the VGP is prohibited. Please see CGS section 22a-427, and Connecticut Water Quality Standards (CT WQS). California: The CARB OGV (California Air Resource Board for Ocean Going Vessels) regulations do not permit the use of abatement technologies such as scrubbers, hence their use as well as any discharge of washwater is prohibited. Vessel discharge regulations for Port of Long Beach also state that it is prohibited to discharge washwater from scrubbers in port waters. However, pursuant to CARB’s Marine Notice 2017-1 discharge is permitted if the vessel has an experimental or temporary research permit. US Coast Guard has informed that it will use the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) database to confirm that foreign flagged ships are using approved scrubbers. Notification to IMO’s GISIS shall be submitted by the Flag State of the vessel. The USCG has also published a guidance document on enforcement of the sulphur cap regulations.

ASIA

 Bahrain

According to marine notice PMA/03/2019, discharge of washwater from open loop scrubbers is prohibited within port limits including anchorage area(s). The circular also states that vessels should obtain a permit from the Marine Safety & Environment Protection Directorate before discharging washwater anywhere in Bahrain waters.

China

China MSA in its “Implementation Scheme of 2020 Global Marine Fuel Oil Sulphur Cap” has mentioned that washwater discharge from open loop scrubbers is prohibited in domestic emission control areas, which includes coastal control areas and inland river control areas. Members can refer to a circular by Huatai to know the coordinates of these areas. In another circular, Huatai set out the inspection procedure which may be adopted by the authorities on ships installed with scrubbers.

Hong Kong

If a ship intends to use scrubbers in Hong Kong waters, to meet the sulphur cap requirements, application must be made to the Hong Kong authorities requesting for an exemption from using compliant fuel. The exemption application must be made at least 14 days prior to a ship’s first visit to Hong Kong after 1 January 2019. For details of the exemption application process, please refer to Sections 7 to 11 of the new ‘Air Pollution Control (Fuel for Vessels) Regulation’.

India

In DG Engineering Circular 02 of 2019, India appear to indicate that scrubber washwater discharges are allowed if the criteria set out in MEPC.259(68) are met. However, this is qualified with a requirement that local regulations should also be followed. As of now, it is not clear if local restrictions will be imposed in some areas

Malaysia

In circular MSN 07/2019 Marine Department of Malaysia has indicated that discharge from open loop scrubbers is prohibited within the country’s waters (12 nm from nearest land). They have also issued MSN 08/2019 to clarify that the regulation does not apply to ships transiting the Malacca and Singapore straits.

Pakistan

In their circular no. 001/2020, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs has prohibited the discharge of washwater from open loop scrubbers in Pakistani port waters. The circular advises vessels to either change over to closed loop mode of operation or switch to compliant fuel well in advance of the vessel’s arrival in port waters.

Singapore

According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), discharge is prohibited in Singapore port waters from 1 January 2020. The prohibition does not apply to ships transiting the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) without calling into the Port of Singapore. MPA has published useful guidance on IMO’s 2020 Sulphur limits which can be accessed here. The document advises ships fitted with open loop scrubbers to ‘carry out the switch to either closed-loop mode or to compliant fuel well in advance of the vessel’s arrival at the port waters’. Residues from scrubbers have been classified as toxic industrial waste under Singapore’s Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) Regulations. It can only be collected by licensed Toxic Industrial Waste Collectors.

UAE

Abu Dhabi: In 2013 Abu Dhabi authorities issued ‘Vessel Discharge and Maintenance Guidelines For Owners, Masters And Agents’. It states that scrubber washwater can be discharged in port waters if free form pollutants whilst scrubber sludge should be discharged from the vessel to an Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) licensed waste disposal contractor. Fujairah: As per notice to mariners no. 252, Harbour Master of Fujairah has announced that use of open loop scrubbers will be banned in port waters. The circular can be found here.

EUROPE

Belgium

The European Commission’s 2016 note on discharge of scrubber washwater, bans the discharge in ports and inland waters. Relevant legislation is ‘Wet van 26 maart 1971 op de bescherming van de oppervlaktewateren tegen verontreiniging (Vlaams Gewest)’.

Estonia

According to circular no.4 by Estonian Maritime Administration, use of open loop scrubbers is permitted if the owner can demonstrate that the washwater meets IMO’s requirements. However, port authorization is required if scrubber washwater is discharged in the port area.

France

Our correspondent informs us that there are restrictions in place on use of open loop scrubbers in Port Jérôme-sur-Seine, Seine, Le Havre , Montoir, Nantes Saint-Nazaire and Bordeaux.

Germany

Discharge is not allowed in inland waterways and the Rhine, pursuant to Articles 1 and 3 of the CDNI Convention (Convention on the Collection, Deposit and Reception of Waste Produced during Navigation on the Rhine and Inland Waterways).

Gibraltar

We have been informed by our correspondent that open loop scrubbers are temporarily not permitted as a precautionary measure until the Gibraltar Government arrives at a definitive policy decision on this issue.

Ireland

Dublin: The Irish authorities’ Notice No. 37 of 2018 ‘Prohibition on the Discharge of Exhaust Gas Scrubber Wash Water’ stipulates that discharge of washwater is prohibited in waters under Dublin port jurisdiction. Dublin port jurisdiction includes waters from the Matt Talbot Memorial Bridge eastwards to a line from the Baily Lighthouse through the North and South Burford buoys and through Sorrento Point. Waterford: As per Port of Waterford’s marine notice ‘Prohibition on the Discharge of Exhaust Gas Scrubber Wash Water’, discharge of scrubber washwater is prohibited in port limits from the start of January 2019. Cork: Port notice No. 15 of 2018 states that given the potential for impact on sensitive ecosystems, and the abundance of Natura 2000 sites within the jurisdiction of the port company, discharge of scrubber washwater is prohibited in port waters.

Latvia

General position, as mentioned in the European Commission’s 2016 note, is that discharge is not allowed in territorial and port waters. Discussions are currently ongoing within the European Commission, on improving the regulations and to provide more clarity.

Lithuania

The authorities are currently studying the impact of scrubber washwater on the marine environment and will provide its conclusions upon completion of the study. Meanwhile, the current position seems to be that discharge is not allowed in port waters, according to port rules and conditions of use approved by the Ministry of Transport. Reference is made to the European Commission’s 2016 note on discharge of scrubber washwater.

Norway

Under the amendments of 1 March 2019 to Regulation No.488 on the environmental safety of ships and mobile offshore units, use of open loop scrubbers is prohibited in the Norwegian fjords. Also, for ships using closed or hybrid type scrubbers, a device for reducing visible emissions to air is required.

Spain

Our correspondent informs us that Harbour Master of Port of Algeciras has confirmed there is a prohibition on discharge of washwater from open loop scrubbers in port waters.

Sweden

Port of Brofjorden does not allow the use of open loop scrubbers. Our correspondent informs us that port regulations will be updated to reflect this.

OCEANIA

Australia

Ships can use an EGCS in Australian waters to comply with the sulphur limit according to marine notice 05/2019. Vessels will have to notify AMSA before first arrival at an Australian port after 1 January 2020, and provide information related to the scrubber. AMSA stresses that data related to the testing of washwater in accordance with Appendix 3 of IMO resolution MEPC.259(68) should be made available to AMSA. As otherwise there may be restrictions on the discharge of washwater from scrubbers.

  Summary and recommendations

Although exhaust gas scrubbers are an accepted abatement technology to meet IMO’s SOx emission rules for 2020, their use is not accepted globally in all states. If a vessel is trading in area(s) where the discharge of scrubber washwater is not permitted, vessel operators have two options to choose from to ensure compliance with the sulphur limits:

switch over to closed loop mode of scrubber operation, in which case it will be necessary to convert currently installed open loop scrubber systems to closed loop or hybrid systems, if not already done; or

changeover to compliant fuel.

Any changeover should be carried out well in advance of the vessel entering the areas with prohibition or restrictions in place. Early changeover will help in identifying operational issues, if any, after the changeover, and will allow for sufficient time to rectify such before the vessel enters the area. Owners’ and managers’ safety management procedures should contain guidelines on how to carry out the changeover safely and outline the recordkeeping requirements. It is also recommended that a vessel’s passage plan incorporates information on when to carry out the changeover, taking into account things such as duration of passage, time needed for changeover, density of traffic, proximity to hazards etc.

Owners and Managers are advised to monitor the situation closely and ensure that crew members onboard vessels fitted with open loop scrubbers are made aware of any relevant local discharge requirements in force. In general, vessels with any kind of scrubber installed should check with local authorities whether there are any applicable regulations in relation to the use of scrubbers, such as washwater discharge restrictions, and requirements to seek permission from authorities to use scrubbers.

Source: Gard

For more IMO 2020 sulphur cap related guidance click here.

    IMO 2020: Worldwide Scrubber washwater restrictions (update Jan. 2020) (www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The IMO considers exhaust gas scrubbers to be an acceptable means of reducing vessels’ sulphur emissions and ensuring compliance with MARPOL Annex VI. 

[doomedandstoned]

MOSCOW SLUDGE FEST!

Words by Billy Goate

Pics by Rita Fevraleva (IG: ritafevraleva)

Films by Anton Rodionov

We've been here before. One year ago, we journeyed deep into the forbidden zone, peering through the lens of Moscow photojournalist Rita Fevraleva into the dank world of the Russian heavy underground. When I heard there was something called a Sludge Convention, I was mad with curiosity. Rita's photos of last year's double header, Sludge Convention III in Saint Petersburg and Sludge Fest in Moscow introduced us all to a thriving community of metalheads, happily lost in the hypnotic swirl of downtuned riffs, crackling amps, and a deafening wall of sound. I think those unforgettable images of possessed souls will forever haunt me.

Now the 2017 gathering of the damned returns! Saint Sludge Convention IV was held once again on Friday May 26th in Saint Petersburg, followed by Sludge Fest in Moscow on Saturday May 27th, held in a club called Model T. I think you will agree, Rita's snaps this time around are indeed stellar, giving us a trippy eyeful of regional heavyweights 609, C.X., ElectricJezus, Illegal Ones, Montezuma's Revenge, and Remote.

Lovable Freaks!

I have a feeling I'd fit in just fine in this mess of misfits.

Strong Drink!

Handcrafted by Riffs 'n' Beers Brewery.

Groovy Merch!

Plenty of doomed discoveries right here.

Ghostly Images!

Rita's masterful lens transports us a world away to experience memories of mayhem frozen in time.

609 (BOG/60g)

C.X.

ELECTRICJEZUS

And the crowd goes wild...

ILLEGAL ONES

MONTEZUMA’S REVENGE

REMOTE

Thus ends another successful synod of the dirging denizens of doom! No doubt we will have a chance to visit the rumbling Russian scene in the months ahead. Until then, I highly recommend diving into the cracks and fissures of the concrete and discovering the treasure trove of street doom that has made Moscow and the cities beyond such a thriving scene.

[doomedandstoned]

TUNE LOW, PLAY SLOW

A Scrapbook

~Pics: Rita Fevraleva | Films: Occult Worship Productions~

Since last year, we've been bringing you on-scene photo reports from Moscow and Saint Petersburg, thanks to the the lens of Rita Favreleva and other locals. We covered the Sludge Convention and received first-hand accounts from Acid King and Elder about their trips to the Russian Federation.

Tune Low, Play Slow IV was an all-dayer held in Moscow on September 30th, 2017. A companion event, Slow Now Mercy, took place the day before in nearby Saint Petersburg. Last go 'round, Salem's Pot headlined Tune Low, Play Slow. This year, the mighty Dopelord commanded the stage, joined by Dutch dark rockers Gold. The Russian support did not disappoint. Long time doomers will recognize names like Without God and Crypt Jaintor, but bands like ИЛ and Electric Jezus (who shared a split last year, released new records of their own this year) are well worth adding to your playlist. For those of us an ocean away who couldn't attend this riffapocalypse, we can certainly live vicariously through the beautifully chaotic visuals that follow. Enjoy the show...

DOPELORD

GOLD

ИЛ

WITHOUT GOD

ELECTRIC JEZUS

CRYPT JAINTOR

[doomedandstoned]

Doomed & Stoned in Russia with Neuropolis

~By Billy Goate~

Photographs by Darja Fetisova

I like to keep my finger on the pulse of scenes around the world, especially those that are lesser known in the light of the mainstream. For the past three or four years, for instance, we've been covering events like the Sludge Convention and Tune Low, Play Slow in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Russia has a thriving heavy underground that trends towards dark, dank sludgy doom, much of it with a hardcore or southern rock twist.

Support for local gigs is robust compared to what most bands experience in the States. Alice in Chains just played their first gig ever in Moscow and it was incredible to see the fast crowd singing along with every song (yes, even the new ones). Bands in the doom-stoner scene such as Acid King, Eyehategod, and Elder have, in recent years, taken the long trek into what was once forbidden territory to perform before a most grateful (and highly involved) audience.

The homegrown scene is no less impressive, though much of it is tragically unknown outside of local circles. Some have broken free from obscurity, like The Grand Astoria, and more and more people are sharing the likes of The Re-Stoned, Dekonstruktor (formerly The Moon Mistress), Pressor, Stoner Train, Tsygun, Without God, Lord of Doubts, ИЛ, Illegal Ones, C.X., Phantomass, 609, and Fuzzthrone on the socials.

This is the point at which we're introduced to a fresh face in the doom scene, a six-member crew called NEUROPOLIS. I happened upon them while browsing a Russian-language metal forum one afternoon, which led me to a YouTube video for the EP, 'Temptation' (2019), which itself was quite the unexpected emotional odyssey of peaks and valleys. Take a listen for yourself:

Temptation (Искушение) by NEUROPOLIS

Perhaps the band got lucky their first go around and composed a masterpiece of doom with deft touches of death. Perhaps there is more greatness awaiting in the creative well of these young musicians. Regardless, the time is ripe to get to know them all better. In the process, we're afforded a rare window into the St. Petersburg heavy underground and the cultural distinctives that are shaping the Russian doomers of today.

Doom resonates with our worldview and perception.

It has already become an integral part of us

Take us underneath the soil, into the roots of Neuropolis. How did it all begin for you as a band?

Now it is difficult to note any one of the band's stages of existence as an absolute foundation point. Every one of us has been creative, mostly in music, before we became a band. The first crew, from which our band slowly began to develop, was formed approximately five years ago. It was a naive time of experiments and searching for sound. Kim, Freakedelic, and Dmitry (the former vocalist of the group, whom we jokingly call Maestro), arranged jam sessions together, tried and eventually learned to play instruments, and worked on their first songs ("Heaven in Hell," "Secret Paradise," "Killing Machine"). Then the guys gave their first concert in a bar called ZIS and got a couple of whiskey shots for their fee.

After this, due to internal contradictions and uncertain life circumstances, Freakedelic left the band, devoting himself to spiritual practices and psychedelic experiments. Our band hasn’t got him back for a very long time. In those days, the number of session musicians, bassists, and drummers has changed and two concerts were given in clubs Ulitsa and Money Honey. None of the invited musicians, however, could find their place in the group.

In 2017, Freakedelic, who achieved enlightenment, returned to the band together with his wife, Miroslava Antonova (aka DegraDante), who began to play keys, and Maestro brought in a new bass guitarist, Sergey Berezhansky (aka Sotona, aka Diversant). In such a composition, the band recorded its first single in mid-2018: "Surf (Priboy)." This was an important stage in the history of the band, which can be considered the moment of foundation.

By that time, the name of the band had already existed -- Neuropolis. After the release of "Surf" online, a concert was held in the club Banka and one was planned in the club ROUTE148, but difficulties arose. Maestro was fired from our band for his inappropriate behavior and his personal ambitions based on nothing. A week before our concert, the band was left without a vocalist. Sotona invited his old friend Vladimir Alekseev (aka "V") to scream into the microphone at the rep and he immediately made an impression on us with his pitch, and especially the frail, deep lyrics that he immediately wrote for three old versions of songs. We decided that V would perform at ROUTE148 with Neuropolis.

In just a week, a new song was written and the old material was reworked. It was the beginning of the modern history of Neuropolis, which lasts to this day. At the end of 2018, rhythm guitarist Valentin Rebrov (aka "Verghil Alighieri") joined our band. He was invited to our concert by the keyboardist, having just moved from Sakhalin (almost from the other side of the world). He had few friends, so he was interested and offered to write an Intro to one of our songs. Then he decided to become our rhythm guitarist and contributed a lot of good stuff to our band and music. Given the crew we work with today -- and the release our debut EP, 'Temptation' (2019) with V’s lyrics -- there isn’t any reason to for us to break up the band.

This is our sad six-person party in the basement

What was you goal in creating new music together? Did you specifically choose to play music in the doom genre?

We do not think that each of us himself has chosen doom as a genre. Many of us like heavy music: someone is fond of black metal, someone of thrash, someone of death, and someone likes specifically doom. You may like different music, but when you start to create it, it is so-so -- like it comes out of you and if there isn’t one person in the band, the result depends on the preferences of each, so it is a kind of the general mood quintessence. We made doom that sounds quite old-school.

In the end, each of us has his own interests and motivations: for one it is a hobby and profit, for another a leisure time with an instrument in his hands, for the third it is an opportunity to work in a certain genre niche, the opportunity to improve his composing talent. For still others of us it is an opportunity to express emotions in a musical and poetic form. The atmosphere of the genre, its emotional component, is sometimes striking, and in some forms of this genre -- from the smallest detail to the greatest effort -- is worth it to do.

The musicians who love all of these different styles have met and have made doom, therefore it must be fate. The most interesting thing is that doom never bothers us, it resonates with our worldview and perception, it has already become an integral part of us -- minor viscous riffs, powerful drums, texts permeated with doom. This is our sad six-person party in the basement.

Air here is saturated with the fall of several empires and thousands of crippled destinies of young people.

'Temptation' has some very sad and moving moments, indeed. What inspired you to write this pair of songs?

Our first EP is imbued with the spirit of the city we live in, the spirit of St. Petersburg. Life here leaves a certain imprint on perception. We live in a rather shitty climate between the Gulf of Finland and Ladoga Lake. It is cloudy and rainy here, with sunny days in the year limited to about 50. This northern city is considered one of the most depressing in Russia, while it bears the title of the cultural capital of the country. This explosive combination -- depression and creativity -- such mood is close to Scandinavians (Swedes, Norwegians, Danes). But, in addition to the weather, we have a huge area decorated with monuments, cathedrals, buildings, and grotesque mythical figures of granite, which lie on a huge variety of islands, canals, and stone waterfronts.

The air here is saturated with the spirit of the fall -- the fall of several empires, thousands of crippled destinies of young people. The soul of this location is impossible to express through the textbooks. It penetrates inside of us throughout life. Through our creativity we broadcast it.

In addition, if we exclude the influence on our music of recognized masters of doom metal (and their influence is undeniable), such as Candlemass, Saturnus, Katatonia, Saint Vitus, and Black Sabbath, there is something else that inspires us. Here is just the question of whether we will draw inspiration from life. Yes, we draw it from the experience of our own lives. It happened so that each participant of Neuropolis has had quite a difficult fate -- alcohol, drugs, hospitals, wars, suicide, loss. We have seen some shit. Almost every living inhabitant of the planet Earth is faced with these things. This, of course, could not but affect our music and our lyrics. The lyrics of our songs are always permeated with references to both religious texts and masterpieces of classical literature. It's not as easy as it might seem. We're working on every word. And Kim and Verghil sometimes just write good riffs.

This seems like a good time to introduce us to the individual members of the band and tell us what instruments, gear, and amps you all use.

Vladimir Alekseev (aka V) -- vocals, lyrics. Before meeting the musicians, Neuropolis wrote sad lyrics and worked on a solo album in the genre of psychedelic rock. Suddenly, he felt a desire to experiment with extreme vocals and to play old-school doom metal. Microphones: Oktava MK-319, Shure Beta 58A.

Valentin Rebrov (aka Vergil Alighieri) -- guitar, arrangements. Arrived from the other end of the world and joined Neuropolis in late-2018, proving himself as a good sound engineer, reliable guitarist, and talented arranger. Guitar: Schecter Omen-7 Walnut with stock pickups. Pedals: AMT Heater + AMT B2 + AMT Pangaea CP-100

Alexey Antonov (aka Freakedelic Anvy) -- drums. Our drummer is also one of the band's founders. This guy really has seen some shit and in some shit had to play. His custom-crafted drum kit was used to record our Temptation EP, with its iron ED Cymbals Legat and Pearl Eliminator Redline pedal. In everyday life and for gigs he uses a hi-hat Paiste 303, 201 Paiste ride, crash Sabian El Sabor, and Pearl Eliminator. "There was some experience using Axis," he says, "but the chain drive was closer to me."

Dmitriy Kim (aka Kim) -- guitar. One of the founding fathers of Neuropolis. The most beautiful riffs are his job. Guitar: Epiphone Les Paul Custom with prophecy Pickups - EMG 81/85. Guitar processor: Zoom G5n.

Sergey Berezhansky (aka Sotona, aka Diversant) -- bassist, millionaire, playboy, philanthropist. He has two bass-guitars -- the first very strange ESP The Surveyor (there are doubts in originality) and Fender Precision Bass'82 -- plus a rather unique "craft" guitar. Despite its mystique, the ESP sounds pretty good for its price. "Well, Fender just made me happy with a single touch to the strings," he remarks. "In general, this is the very case when playing the guitar, is the great pleasure of the instrument. I use processor Boss GT-1B. It satisfies me completely. I used the delay pedal, but with the help of the processor, this no need to use a separate pedal. And the presence of preamp removed some inconveniences with connecting to different guitar speakers in different rehearsal rooms."

Miroslava Antonova (aka Degradante) -- vocals, lyrics, keyboards. Originally from Ukraine, she met Freakadelic in a chat and moved to St. Petersburg. Instruments: Diapason (mezzo soprano), Akai MPC mkII MIDI keyboard, PC, and reaper. Microphones: Oktava MK-319, Shure Beta 58A.

Some delicate ears do not stand up and bleed a bit from what they hear.

Well, you are certainly loaded for bear! Have you turned your attention to composing new material for an upcoming record?

Good question. We don't want to work on anything else, but it seems to be necessary, because it is stronger than drugs. (laughs) At the moment, we are working on a new EP, Golem, which we plan to release in the fall. This release will be different from EP Temptation, with a sharper, heavier sound. Presumably the Golem will be four new killer songs in the genre of death-doom. We have already recorded some demo tracks for the new EP. Some songs have lyrics, but there is no music and vice versa. Some are completely ready for studio recording. We hope to surprise those who liked our first release.

We want to bring doom metal out of the underground.

What is life like for a heavy music artist in Saint Petersburg? Do people understand your music or is the heavy music scene more of an "underground" phenomenon?

The life of a musician playing heavy music in St. Petersburg is like trying to give people vitamins, while everyone wants to eat a triple burger with sauce. Some delicate ears do not stand up and bleed a bit from what they hear. It's not bad, we love blood -- it's beautiful.

Music takes a lot of time and money, especially when you do something ideological and conceptual, not mainstream. The genre in which we play is not common here. Our music can really be called underground. This is the trend of our time: there is more in fashion pop music and light indie rock, which is convenient to play in bars and clubs. Such music helps the owner of the clubs to sell more alcohol. But we are still a young band, we hope to find like-minded people and organize concerts together. After the release of the second EP we will pay a lot of attention to concert activity. We want to bring doom metal out of the underground and are ready to make a lot of effort, not only in terms of sound, but also in terms of visual performance.

They come to us after the concerts to thank, praise, and even scold us.

Take is into your scene and tell us about some bands you play with that you might recommend to our listeners.

Freakadelic recommends cool Moscow guys Kamni. They play great stoner metal, although in recent years they trend more and more towards psychedelic rock. V recommends Arkona. This is a well-known Russian band. We haven’t not played on the same stage with them, but maybe someday we will be lucky to do it. Arkona's guitarist helped us with the EP Temptation, as we are close to his vision of heavy music. Degradante recommends a wonderful St. Petersburg band Theodor Bastard. Although it is not metal, the guys are original, with a gorgeous sound and interesting vocals. And also black metal collective Second To Sun.

We played with different bands, but we have never met anyone like us. Sometimes we saw a lack of understanding in the eyes of the listeners who came to have a rest after a hard day, but sometimes we saw interest in their eyes. There are all kinds of feedback: they come to us after the concerts to thank, praise, and even scold us, so we are doing something right. This world needs us.

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