An important event for Russian progressive scene happened at the end of 2009 – Moscow band Tantal starts selling their albums in India and the United Kingdom. Negotiations for the sale of albums in the EU and the U.S. are carried on. Progress.FM asked the band leader Dmitry Ignatiev about promotion and distribution of prog-metal music.

Max Messerschmitt
Tantal began to sell their music abroad. Tell us more about this, please.

Dmitri Ignatiev
Album and merchandise is now been selling in India, a formal agreement is signed. After the New Year English label Raven Heart Music organizes distribution and promotion in Britain and in the U.S. and the album will be available through internet stores CD Baby, Amazon, Super D. This is something that is currently confirmed. We negotiate with the European agencies and with the United States separately. But I really think it is not big news for Russian listeners.

MM
Many musicians dream about it. How did you do this? Does secret is in music, or in promotion, or is the will and efforts of a man who was looking for distributors? Or maybe just luck?

DI
This is just the will and effort – modern technology has opened up great opportunities for musicians. They just have to want to use, and further results depend only on the person and the effort. We are not going to stop there. It’s not enough just to find agents who want to sell the disc. We must make great efforts to the promotion of the album and the band. And, again, all in the hands of musicians: Internet now is the most effective weapon.

MM
Who did promotion?

DI
Whole band. We worked with forums, with MySpace, sent newsletters. This is hellish and ungrateful work. Most offices do not bother themselves to respond. They can be understood, although.

MM
And who coordinated the effort?

DI
I had to do it as a leader.

MM
Have you been acting intuitively or studied the question? Have you tried any promotional tool, which came to hand? Or looked like moving the others? Is there some sort of “Promotional guideline for young musician”?

DI
I do not know how to call it … Just looking for labels and promotional agencies, which produce heavy music. Of course, I had to collect a huge database and then handle it methodically – sending e-mails, parcels with promotional packages of the group. There are no difficulties in it, the main thing here is perseverance. I think all bands do this way, if they want to express themselves abroad. It was the first experience for me.

MM
Have you worked with a label before?

DI
Yes, of course. It is Russian metal label Mazzar Records. They released lots of our local colleagues, as well as foreign bands.

MM
What is your relationship with the label now? Did they help in the promotion? What does their management think about the fact that you have established distribution abroad yourself?

DI
We are quite pleased. Mutual understanding between us was set up from the very beginning and it remains so. Thanks Mazzar Records album produced and sold throughout Russia, it is also available in several Russian ineternet stores. Label gave us a big push in promoting the band. Mazzar Records was engaged in arranging interviews for various publications in heavy music Web-Zines (Dark City, Rock Oracle, Darkside, etc.), sent album for reviewing, made various advertising modules. We discussed abroad promotion separately from the outset, and nobody objected. On the contrary, welcomed the initiative and helped.

MM
Why foreign labels take up this project? Again, was the music key factor or trends – prog becomes popular? Or an exotic? What determined this, to your mind?

DI
I think, first of all is music. Little indiscreet of course, but in confirmation of this came a large number of positive feedback and reviews from abroad and many foreigners interested by e-mail and on MySpace about the opportunity to purchase the disc. But the main was real desire to show our self not only in Russia. Moreover, such music is not in demand here.

MM
What is the reason for the lack of interest to prog in Russia?

DI
The complexity of perception is the main reason. Now “-core” dominates (the first part of the style substitute yourself). I will not deny that there are different bands that I am happy to listen. We, in Russia, not even have own prog-hangouts and thematic concerts, although I know many format bands. And there’s no an organizer that wanted to take up such a festival.

MM
In the contextf: What do you think about Progress.FM?

DI
I think it’s great that the radio station relevant to the subject of Prog-music has appeared. A lot of young prog bands will meet here!

MM
Prog – music for musicians. Do you agree with this statement?

DI
Not always! It depends on the band. There is a super sophisticated technical prog, but there are “benign” bands also, that can be listened to by an unprepared listener.

MM
Let’s return to the distribution. Do foreign partners predict commercial success?

DI
No one gives predictions in our time. But, if they do – only pessimistic. Now people do not want to pay for music: visit a torrent and download anything you want!

MM
The situation in the west should be better …

DI
We hope that people are more civilized there.

MM
Do you plan to earn for a living playing music?

DI
No, this was never in our plans. Especially with such a style very few people can afford to live off the music.

MM
We started well, but we came to end… not as would like to:) Do you have something to make us glad in the new year?

DI
It’s all because our grim concept In the new year we hope to finish writing material for their second album. Some of the songs for it already can be heard at our concerts. Also at ESP guitars (members of our band are it’s endorsers) we plan to release several thematic video master classes with our second guitarist Alexander Strelnikov. I also hope someone from Moscow organizers still be able to do the Prog-Festival. It should finally happen! Follow our news www.tantalweb.ru, www.myspace.com/tantalband, http://vkontakte.ru/club598531.

MM
Concerts? Foreign tour is in the plans?

DI
We have proposals in Russia from time to time which we are always happy! The next year is already scheduled performances in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tyumen. And the foreign tours – let’s wait for our English label, we discussed it.

MM
We are waiting for Russian prog-intervention to the west. Thank you for the interview.

DI
Thanks to all the Progress.FM staff! Good luck!

In early 2010 album “The Beginning Of The End” by Moscow prog metal band Tantal will be produced by English label Ravenheart Music. They will be responsible for promotion and distribution in the UK and USA, as well as sales via the Internet. In November 2009 Indian Agency Six Inch Nails Records embarked for the distribution of Tantal album. “Modern technology open up tremendous opportunities for promotion. Musicians should just want to use it and further results depend only on the person and his effort – considered the band leader Dmitry Ignatiev.

Tantal formed in 2004. In January 2007, their promo CD “Emotional Distress” appeared and guitarist Alexander Strelnikov came to the band. “The Beginning Of The End” was recorded in late 2008 and released on March 30th 2009 by russian metal label “Mazzar Records”. It is noteworthy that an international team worked on the album. Douglas Verhoeven, guitarist of Belgian band In-Quest, let himself spotted in this recording, and a cover was created by the Brazilian artist Gustavo Sazes.

On December 30th, track “Lifeless Existence” from the album “The Beginning Of The End” goes on the air of progressive metal station Progress.FM.

Pennsylvania progressive thrash metal band Forgotten Legacy has issued the following update regarding the progress of their new EP:

“The final mixing process has taken place and 2 songs are on our page for constructive feedback be it good, bad or indifferent.”

“The entire album will not be released until March/April, but these two songs should give you an indication of what you’ll get when all of the songs are released. ”

Forgotten Legacy was in the studio November 6th to 8th and will be releasing their first 5-song EP in the coming months.

MetalUnderground

New Jersey progressive metal band Symphony X has issued the following update:

“Just got off the phone with Michael Romeo; he wishes everyone a Happy New Year and reports that the writing of the new cd is progressing well. He says that the riffs are written and all the ideas are there, they’re just trying different arrangement ideas right now. We talked about how we’re back to the usual routine of trying to find new ways to say the same old ‘the band is writing the cd’, and he said ‘It’s hard to say. Every day is different, we’re just doing our thing & trying to make the tunes cool. You put something together one day and then come back the next day & listen to it; sometimes it’s cool, & sometimes it sucks & you have to change things around.’ They’re still hoping to be done with the cd by spring.”

MetalUnderground

Washington DC progressive instrumental band ANIMALS AS LEADERS, the solo project of 7- and 8-string guitar virtuoso Tosin Abasi, has announced dates in January and February supporting VEIL OF MAYA, along with CIRCLE OF CONTEMPT and PERIPHERY. This marks the second tour for the former REFLUX axe man’s new project.

The tour dates are as follows:

1/29 – East Ridge, TN @ The Warehouse
1/30 – Nashville, TN @ The Muse
1/31 – Memphis, TN @ Hi Tone Cafe
2/02 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
2/05 – Albuquerque, NM @ Warehouse 508
2/06 – Mesa, AZ @ UB’s
2/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Whisky
2/17 – St. Louis, MO @ Fubar
2/18 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
2/19 – Evansville, IN @ Boney Junes
2/20 – South Bend, IN @ Elva’s

Abasi commented, “”We’re very excited to be touring with Veil of Maya again and to be joined by Periphery couldn’t make us happier!”

MetalUnderground

Denmark progressive metal band Anubis Gate has issued the following end of the year update:

“2010 will be another exciting year in the Anubis Gate history. A new album is already in the making – we’re writing as you read this! – and we hope to enter the studio in the summertime with 8-12 brand new metal songs! As usual, you’ll be in for a surprise. Whatever we do, we do it to the max!”

MetalUnderground

California progressive death metal band Reciprocal has posted a new track, “Zombiopsy,” on the MySpace page. The song comes off their self-titled album, which was released on November 19th, 2009.

Swedish progressive metal act, Katatonia, has announced a contest in conjunction with Omerch Ltd. to celebrate the Winter Solstice, the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere, when “night becomes the new day.”

Fans can visit the band’s official site between Dec. 21 and Jan. 4 and answer the Katatonia trivia questions for a chance to win one of five Katatonia prize packs, each including a copy of the band’s latest release, Night is the New Day, along with autographed memorabilia, merch, and more. One grand prize winner will win a copy of Night Is The New Day Swedish edition and vinyl edition, a signed poster, a hoodie, and two tee shirts of choice. The deadline for entries is Jan. 4, and the winners will be picked at random from all correct submissions.

Along with the contest, the band has posted a stream of the track, “Ashen,” which, until now, could only be found on the Swedish edition of Night is the New Day.

Katatonia’s eighth studio album, Night is the New Day, is in stores now on Peaceville Records. The band will hit the road in support of Night is the New Day in March, headlining the “New Night Over Europe” tour.

Mar 3, 2010 – Hamburg, Germany – Logo
Mar 4, 2010 – Cologne, Germany – Luxor
Mar 5, 2010 – Nijmegen, Netherlands – Doornroosje
Mar 6, 2010 – Amstelveen, Netherlands – P60
Mar 7, 2010 – Vosselaar, Belgium – Biebop
Mar 9, 2010 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy 3
Mar 10, 2010 – Nottingham, UK – Rock City Basement
Mar 11, 2010 – London, UK – Garage
Mar 12, 2010 – Prestatyn, UK – Hammerfest II
Mar 13, 2010 – Cardiff, UK – Barfly
Mar 14, 2010 – Wolverhampton, UK – Little Civic
Mar 15, 2010 – Luxemburg, Luxemburg – Kulturfabrik
Mar 16, 2010 – Paris, France – Noveau Casino
Mar 17, 2010 – Niort, France – Camij
Mar 18, 2010 – Barcelona, Spain – Apolo 2
Mar 19, 2010 – Madrid, Spain – Ramdall
Mar 22, 2010 – Lyon, France – CCO Villeurbanne
Mar 23, 2010 – Solothurn, Switzerland – Kofmehl
Mar 24, 2010 – Milan, Italy – Alcatraz
Mar 25, 2010 – Rome, Italy – Alpheus
Mar 26, 2010 – Cervia, Italy – Rockplanet
Mar 27, 2010 – Ljublana, Slovenia – Gala Hala
Mar 28, 2010 – Wien, Austria – Szene
Mar 29, 2010 – Budapest, Hungary – Dürer Kert
Mar 30, 2010 – Prague, Czech – Exit Chmelnice
Mar 31, 2010 – Krakow, Poland – Rotunda
Apr 1, 2010 – Warsaw, Poland – Stodola
Apr 2, 2010 – Berlin, Germany – Lido
Apr 3, 2010 – Bochum, Germany – Zeche
Apr 4, 2010 – Leipzig, Germany – Conne Island
Apr 5, 2010 – Frankfurt, Germany – Batschkapp
Apr 6, 2010 – Munich, Germany – Backstage
Apr 10, 2010 – Thessaloniki, Greece – Principle Club Theater
Apr 11, 2010 – Athens, Greece – Gagarin 205

MetalUnderground

New Jersey progressive death metal band Dystrophy has issued the following studio update:
“All tracks have been recorded and now we move on to mixing! Demos sound absolutely evil!”

MetalUnderground

On December 21 in the Progress.FM rotation appears the song from the new album of “Beheaded Zombie” band. The disc entitled “Happiness for All” can also be purchased online in Progress.FM web-store. Before release, we interviewed a bandleader Dmitry Lyashkov.

Max Messerschmitt
Tell me, please, which difficulties you met in the process of recording?

Dmitry Lyashkov
If in detailes, then I tell in order. There were some troubles with the recording of this album. It all started with the fact that our drummer absolutely had given up playing music; moreover, we had to say farewell to the guitarist, who played with us since the founding of the group in 2002. Only three of us had remained and three of us had recorded the album: I recorded the guitar, my brother, Vladimir Lyashkov, recorded drums and bass, and sang Ivan Pudyakov, our vocalist.

MM
Pardon, I interrupt. What are your ex-members names?

DL
Drummer Artem Mokeev, guitarist Konstantin Koltyga. In the process of recording we were joined by current guitarist Pavel Savchenkov, who recorded several leading parts on the album.

MM
Why had such a misfortune with drummer and guitarist happened?

DL
This is, probably, a regularity; not a misfortune. The drummer just got carried away with other things. As for the guitarist… Well, let’s say, we have grown as musicians during the past few years , and he has grown a bit less. The difference was principle. In addition, they do not quite understand why we stopped playing brutal death metal and began to play something completely different.

MM
This is interesting. But why?

DL
Yes, just tired of playing the “meat” music. And there were ideas which laid outside the style we played. The first step away from grind we made at the album “Line of Life” released in 2006. Radical changes there did not happen, but in our minds the point of “no return” has been broken. Working on the next album, we relaxed and did not restrict ourselves by style boundaries.

MM
Can this be called a musical maturation? Has your approach become more mature?

DL
Of course, the goals have changed and the approach to their implementation has changes too. The prior task was simple – that was headbanging. Now we have started to write different music. We want the detailed arrangements, acoustic guitars, clean vocals and, most importantly, we’ve got an idea how to realize it. Although, honestly, we recirded this album in full confidence that this will be our “last song”, as the band was at one step from collapse. And besides, we were tired, to recruit new members.

MM
What has changed?

DL
Changed … Who knows, maybe just a rest, ride in the tour, got some charge of vivacity. Let’s see how it will suffice. I love working on studio albums, and not on just my own. I enjoy playing as a guitarist in other projects.

MM
As for the brutal death metal and progressive. Many note that bands begin with the heavier sound, but after two or three albums the growling may disappear or the structure of the songs can become more simple. For example, Amorphis started as a death metal band, and then smoothly moved into the category of progressive metal genre. It seems that something like this happened with you, didn’t it? Don’t you see parallels? Maybe heavy music is just immature, isn’t it?

DL
Our music has become more complicated, not simpler. And in terms of structure, composition and structure as well. So I do not see parallels.

MM
But even more melodic. Not such a peremptory, let’s say.

DL
This is normal. For example, Gorguts. Melodic? Yes. Peremptory? Yes. There is no cliche; the main thing is that the performer has his own face. No matter, even if that’s the ass. But this must be his ass – not a neighbor’s. We have hundreds of identical asses, and many like it – be the tenth Cannibal Corpse, fifteenth Children Of Bodom, one hundred sixtieth Aria. And I think that if you have nothing to say, then there’s better to be quiet. Therefore, there’s no immaturity of heavy music. You can be melodic and kill with brutality at the same time.

MM
How would you describe the new album? What is its idea, its message?

DL
I have always been bad in “stamps”. Now try …

MM
It’s not about stamps, but of ideas you are moved by.

DL
The new album is an interesting work; as original as we could make it. I am almost sure that the fans of brutal music won’t like it, but I think that there are some who enjoy it. Musical idea is simple – do not repeat the others, just to do only ours. And if you take the background of the lyrics, or as you called it, the message …

Album “Happiness for all” is about that the more people turn into puppets, selfish people are beginning to be afraid of responsibility, the literacy rates fall; in general, there is a global stupefying, to my mind. Especially the younger generations. I can not understand how a man can be afraid of any responsibility, and women do not want to give birth. I do not understand why people with diseases go to church instead of going to the doctor, and, directing their glance to the icon, keen: “Lord, send us a cure from the rheum” and the voice over replies: “Take medicine, assholes.” I can not understand a society that so much believes it does not solve anything, that even it no longer resists. For me it is absurd, and these issues are raised on the album. Perhaps it sounds snobbish, but this is not the pathos. I really see this problem.

MM
“Happiness for all” is like the “The Wish Machine” by Strugatsky brothers. What did you listen to, what did you watch and read while writing the material? Who did inspire you?

DL
I do not deny that I owe Strugatsky brothers for the album name. At that time I couldn’t watch movies and listen to music, because I had to work a lot. But I read constantly. At that point, it seems, I read the stories of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Ilf and Petrov. As the musician I was greatly influenced by Cynic and the Genesis’ album “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”.

MM
Do you think a musician should be “socially responsible”? To criticize a society and to shake it?

DL
Musician owed nothing to anybody. It’s not about musicians, writers, actors. In principle, I think that any normal person should be socially responsible, one way or another. To criticize a society is not the right kind of the question. To criticize themselves. For getting evolved. And the public just needs to be reminded that the problem exists. And it soudn’t be shaked, by the way. We all are like a pendulum, and it has only two positions – left and right. Somehow, we can’t freeze in the middle. Perhaps, there is such a mentality… It may seem that this concerns the politics, but no – I am an apolitical person. I just care about where I live.

MM
Will the art save the world?

DL
No. People will save the world. Or will burn it. The art is needed for mental relaxation. From labor, from everyday thoughts. To sit down, then insert your favorite movie and to think. Or to turn on your favorite band and to succumb to nostalgia, to get sad for a short while. Relaxation doesn’t mean “doing nothing”. That is just for changing the state of mind.

MM
The last question: please define the progressive metal?

DL
I do not know … perhaps it is the metal music, which does not fit into frames of other subgenres.

MM
What do you think about Progress.FM?

DL
I think such a project has had to appear much earlier. Go on!