Alexandra Sidorova – (vocals clean, extreme, lyrics) “Meschera” is the project which was created together with Dmitry Kokarev who is multi-instrumentalist and composer. We got to know each other one year ago, in summer 2022. The idea of creating a black-metal project with elements of dark-folk came to us simultaneously in autumn. Both of us were extremely interested in creating something of this kind.
‘’It was an irresistible creative torrent, during which the music was created. As soon as the tunes were created, they started to cling with each other creating the songs which themselves were a huge inspiration for us to keep on composing further tracks.
How do you create the ceremony within your music?
‘’We use such instruments as taglharpa of two kinds and a Russian traditional instrument called gusli. These acoustic instruments create a certain ancient atmosphere with the help of a specific remarkable rasping sound. It has a dark coloring which makes the listeners imagine the pictures of cold northern lands in their heads. What’s more, the elements of traditional vocals and the mixture of various vocal styles make the emotions very vivid, practically animalic.
''Initially it’s a collective performance of two musicians who are anxious about the same idea.
What can the listener expect from your debut album "Harvest”?
‘’We are introducing such a genre as atmospheric black dark folk metal, so the listeners can hear all these genres in our tracks. Though, if you dive deeper into the album, you might understand that there are a lot more genres there. We managed to create something completely new, something which has never ever been created throughout the whole history of global metal music.
You have many different styles.
‘’We never had such a goal to combine anything intentionally. In our album all the styles entwine naturally, and everything sounds the way it should as long as each and every style here has its own place and purpose. To be honest, it’s impossible to explain the way music is created from the practical and logical point of view. Everything is in absolute harmony on its own.
Is it difficult to combine black metal with
atmosphere and traditional lyricism?
''No, it’s not hard at all: as I have already said, when the vocal parts were created, we just tried to figure out how to express the melody which already existed inside the music. The lyrics were created alongside with music and were an essential part of it. They complement the melody and help to reveal its very soul through the genre of black metal.
The honesty within your music? Is emotion the most important part of “Meschera”?
‘’Sure. Honesty is the clue to our music. People who feel this honesty understand our music.
Speaking of emotions, it’s one of the most significant parts of our group, yet not the only significant one. I can say that it’s a bond between our listeners and us.
What does Harvest mean to you?
‘’I’m really delighted that I have “Meschera” in my life, this project means a lot to me. Our first album is filled with various inner emotions. Currently this album is the highest summit in my whole career in the metal genre. I applied all my skills and even more: this album opened up my limits in all vocal genres. It taught me a lot both in terms of vocal skills and music. The connection to nature and its personal importance?
‘’Nature is one of our richest sources of inspiration. It powers us up and gives us energy. 80% of our album is connected with the images of nature. The word “Meschera” itself is not only the title of the territory which is situated between two rivers called Oka and Klyazma (the area of thick forests, numerous lakes, cranberry swamps, dove-colored fogs, and dark rivers), but also is the name of some East Slavic tribes.
The darkness that inhabits your music? Is this from personal experience?
‘’Yes: we are both artists, so our souls are very sensuous. All our personal experiences and feelings are brightly reflected in our music. “Meschera” is literally the dark side of our souls.
How do you define love and hatred? Its connection to the world?
‘’Love and madness or hatred echo in us, it’s like two sides of a coin: for the sake of love, we are ready to die, burn up and rise again from the dust in order to feel alive. For the sake of these emotions, we create our music. And emotions themselves connect us with the world around making us alive.
What can man do to stop the destruction of our earth?
‘’Each and every one should start from his or herself: we should respect our mother-nature and try to be thankful for what it gives us. Everyone should decide on his or her own what he or she is ready to do to express respect to something that has given us our lives.
Should music be more inspired by the personal, rather than world events?
‘’For me music has mainly been a product of my own experience and emotions. Yet, I believe that each musician should decide him or herself, what to use as a source of an inspiration, and, if world events inspire him or her to create something beautiful, great, and meaningful, which is going to help people around, it’s 100% justified.
The importance of history in your music and how can we learn from it?
‘’As I have previously said, we are trying to educate people on some cultural and historical aspects of our homeland: in particular, we tell people about what “Meschera” really means and show them some forgotten parts of this culture. History is memory and memory alongside with words will live as long as we live. We can pass on the long-forgotten names which were given by our predecessors, to help them live on in the hearts of the generations to come. The evolution of Meschera?
‘’The nearest plans are the shoot a new music video, participation in three big Russian open-air festivals, recording of a new single or even an EP in autumn and that’s all for now.
Top 6 albums of all time.
1. Eluveitie - Evocation I - The Arcane Dominion 2. Sylvaine - Nova 3. Nightwish - Once 4. Dzivia - Rujnuj 5. Аркона - Слово 6. Myrkur – Folkesange