Our interview to the newspaper "Karelia", 06.12.03

- How can you characterize a style of the music you play?
Christina: - When we formed the band we didn't agree the we'd play some certain music. It's difficult to identify the style, but if to say it's possible that Hexenhammer play gothic-doom-metal.

- What bands do influence on you?
Dmitry: - We all listen to different music and everybody adds something from his favorite band. We are fascinated with PARADISE LOST, CRADLE OF FILTH, PANTERA, MY DYING BRIDE, THE 69 EYES.

- What's the gothic music for you?
Christina: - By the mean, gothic music describes bizarre emotions and feelings and they'd be reflected not only in lyrics, but in music as well, that requires certain kind of atmosphere. Gothic music is very often called dismal and even terrifying. I consider that otherwise it helps certain people: a person, having listened to such music understands that he's not alone with his bizarre thoughts.
Dmitry: - I don't divide music into gothic and non-gothic at all…

- So there's gothic pop?
Dmitry: - Gothic pop? Certainly…

- For example…
Dmitry: - Well, "Agatha Christie".

- I'd rather not…
Dmitry: - At least for me. I consider that gothic music's connected with Middle Ages… In the whole it's the music I listen to.

- How do you think, if the band spoils having became popular?
Christina: - It all depends on the people and their aims.

- Do you want to become popular
Alexei: - I guess, we do.
Christina: - I'd rather have 30 fans, that really understand us, than crowds of fans, that can be caught with appearance of the musicians, not with the music.
Dmitry: - It's difficult to gain the popularity for the bands like ours, 'cause not everybody enjoys listening to dark music. Music is the main and it's definitely pleasant when your work is respected, that's why I don't mind Hexenhammer to become popular. But I should remark that I want it not because of money… the bands like ours don't drive limousines.

- Yep, it's rather rare point of view for modern musicians. Are you going to do something for promotion?
Christina: - Sure. We've done something already. But I don't want to speak about it, not to worsen our fortune.

- As you wish. Then let us go on: tell about your first album "Judas's Shadow".
Christina: We worked hard on it and as a result we achieved what we wanted to get: all songs are correlated and integrated. It's impossible to miscarry neither a song, nor even a note, there's nothing odd. Every song has its own plot, we worked hard on all of them and lead up to the necessary condition. The release of "Judas's Shadow" is very important event for HEXENHAMMER.
Dmitry: - It's said that writing an album is quite easy, but that's a lie: we put our souls in "Judas's Shadow". We wanted (and I should think we've got) that every song had an idea and the album had a conception. I mean, if you listened to the songs in the order they are in the album it felt as though you lived some small life.

- How about the second album?
Christina: - I think it should be released the next year. It'll be harder than the previous one, there will be more guitars. We are labouring under it in our studio. By the way our band is very self-contained, we practically depend on nobody. We've got an own studio HEXEN RECORDS and sound-maker Andrew.

- Do you have contacts with any famous bands?
Christina: - Not exact contacts… Last year we gave our CD to THE 69 EYES (finnish gothic-rock band, they'd a concert in March in Moscow, foot note by V.G.). It's not significant whether they listened to it or not, they held it in their hands and that's worth we gathered the band.
Dmitry: - We are acquainted with many finnish bands, rewrite with some of them.

- When and where you can be seen?
Alexei: - I suppose somewhere in the and of November in "Swan", we don't know exactly.
Dmitry: - At NORD SESSION!!! Festival lasts few days from the 11th till the 13th, we play in the 12th of December.

Valeria Gagarina