DoppelgangeR and the step program from Hell

Ever changing, and ever more stylish and beguiling DOPPELGANGER’s new album is something of a treat for anyone looking for a new band to immerse themselves in. We also check out the previous album too, so get stuck in.

So, let’s got back to the 'Saturnian Rings' album first. Was there a specific link between the mystical imagery and any of the songs?

Dmitry Flo: Yes there was. Music and lyrics on album were accompanying each other.

You had line-up changes between the 'Dancing' album, what happened there, where did they go, and how did this affect the sound?

Dmitry Flo: Well, guys wanted to play soft-metal. I wanted to make something more like 80’s indie. I know that they are not making any music at all right now.

You said when I interviewed you that 'Dancing' had come out lighter than intended, did 'Saturnian Rings' go some way in restoring balance in what you wanted?

Dmitry Flo: Actually, 'Saturnian Rings' was the first album ever where we achieved what we had planned. Yes and in some respect, it went into that direction, to restore the sound.

It had a really vigorous feel to it even, when slow. I take it you were in a positive mood?

Dmitry Flo: Yes we were and we are experiencing some sort of creative vein now. Also, it’s obvious when musicians are great it’s easy to achieve what you are planning.

'Buddha Is My Shelter' is dead poppy – what does a song like that do for you reputation back home, do people think you’re going soft in the head?

Dmitry Flo: He, he. It seemed poppy to you? Well, we never plan on how the next song is going to sound. We can just have some sort of a concept of how the next album will sound in whole.

Black CaT: 'Buddha Is My Shelter' is a great song. When we perform it live a lot of people in the audience starting to dance.

'Vivo' is wilder but just as catchy, you hit a rich melodic vein around then?

Dmitry Flo: =))'Vivo' happened so natural, on some sort of reflex level.

Black CaT: What I like in it the most is that I keep repeating same musical phrase over and over, but everybody is playing different things at the same time.

Then the wonderfully moody '8&8' – what’s that about?

Dmitry Flo: In '8&8' there is such a monotonous theme, which keeps going on and on, it feels like it is a steam pavement compactor, which is impossible to stop. But I want to repeat myself; we did not plan it to sound this way.

Were you short of songs to have four remixes included?

Dmitry Flo: It’s funny you said that; but no, we actually asked musicians we respect to make these remixes, they agreed and label was kinda interested in it too.

So then, to '12 Steps To Inhumanity', and what lurks behind the title?

Dmitry Flo: We wanted to describe what are we surrounded with. And it’s dreadful. Human kind lost all the credits for continuing this civilization. I think that it will be a totally different world where will be no memories of two legged Homo Sapience. Just don’t think I am loosing my mind, please.

What did you intend for this record, sound-wise, and how successful have you been in achieving it? It sounds harder.

Dmitry Flo: We wanted it to sound harder, we did not use any keyboards to prevent it from going soft. It came out pretty much the way we wanted it to; there is an atmosphere of nervousness and uncertainty. Kinda rough canonical sound.

'Nickel' – quite a brash, hungry sound there, with weird lyrics – remembering the Earth, but forgetting the sky? A metaphor for what?

Dmitry Flo: This one is about people who prefer to close themselves in their own crypt without any intentions to look up; but eventually all their efforts only worth 5 cent.

'First Step' - wonderfully lively and wiggling, but what’s all this? Bleak lyrics!

Dmitry Flo: We like from time to time to combine the obviously contradictory things. It always comes out weird and unusual.

'We Are More Than Dead' – like a form of skinny punk?

Dmitry Flo: I don’t know, it just came out this way. =)))

'Today' – grim drug imagery based on someone you know?

Dmitry Flo: When I was writing lyrics for this song I had a memories of 'Naked Lunch' by Burroughs and movie 'Liquid Sky'.

On the sound front this really does sound like the listener is actually there. How was this record done?

Dmitry Flo: We did not use any sound enhancement devices in the studio. During the mix we just added some “hall” and “compressor”. It came out pretty lifevly.

'Circle Gets Closed' – more about futility, were you depressed when writing these songs?

Dmitry Flo: No, no, no depression was at the time. It is a song about that a lot is already predetermined for all of us, and most of us would hardly be able to change it.

'He’s Our Big Shot' – sounds a bit jumbled, but the words are weird. This isn’t mere paranoia?

Dmitry Flo: Yes exactly, paranoia it is.

Oh, actually songs are out of order with the back cover – just for the record, which songs are out of place? Is it just these two turned around?

Dmitry Flo: These songs were placed this way for more confusion. There is nothing criminal in it, concept is above all.

Maggoth: Only 3 people have noticed that so far, including you Mick.

“I am trying not to plan anything for the future. We live in such a merry and revolutionary country, and it is so possible that some next idiot after having his glass of vodka will decide to make another revolution. We all are the hostages of our state.”

'Someone Who Is One Of Us' – so that’s the darker tone, but you have golden bones? What are the golden bones? Then 'He’s Our Big Shot' bounds away like some spirited punky r’n’r?

Dmitry Flo: You know here in Moscow we have an art museum called Tretyakovskaia Gallery, it has two affiliates. In the second one art of the modern artists is displayed. And there is this horrible painting, I do not recall the name of an artist, it’s called 'Golden Bones'. There is a whole exhibition hall full of art of painters; you look at it and think that these guys just forgotten which end of their brushes to use. So on this picture Golden Bones we see Jesus hanging on the cross made out of bones; there are all these biblical characters down below. It reminds Bosch paintings a little bit. So, I thought that it will perfectly work for a song. Some sort of a story about complete failure of all these human totems.

'It Breaks Our Souls' seems quite vague, middle ground but with bubbly guitar? Are you trying to lift us up here?

Dmitry Flo: This one is our favorite from the album. Lyrics are about that we all are just puppets and someone pulls our string and everything he (she) wants it will be. This concept simply kills our souls.

'They Don’t Recollect You' – the imagery in this is plain weird? How do you come up with something like this, is it poetry done when you’re out of your head and you think it fits the sound of some music, or do you really comes up with these specifically for the music, which seems quite orderly and ‘normal’?

Dmitry Flo: This one is about that no one will remember us after some time will pass by. Song is about necessity hopelessness. We make music first then come the lyrics.

'Hey, Buddy', like drowning in misery?

Dmitry Flo: It is devoted to one of my friend who had finally suffered enough on this earth and mercifully released now.

'Mute Idol' – pink rabbit? Is there an idea in this one or stream of consciousness?

Dmitry Flo: No these are just a separate characters. Actually you may not pay any attention to pink rabbit.

'XII Steps To Inhumanity' – a weird close, but fitting for a weird album. It’s very dark. How does this all go down live?

Dmitry Flo: As I said above we did not use any sound enhancers so it is very easy for us to restore the sound of studio album.

How are things for Doppelganger as a band, a building audience, a clear view of your immediate future? Or are you pawns of chaos?

Dmitry Flo: We are working on our new album. I am trying not to plan anything for the future. We live in such a merry and revolutionary country, and it is so possible that some next idiot after having his glass of vodka will decide to make another revolution. We all are the hostages of our state.

Black CaT: For instance recently our statesmen were considering prohibiting youngsters to visit their schools dressed in Emo or Gothic styles. They decided to place it on the same shelf with extremism and consider these groups of youngsters as extremely dangerous.

Dmitry Flo: Let me thank you, Mick for great questions and for your continuous interest to our trio. Thanks a lot for making my brains work answering on these questions.

“For instance recently our statesmen were considering prohibiting youngsters to visit their schools dressed in Emo or Gothic styles. They decided to place it on the same shelf with extremism and consider these groups of youngsters as extremely dangerous.”

Author: Mick Mercer
www.mickmercer.com