Interview taken by Mick Mercer for his magazine "The Mick". December 2005 issue. www.mickmercer.com
The questions are answered by Yuri Zvezdniy & Anastasia Podnebesnaya.
____________________________________________________

(Mick Mercer) - When I interviewed you last you mentioned you liked ‘Soviet imperial music’ and ‘variety dance music of 60-70s’, from your childhood and you’ve been in punk bands and noise creations – and presumably Necro Stellar is an end-product of all of that. Is there any form of music you have yet to introduce which also has a strong grip on you?

(Yuri Zvezdniy) - Thanks. It is very pleasant question! But it is too flattery to be the certain element bringing a result for all of it. I think, we have not risen up to such a level yet. To be an embodiment of the whole epoch which can be made even in the external form of creativity - is what I really aspire to. I try to introduce it in music, as I think that the pressure of the past contains very much. Even unprecedented energy of the inverted attention of weights, which remains at the bottom of huge crater disappearing destinies after a decline of this or that epoch, not leaving anywhere, but developing rather unusually. And it can be worthy comprehensive analysis. As to musical directions. I try to study comprehensively any styles and directions, but I can't tell, that styles influence me. On the contrary, I try to search for my own musical hand and to combine styles. Now, in our high-speed century it is very simple to receive any information. Mass consumption formats, like mp3 absorb market of audio production. And if I refused mp3 music before, as I tried to protect my ears, now I have completely let myself off. Now I don't care. One of my computers constantly downloads a huge quantity of the most different music through the files - exchangers . Thus I am completely filled up with musical information which I gradually bear. And I try to keep in mind, first of all, that the amount of the information would not affect my perception of any various valuable and interesting to me artist. That all would remain as before, when I could listen through only 5-10 new bands a week.

(MM) - You also mentioned in the last interview about demons in your folklore – is it common for people to still be interested in matters of this sort of in Russia, and in magic? Are you one of many people doing so and so do you find yourself discovering other artists who intrigue YOU? Or is your way of doing things unique out there?

(Yuri) - I think, there are small layer of people who are interested in magic. And I suspect, that it is typical not only for Russia. I try not to connect creativity and the work. On the contrary, I'm interested in division and representation my creativity as an organism isolated from my mentality and even from the investigated myself subconsciousness.
If you mean Russian occult bands within electro/industrial/noise, I can say, there are few of them I'm interested in. For example, Úíàâü(Nav') and Õòóëõó (Khtulkhu). I also like the creativity of my late friend and his project Ñòàðóõà Ìõà (Staruxa Mha), released by the “tantric harmonies”. As well as everywhere, there are lots of bands in Russia, but I have very selective taste, and I suppose the matter is those requirements which I show to my music. That's why the most part of what passes through my ears does not cause any interest and curiosity to me.

(MM) - Are you still full-on RED BEAST THERAPY? Have you ever considered a slow, moody-only night ever?

(Yuri) - Yes, we are still full-on, but it is the big convention as each style has its frameworks. The task of well psychologically prepared artist not to narrow them too strongly, as too strongly expressed clearness and definiteness deprives creativity of its secret. In my opinion, any styles and concepts are created for manipulation, and it is necessary to balance for not to be too undisguised. The variant of the quiet pacified night is one of those forms of reality which is closest to me. I build the life as a uniform condition of calm and pacification. For the sake of it I exclude all superfluous, for example clubs, discos, superfluous affairs, superfluous people in my life and I fill it with emptiness and freshness.

(Anastasia Podnebesnaya) - In my opinion, RED BEAST THERAPY is not only the musical style and the name of our next album, but also a certain projection to the life of musicians, an integral part of their way, a never-ending stream of vital energy. Yes, we still full-on RED BEAST THERAPY.

(MM) - The records have huge powerful rhythms and impact, but of course you could go even harder, so why not? Is there a level beyond The Red Beast Therapy?

(Yuri) - Yes, it is. It's what I am going to use in the “The Red Beast ” album :), I want to strengthen the rhythm and to make all basic line of music paramount, having excluded the numerous of different levels and experimental fragments. I constantly try to overcome myself and to cease with experiment, but it not usually turns out so. Maybe it is so, because I don’t listen to a powerful dancing music. As to a new level of perception and submission after «RED BEAST THERAPY» I think, that it unequivocally presents. And it is one of tasks of my creativity. The new level of comprehension yourself through spaces of the set free desire, of the moving and merging desire in the quintessence of an united first-born instinct in image of an animal - is what I would like to reflect and inform up to the listeners in «The Red Beast » which I have started recording.

(MM) - The school of magic and necromancy SPIRALNIX - www.spiralnix.ru and www.ordenxc.org – that you founded are a mystery to me. People will obviously be interested or not, but can you briefly say what it is either people get from it?

(Yuri) - I have founded only SPIRALNIX school. I write my articles and educational materials for http://www.ordenxc.org and this site was the first to support my school. They were first to become the branch of SPIRALNIX and I am immensely grateful to them. Now my school has many branches, but I still love http://www.ordenxc.org SPIRALNIX is a school of sorcery. Those who aspire to seize occult and extrasensory knowledge and to learn to put them in affect in daily life come to study in SPIRALNIX.
I write a great number of developments based on my personal experience and on knowledge which have been existing long before me. Ordering of this knowledge allows me to write lessons and to suggest them to those who come to me.

(MM) - How do the two websites differ – and what does what you called transcendental magic of a new sort have that other forms of magic don’t?

(Yuri) - The first site is an official site of my school, the second is the most known Russian site devoted to necromancy. It supports my school.
As to transcendence. I cannot speak about new or old. As the word "new" will sound as the self-advertisement. But at the same time, I think, that this word-combination « the transcendental school of new time» completely reflects the specificity of training and essence of my school.

(MM) - Did it develop for a reason? Does it address anything other magics don’t have?

(Yuri) - The reasons of the school foundation have an irrational property. There is something pushing me towards it, somewhat forces, crossing my destiny with it and at the same time I understand, that if I shall refuse and leave the school, it will badly affect that program of the life which has been traced for me from above. Besides I cannot undermine trust of those who has handed me their destiny, I mean pupils and those friends and participants of the school who are very close. So I am going to execute this mission up to the end and I try to do it well. I try to be consecutive and responsible in everything, especially in my work.

(MM) - What title do you have? Does it make you a Wizard? A Warlock?

(Yuri) - The teacher of transcendental school

(MM) - Does music, or sound, have any part in it?

(Yuri) - Yes, partly. It is difficultly to me to get abstracted from my work. Besides, many ideas and practice which are presented in my lessons find the reflection in my music.
And it is difficult to divide it. Sometimes I want to make it as, for example, in the just recorded album « White Tranquility» which I have devoted to the memory of those fallen within the Second World war. But sometimes I do not want it to be made, for example, in the case with the album «The Red Beast» which I have just began to rerecord. These are two different albums. The first is Russian-speaking, representing the original book of memory. It is closer to folk music. The second - English-speaking, dancing, club, recorded specially for Schwarz stage.

(MM) - I love the sound of modern insanity for ‘Lucifer Suddenly Rising’, especially with the grave vocals and dance intensity – does it bring a certain kind of people to your shows?

(Yuri) - Thanks. It is very pleasant to hear it. Yes. I think, probably, it involves people. But I do not include this song in concert programs as it is not too rhythmical. The secondly, it is too experimental, and thirdly, it is of four compositions. As far as I remember, there are 4 different themes. And, in my opinion, these are factors which can indirectly affect the perception or threaten the perception of whole concert program as a whole. So I name such songs « for the home listening ».

(MM) - What would you do if Lucifer, or something similar, did suddenly rise? Run towards him or get the fuck out of town?

(Yuri) - I would stay nonchalant. Any action would be impermissible in comparison with my controlled inactivity.
As I consider Lucifier not as the certain personificated aspect, but as the energy of special property. In my understanding the given energy is the filling of secret essence of things, phenomena and actions. Each phenomenon has the reflection and a shadow. The secret essence is made in this reflection and a shadow. The reflected world moves so as our do. It includes not only reflection of the present in all its variety, but also the rest of the past. For example, the terrestrial rest of our ancestors. Become obsolete and motionless forms, no less than places of not inverted attention of the person, are near us.
What is the infernal filling contained in the light of the Morning Star? This filling represents rest of the past and the reflected world of existing. As leaving does not leave, but stays as constant presence. The more the lived through, reflected, is exposed to natural oblivion, the more it enters the force. It is impossible to imagine the phenomenon, deprived reflections and the shadows deprived the secret sense, secret essence.
Thus, the aspect of Lucifier as the turnaround component of any condition and the phenomenon - day and night, a body of the shadow, the latent essence of the things, concentrated in the desire and will of ancient, in the become obsolete sincere body of the person, animal, plants and so on, - forms the united infernal circle of the planet.

Alive forms accumulate a huge loop of comprehension during a life. Its essence are all tested feelings, ideas... all what is called the tension of the gone away life. And if to imagine that after death immortal spirit directs up, gravitates to total disappearance, loss of itself in the ocean of eternity, so the terrestrial soul - is the body of memory generated in different comprehension, saved up during a life, remains within the limits of the Earth as the memory of the ground, as comprehension of the Earth.

This is the comprehension of the died - the body of memory named by some people « the dark astral projection », also gravitates to opposite side of creation, reincarnation, but only within the limits of terrestrial forms. Thus, the opposite sides of creation, for example, rotting of corpse or yellowness of an old photo, are lit up by the pure light of Lucifier. Passing on layers, light changes, the same time, for example, the astral memory body of your ancestors undergoes changes too.

On the bottom limits it becomes the uniform weight forming the infernal circle of special density. When tension of the circle mounts to a critical point, energy of the circle, no less than energy of the Morning Star passes in the uniform energy of the Red Animal, as alive will of the infernal space intended for this planet.

This energy of the red chasm is made in a nucleus of the Earth. The essence of the given energy contains the absolute opportunity and special, incomparable aspiration. The united infernal energy of a red nucleus is shown as the Beast who are the alive will of the Earth and who fucks Earth as his wife in any possible ways.

(MM) - On a scale of one to ten Luciferisms, how does Putin score?

(Yuri) - I always considered a zero, as the ideal number concluding the balance of all figures. I think, my estimation of Putin does not allow me to rank him as an equivalent and constant symbol of zero. Maybe the essence of Lucifier representing the united infernal circle of a planet will be capable to approach him to any significant figure? I think, he is too remote from it.

(MM) - Do you have a cat?

(Yuri) - Îîîî …! Sure we do! I adore cats. I would take a couple more, but Anastasia forbids it. I think, if my music is written in the company of cats, it would be more original, any way, it would be very nice.
I cannot fall asleep without our little cat, and he always sleeps with us. I also do not wish to rise from the bed until the cat won't come on the bed and kiss me on cheek. I like to enter the subconsciousness of my cat, and try to look at things the way he does. I also interested in different aspects of the animals and I willingly continue studying them, thus using special function of an astral projection - the body of the shadow. Sometimes it brings very special pleasure.

(MM) - The darker side makes perfect sense on many forms of music, but what about the bouncy, twinkly ‘Pulsing Zero’, is that you calm and at one with your world? It’s out and out fun, with those portly vocals?

(Yuri) - «Pulsing Zero» album conveys more likely the certain piece of my life. The matter is that all songs of this album except two or three of them - have been thought up in 1995-1998 and recorded in 2000, so I perceive Pulsing Zero as the romantic memoirs on that time which I lived, composing all this.

This album - is some kind of mess consisting of the old songs, therefore it is not as good on a sound as that material which I record now. But nevertheless I like it. What's concerning the voices I can tell, that when I compose this or that song I precisely know, how I shall process the voices and where and what will be. As I often write too filled arrangement, voices demand to be approached to the precise frequency description.
So I insert different layers in voice, as a rule, those are simulators of different lamp extracts which allow to strengthen harmonics on the certain frequencies. It is not necessary to speak about the entertainment. Music is often a hard work, as it requires to think and to calculate much before recording, but it does not concern to the composing. As the composing is pleasant and fascinating. But recording and mastering – are something else. And if the composition takes one-two hours, recording lasts 2-3 weeks or month.

(MM) - Do people in Russia wonder why you sometimes use this big Old Man vocals? Is that seen by people as old-fashioned, or an interesting approach to old styles?

(Yuri) - Probably, you meant the choral effect in music which is achieved by means of the special device - harmonizer? If it's so I consider the attitude of people to this from the psychological point of view. I think that all it - I mean all these vocoders and hormonizers, which sometimes would be desirable to be indulged with, close the emotional channel shown through a voice of the artist.
I have a few harmonizers and vocoders. Sometimes when looking on them, I become desirable to process the voice in such a way… (!), but I understand how is it important to create the full emotional contact to the listener through a timbre of a real voice, that's why I try to use all this only in backs. I do not want to seem the snob and the conservative, but the emotional contact, the connection with the listener is very important, and it is able by the use of sensation of affinity and availability of the artist's open vocal.

(MM) - And with the lyrics in Russian, what is the serene-sounding ‘Novena’ about? Something horrible, or sweet? The extra voices sound angry and urgent halfway through?

(Yuri) - Yes, Novena song is really serene-sounding. I have used as the text the poem of Astrid Tollefsen translated into Russian. In my opinion, this song can be an original narration about balance of all things before the life end. Breaking up and departing, the world remains for ever, comes back and escapes, sinks in uniform force of souls reincarnation. It is one of characteristic points of our creativity.

(MM) - Given the slick ‘rave’ sounds in some of the songs, like ‘Satellite Of Satan’ and the bendy ‘On The River’ - does it draw I any dance club people who then wonder what they Hell they’ve wondered into?

(Yuri) - You are right. I think they do, or rather feel the difference. Never the less I receive play lists by different DJ’s from all over the world, where they show my songs to be used in their sets.

(MM) - ‘Satellite Of Satan’ is another wonderful, mad world all of its own. How long does it take for something this complex but instantly-accessible sound take to create, from the first moment you have an idea, to the final mix you’re happy with?

(Yuri) - Thanks, but I think, this song is not as good for the praise.
I compose each song in such way. First there is a certain pulse, an index point which can be expressed in any kind. Than I give the form of this energy. As a rule, I try to give that form which dictates the contents of the received pulse.
It requires from 20 minutes to 2 hours to write a song. I write all arrangement at once in my head, I also conditionally mark all pauses and changes of the rhythm, active and passive parts, structure of a vocal, drum-type lines, and also how this song will influence the listener and how the listener will react to it.
Then I make in a head the list of those tools which will participate, for example the list of synthesizers which will be applied. I leave some part of an empty place for the ordered experiment within the framework of the set harmony during record All is very constructive and exact, without superfluous deviations. After that I start recording and it takes a quantity of time. I average from one week and to about one month. I am very punctual in music and I achieve the full control and accuracy. I even mark each line panorama character, when I write down its name in the audio sequencer, because if the song is consisted of 80 lines, so it is difficult to memorize the panorama of each line.

(MM) - How close is ‘Satellite Of Satan’ to your favourite Necro Stellar song, just to give us an idea of what you like best about your sound? It’s a huge, epic song after all.

(Yuri) - I had been writing this song in 1997 being under strong impression by the contact with different infernal creatures, and also by tantric and other sexual practices which I tested in a body of the Besat discovered by myself in the my subconsciousness. This song contains demonstration of the Beast as a woman, and that, what I could feel from such occurrences, that, what my soul and my body felt. It should be expressed. Now I consider this song as very naive and romantic, but in a good way of meaning. Now, if I want to take this theme again, I shall not express it with such straightforwardness.

« Only Moon » is my favorite song among the new English-speaking songs by Necro Stellar. It has already taken part in one of compilations. As for noise plays, I like "Stay and Burn". I have written this exclusive track for the international compilations "Khatyn" devoted to burnt alive inhabitants of some village. It going to be released in January 2007 on Stigmata records. I have involved the extreme quantity of tools and noise, ancient tape processing and many other things as I constantly should constrain myself being writing arrangements for rhythmical and dancing songs. But here I gave myself a free hand. From the new Russian-speaking album « White Tranquility » which I have already finished recording, I like the all songs. Especially, "The Ascension. Part 1", "Stalingrad", "The cuckoo in a grove" and the instrumental, devoted to a partisans within the war. I am quite pleased with this album. The English-speaking dancing album is on turn. I have already recorded 5 songs.

(MM) - What do you honestly think people think of you out there, musicians with their own ideas, mental cases? Are people scared of you?

(Yuri) - What's for gothic musicians from Russia, I think they concern me rather nasty as I do not often express any interest about their music. Frequently musicians come and ask me during the concert: « How do you like our performance? », or « How do you like our song? ». If I don't like it, I answer so: "the shit"...

I do mastering for different compilations devoted to gothic style, electro, industrial and I often like only 1-2 bands among all the material submitted, for example, on the double compilation.

I consider the rest of them as the slag and the lack of talent. I concern the European stage the same way too. I do not like almost everything in dark wave, electro, ebm, etc area. I think that these styles have degenerated in the mid ninetieth. But nevertheless if to examine all bands, it is possible to find something. Sometimes there are very interesting projects, but, as a rule, they are unknown. I think, that the obvious plus of the mp3 boom is, that it is possible to find quickly something unique among all this musical stuff. And it is always extremely pleasant. I also meet many good bands through the myspace.com.

(Anastasia) - Musicians never express us their opinion, frequently simply trying to look silent and proud, and only at the end of the concert, being already drunk, it finds out, that they have already got our cd to :)

We do not play on the same stage with people who publicly hate us. Organizers fortunately understand it and basically try to meet our demands.

(MM) - ‘Medio Circulo Cruos’ is eerie ambient style, what’s happening there?

(Yuri) - This play narrates about opening so-called «the head crossroads» at the moment of Ashe force awakening in tradition of Quinbanda Petro VouDoo. By means of this play I tried to recreate the effect from becoming isolated Petro circle, when the habitual course of rational thinking stops and we get in The Red Heavens of our subconsciousness.

(MM) - What is ENAIL which crops up throughout the churning ‘On The River’? and then has a quieter Part 2

(Yuri) - Enail is the certain sacral planet belonging to the Sirius 23. There is the traced attempt in a song « On the River » to show the belonging of the certain side of surrounding us reality - of the nature, in particular of a river and of a night wood, to projections, phenomena and their connection with the infernal displays of the space. The narration is conducted from the first person, and it showing, in my opinion, this attitude as the more personal and aggravated. The first couplet illustrates this condition.

Secret ways coming out of depth, So invisible as the forest air, Winding the supple ruts of trees. Let river bear me far away I'm floating. Let horizon tremble, Let the weightless white clouds slowly flit And high up in the endless heaven, Let shine the star named ENAIL

The second couplet develops the trance of consciousness. The river, evening and all accompanying elements start to go into resonance with the reactions of the person, strengthening the push. Finally the picture of the surrounding nature changes in consciousness of the person and the star named Enail, as one of the centers of infernal space, acts as the certain, on the one hand inaccessible, and on the other hand the embodied force. It is quite clearly that the text is constructed on oppositions and illogically connected circuits of words, but it strengthens the effect of the unshared and uniform movement of these songs.

Night will have fallen. River will run, Merging with my soul, will take me away. Whom was I before - I've forgotten. I'll fall asleep, no more to stay Ocean swallows the course of river And when I start silently disappearing, I'll be watching how in secret deep Will be reflected star ENAIL

Besides, the word Enail had been given as a name to one of my schools, that’s why I have decided to consecrate it, also as a certain memory through the music. The second part “ Chavajoth - Over the Boundary of the Red ” - is the instrumental continuation of this theme.

(MM) - Can you tell us more about Hellen Griss from ‘The Last Autumn Of Helen Griss (Germany 1914 – 1946). It starts like something from ‘The Omen’ then sounds like a nightmare in a church?

(Yuri) - Once I wrote the script to one performance. I have decided to create the musical - theatrical statement. As for result - I'm not to judge it. This album contains two songs devoted to the histories of 2 countries, - Russia and Germany. I have devoted this song to Germany. Action takes place in occupied town. In the center of a plot is mentioned the little girl- teenager Helen Griss who is fascinated with a picture of ruin and desolation, by the woods which have been filled up with corpses after bloody battles and a smell of hungry autumn - last autumn of her life :)

I was always interested in the psychology of people got in the very center of war. I consider the general aim of any war as something like the global process of absorbing human’s mind in the moment of death. It concentrates the attention of millions on a certain auxiliary idea, for example idea of clearing the native land or capture the new territories which in turn is a mask, a successful camouflage for those forces which are taking place behind a side of our reality which come from time to time to "have a dinner" - to receive and swallow up a plenty of special energy of people allocated at the moment of disintegration, at the moment of physical death.

How the fault or suffering of those who is involved in war process can be expressed? How far the person is capable to realize, what the war, suddenly overtaking him and during which the reality suggests him to participate, is? This question with no answer I have tried to consecrate in this song.

(MM) - Then off you go marching and roaring harmoniously in ‘Equation Of Autumn Equinox’ – what’s that about, leaving as a sea-foam???

(Yuri) - It seems to me, this trance song once again illustrates some uncertain condition. To tell the truth, it is difficult for me to express, what is it about :). I remember that have composed it, sitting in the train. I like to go out of town. Go by electric train and come out where I wish, and then go in the direction of those beauty which I have seen out of window, or simply walk in those places, that already caused pleasant sensations at visiting earlier. It gives many new sensations and sometimes it is useful.
The phrase « leaving as a sea-foam », probably reflects a certain movement of the feelings tested by me at the moment composing. It is difficult to tell. I composed this track in 1998 - rather long time ago. I remember only the general condition, unfortunately

(MM) - The lightly martial, salty and dour ‘Reflection 1917 – 1988’ is quite restful, then jumbled for you. What does the end date of 1988 signify to you?

(Yuri) - This date symbolizes itself the collapse of Soviet Union, as the great empire and the introduction into the action of what is called «the process of reorganization». The given track is also dedicated to historical theme. This is one more composition of four parts, illustrating the pictures of time. 1917 is the revolution, therefore there are march rhythm used in this place and other organs, by means of which I wanted to show a condition of "gloomy time". Other parts illustrate other events from the life of the country.

(MM) - A gentle funeral march initially drifts through ‘Over Grave Immortality’, how would you like to go – burial, left by the roadside to rot, funeral pyre?

(Yuri) - I guess it will better to be buried :)
But generally I perceive the posthumous movement as total disappearance, leading to the loss of comprehension of myself, as existing unit, refusal of the further reincarnation, and merge to the boundless universe in a constant and motionless stream of all real.
Rather banal desire :) …

(Anastasia) - Out of three variants, I think funeral the most comprehensible. When the body will be dissolved in dirt, and soul in infinity …

(MM) - Following on from the above - if history is your friend do ceremonies please you ,and is there a strong element of that in your shows?

(Yuri) - Any carrying out ceremony bears itself a strong extrasensory experience. It should affect creativity. I try to not develop ceremonies under any standard circuits known earlier as I always try to find something new - new horizons for the spiritual development. The force and the energy received during carried out ceremonies, has property to be collected, and the concert performances, as you have correctly noticed, have much in common with occult rituals.
On the other hand I do not think that concert performances should be built by the principle of rituals in the rough form, i.e. to call for spirits, to manipulate with energy, etc. Now I consider concert as some kind of the report on the creative work which the artist has done for last months, for example.

(MM) - You seem very much an organiser. Of all your remixes what pleased you most, and what did you learn from having others involved? Was it easy letting people do things?

(Yuri) - It is not my merit. Shadowplay records label was engaged in this question. Though there is nothing difficult in it. And I am going to continue this experience, as remixes are always the big gift. It is very pleasant to receive them. When you receive a cd or download from the Internet the sent remix, there is such dizzy feeling: «what is there? What have musicians made with your song? How is it presented now?». Among three remixes present in the album, I like the remix by Erika Mulkey and her project Unwoman though other remixes are very good too. Now it is easier for musicians to communicate through the myspace when it is possible to estimate and receive at once the information on character of music of each other. Therefore I have already started a certain text file where on a regular basis I write down names and myspace addresses of the bands which i like and which I plan to address subsequently, with the request to make a remix on one of my songs.
Now about that what I have learned. First of all I'm interested in unique style and those receptions which each musician uses. Everyone has their unique hand, their unique fad. Studying the hand of others is the invaluable experience for me. Remixes are very good school.
Will you allow any one to do something with your music? This question consists mainly in trust after the attitude to this or that musician. Of ‘course it is stupid to trust the music to the first comer, but I had been coordinating with our label what bands I would like to deal with, and what not. On the one hand the listener regards remixes as the continuation of that picture which is created by the author in the album. On the other hand the 40 second pause after last author's track puts, as though a certain feature between author's work and remixes. In my case, I think, that remixes and my author's tracks sound homogeneously.

Thanks for the excellent interview.

http://www.necrostellar.com
http://www.myspace.com/necrostellarcom