Interview with Forest Stream

For those that have never heard Forest Stream before, introduce them to your music.
Omin: Well, hi everybody! Of course there are many people who have never heard of what we do; it`s not surprising, coz we are a rather young band although we have a long history! So, I`d like to describe our music a little. First we contemplate some visions (no drugs!) and then create our music around that. Well, it has to be said, our music reflects not only our mood, but our thoughts and visions. To put a label on it ? if you love doom and black metal, there's something for you to listen to!

You have a new album out, “Tears of Mortal Solitude”. Tell us a little about the album and the songs.
Omin: Well, in point of fact, the album is the compilation of all our old songs with one new song called “Winter Solstice”. Other songs were written earlier, so you can hear all the things from both our demos ? “Snowfall” (1998) and “Last Season Purity” (2000) -- on the “Tears…" cd. And, I have to say, this album is part one in the trilogy we are creating, entitled "All The Sorrow, All The Majesty and All The Hate".

This is your first album with Elitist/Earache. How do they compare to your previous label?
Omin: Our first label was not a well-known company and it was rather difficult to reckon on such great promotion what we have from Elitist/Earache now. There were several offers to have a deal from other labels but all the talks about it ends awry. Anyway, we are happy to cooperate with Elitist/Earache. Hope our combined work will give its gifts to all of us!

How does the songwriting process work with your band? Does one person do the majority of the writing or is it an equal partnership?
Omin: All the music that we have now written by Sonm The Darkest and Wizard Omin but it doesn't mean that others members of the band do not able to take a part in songwriting process. Think it would be really great if the ideas of others found it`s place in conception of the creativity of the band.

Your songs are very dark and depressive. Where do you get the inspiration to create music with those feelings?
Omin: You know, the inspiration comes from our life despite our life is not such hopeless. There`s just a part of life in music, one of the many parts. And, I`d like to say, inspiration is not only creator of music, I mean, despair often changes inspiration. Anyway, sometimes we think that inspiration comes from any feelings, not only dark. And power of it depends of strength and depth of emotional experience.

How do you work in the studio? Do you record songs from beginning to end, or in pieces? Do you use click tracks? How many guitar layers do you use?
Omin: Oh, think it is interesting to your readers. We have not so huge experience in recording, `cause we always work without any producers and engineers in studio. Have to say, it`s rather difficult, when you`re starting work and do not know of all your operation are right. To avoid mistakes you have to resort to all the tricks you know; after all your aim is a good-quality product. Well, we used double-tracked guitars with the third track of solo guitar. The parts of keyboards were recorded in pieces and the parts of bass guitar in a whole scrap. Of course, there were some exclusions, but the way of recording was so.

There are a number of musicians in our readership, what gear does your band use? Please be as specific as possible, amps, pickups, guitars, strings, etc.
Omin: Ok. All keyboards - Roland XP-30; rythm guitar - Russtone (don`t remember the right name of the model `cause it`s rather old guitar ) with the Di Marzio pickup; solo guitar - Vantage 818G DT with factory pickups; strings - La Bella Electrics; bass guitar - Flight (exclusive model); guitar effect processor - Boss GT-3; microphones - Sennheiser; guitar amps - Crate GFX50, Randall RG100SC; bass amp - Randall RB100X. Well, and other studio equipment that I can`t remember now.

Will you be touring to support the new album? If so, where?
Omin: You know, touring is very difficult work, moreover, it is rather expensive. We hope some day we shall do it but now it is impossible for us. Now we able to play only single gigs, no more.

What do you like most about the music industry?
Omin: Hm… Where did you take such questions, huh? Music industry is a business like any other industry so it`s a machine to earn money. We think that it is different from music. That`s our opinion.

What do you like least?
Omin: Another one dismembers my mind! As for me, the worst thing is a lack of thought in one`s head. You know, many people in the world have forgotten how they can think… I hate dullness!

If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?
Omin: There`s no things to correct, I think. I do not regret about anything in my life. Well, may be any little doings…

If you hadn’t been born in this century, when and where would you like to have lived?
Omin: Oh, in the Age of Renaissanse, I think! Somewhere in West Europe. I really don`t know why, but it is so. Probably I always wanted to try how to live there and then!

Who are your musical heroes?
Omin: Me, Anth and Sonm were very impressed of such band like Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Emperor and others. Also we like classical music. As for my favorite musicians… Don`t know, I like every musician if he doing his work good and love it by himself.

What do you do in your spare time?
Omin: I`m answering the questions! Really we have not enough spare time and we spend it in sleep, ha-ha!

What are you listening to lately?
Omin: You won`t believe me but I`m listening Lacuna Coil and other music like this. Also I`m listening radio Really true, isn`t it?

What is your favorite album by another artist/band?
Omin: Hm! I very like “Dance Of December Souls” and “Brave Murder Day” of Katatonia also “As The Flower Withers”, “Like Gods Of The Sun” of My Dying Bride. And, of course I love Emperor`s “IX Equilibrium” and “Anthems Welkin at Dusk”. The full list would take more space I`m afraid, your readers will get tired to read this.

What is the Russian metal scene like?
Omin: Difficult question… Well, our metal scene is in underground so nobody out of our country can imagine what it really is. But those who once were looking for metal music from Russia always have been surprised by the variety of good Russian bands.

What song of yours are you the most proud of and why?
Omin: I would not say that we are proud of any our song. Pride is not such good feeling. If you`re doing something only for to be proud of it, you are wrong, man! Pride associate with vanity for me. We like all of our songs otherwise we couldn`t record them.

Are there any songs you’ve done that you wish you hadn’t?
Omin: Yes, we have several songs that you`ll never hear guys! But it not means that we didn`t want to write them.

Had any of you recorded with any other groups before Forest Stream?
Omin: Yes, but it doesn`t really matter… We were teenagers and just tried to gain our experience and that`s all.

Is it possible to be on the road and not eat any junk food?
Omin: It depends of what road we are talking about. If you`re going towards you general aim you ought to be strong. So you will be able to overcome all the difficulties on your way and it is necessary to eat! I mean not only food, no. It may be any kind of power of something like that. I`saying one more time ? it depends of the road.

People have the image that it’s non-stop partying when bands are touring. Is that true?
Omin: What can I say…. Your people have a wrong image! Although we never were touring, but we exactly know that any gig is a very hard work. Those who have a “non-stop party” are touring as support of any great band all their lives as a rule. Party must be afterwards! In Russia people say: “The work has done ? party may begins!” or “Work takes all the time and party only one hour” Hope you understand me, guys!

What would you be doing if you weren’t a musician?
Omin: I can`t imagine this… Anyway, all of us have profession or studying in university so I think we won`t be hungry. Maybe we would be a scientists or something like that.

Other than your current band members, if you could get any musician living or dead, who would be in your “dream band”?
Omin: Hehehehe! Mozart, Vagner, Bach, Pagannini… Shall I go on?

What’s the first song you remember hearing?
Omin: Oh! As for me, the first thing that I remember heard was one of the songs of Toto Cutunyo! Sorry, may be it was Modern Talking… Damn! Don`t remember!

What was the first album you ever purchased?
Omin: It was “Kill `em all” of Metallica

How many CDs and records are in your home collection?
Omin: You know, I don`t have a lot of discs or tapes. I prefer to take it from Anth - he have a lot

What’s next for you?
Sonm: Me!! Me!! I’d love to answer the question!! Wait, lemme see! If you mean the next CD to be bought, well that’s gonna be Opeth’s
Deliverence:) Really have no time to pick it up from the local store:)

Any last words?
Omin: Yes. Thank you, guys! Just keep your hard beating! Cheers, Omin
Sonm:I’d like to greet all our friends and supporters! Special Hailz to Lee Barrett, Farmakon and Thales guys and all the label mates. Hey hooo!! I’ve got a great mood today!! Stay Human! And keep on rock’n’ruling!

Looks like I need to work on structuring my questions better for those who speak English as a second language. Live and learn!

Check out Forest Stream's web site at http://www.foreststream.net/