FAUSTTOPHEL – Interview with Alexandr „Adams” Savinykh

Norway has DIMMU BORGIR, Great Britain – CRADLE OF FILTH, and Ukraine has FAUSTTOPHEL !!!

Greet! I am intrigued by your name. It’s like a combination of the names of Gothe’s heroes – Faust and Mephistopheles…

Good time! It is, Fasttophel is a combination of the names of famous heroes of the tragedy. The confluence of these names first appeared in the 1949 novel “Silver Tuft”, by British author John Myers Myers. Very interesting work, I advise you to read it.

Did I understand correctly that FAUSTTOPHEL has been around since 1999. However, due to problems with the line-up (death of Vyacheslav Vyrvikhvost) for a few years the band plunged into non-existence?

Yes, the group was founded in 1999 in Poltava, Ukraine. In those years, all the bands had problems with their line-up. You could always find a guitar player, a bass player, and even a vocalist, but there was trouble with the drummers! In the city, you could count them on the fingers of one hand. This is where the problem arose. In 2001, our friend Alexander Vasilyevich Chumak died (31.01.1980.-27.06.2001.). He was a real metalhead, a drummer who played in almost all metal bands in Poltava since 1994. It was a time of change, for many a time of great change. Guitarist Vyacheslav Vyrvikhvost died in 2011.

So, in the Encyclopaedia Metallum aren’t accurate informations about the member… You’ve only really become more active after 2009. And in 2013 you released your debut album “Жажда забвения”. Then in 2016 “… Sancta Simplicitas …” until the last “No Liars Among The Fallen”. What were the differences between these albums in your opinion?

For me personally, every album is something I’ve experienced. In each of them there are some songs that I listened to from my friends at the dawn of my youth (96-99). Cool time! Otherwise, the albums are atmospheric, each in its own concept. The only difference is in the use of unexpected effects, tools, or voices.

In your music I can hear clear influences of BAL-SAGOTH, DIMMU BORGIR, CRADLE OF FILTH, EMPERROR. Are these just my feelings?

You know, looking back at the period from 1993 to 2000, I can say with confidence that it was then that the world became Metal, in all its varieties! During this period, the most iconic albums of the most iconic bands appeared! There is no point in listing it, because each metalhead will have its own list, and it will be undeniable! )) Yes, I come from the ‘ 90s! And I always have my own playlist in my head! ))

Well, a lot of the truth… I also listened to THEATER OF TRAGEDY motifs and folk sounds that I also found there…

Of course! Starting with the second album, we started to look at our work in a more eclectic way. In the group, we are all different: age, musical tastes, life beliefs, views. Hence the stylistic diversity.

What else inspires you to create sounds?

Life! ))) In fact, the sounds come spontaneously. We don’t plan them in advance. In the process of building the basis of the track, ideas arise, and we try to find something new, suddenly sounding in Metal.

Yeah, your music is very complex, full of transformation and many musical themes and various emotions, from aggressive and predatory to melancholy. So, what does the process of composing material look like?

Probably, there is nothing new or unusual in this process… We come up with a riff, and begin to consider the branches of its development, combinations with other parties, etc. Everything is standard, I think. )

Why do you decide on Ukrainian lyrics? For that reason, do you not close yorself to fans of this type of music from other countries?

Our lyrics are mostly written and sound in Russian. However, each of the albums has 2 songs in Ukrainian. Poems of my brothers and friends from Ukraine. I am a Russian-speaking person myself, but I was born and raised in Ukraine, and it is a real pleasure for me to use both languages in my music. We were, remain and will be open to all fans of heavy music in General!) The language of the song has not separated metalheads from different countries for a long time, because the music itself unites us all.

Yes it’s true! So what do you write about?

Our lyrics mostly border on realities and mythologies, and in some cases describe complex processes of self-knowledge. Hence there is a criticism of religiosity, again in general. Criticism in its cultural sense, please understand me correctly! ) The projection of images in time, a metaphorical dark characters and slogans – in this entourage dark theater Fausttophel.

Several guests took part in recording the latest album. Who were they?

It has become a tradition in the band to invite musicians and performers as guests to record. As in the first album, Valery Sarkisov (acoustic, electric and solo guitars), and Olga Girich (Kargopolova) (UA) took part in the soprano vocals in the song “Lilit”. The violin part for the track “Temptation” was performed by Irina Sapunova (band HOK-KEY) (BY). In the song “Kubla Khan” the main vocal part was sung by Sergey (Kxatar) Kornachev (ex-Ravenant). Irina Artamonova and Irina Nikiforenko, who had already taken part in the recording of the album “…Sancta Simplicitas…”, were invited to record the track “Sabbath” (voices of witches). And in the track “Mansion of Shadows” a trio of female voices sang: Yekaterina Bulkina, Lilya Legostaeva, Xenia Zatinshchikova. Wow! ) This is our record for guests in the record! ))

I saw that you already have your own shirts. Where can we buy them?

Yes, a little late, but we did! ) I would like to note the active participation and assistance not without the famous Dmitry (Belf) Safronov! World man! ) T-shirts can be purchased by writing me a letter ( Adams ), and I will send them by mail to where you need them.

Is this throne from video of “Wings” also in mass production? Hehehe… By the way, an interesting idea for a video…

Ha-Ha!!! No, there are no such chairs in mass production! )) This is my exclusive idea that came to me in a dream, as well as the logo…) If You could have seen the carpenter’s eyes when I showed him the sketch! ))) For 40 minutes he thought hard, but finally he understood what I wanted from him. It was even more interesting to work with girls for whom such a photo session was the first time in their lives. Everything in the video is made by hand, like in horror movies of the 70-80 years. )

And who creates album’s covers for you? These are professionally made works.

The artist’s name is Yuri Chuchmay, he is a freelancer from Novosibirsk. Very cool guy! Talent, though, and lazy…))) In social networks, he has a fairly large portfolio.

The COVID-19 pandemic probably has stopped you too. Many bands canceled the concerts…

You know, the whole world canceled everything!!! I honestly don’t want to discuss it. )) Please excuse me.

On the other hand, it’s a good time to work on composing. Current technology allows you to work online…

Maybe, but only if you have more than one room, for example. It’s hard enough even to exercise when children are having fun under your feet! ))) After all, some of us live in a rented apartment. So we don’t think about online rehearsals. We are waiting for the regime of “self-isolation” to be relaxed so that we can work together again. I’m still working on my ideas at home, on my own.

Well, how long will we have to wait for the next album?

A difficult question that has no answer )) not yet! This usually happens before a certain moment of shifting from the place. After that, you can think approximately. But, until this moment has come, so we have nothing to answer. )

You’ve been working with Anatoliy from Metal Scrap Records Inc. for many years. This man really does a lot for Ukrainian (and not only) Metal scene…

We have been working with Anatoly for 8 years. He is a true professional and a fan of his business. For this, we Express our sincere respect to him! Brother, stay healthy and metal!!!

Thanks for the interview. The last temptation belongs to the band, so I invite the readers to listen to FAUSTTOPHEL’s music…

https://fausttophel.bandcamp.com/album/no-liars-among-the-fallen

https://www.facebook.com/Fausttophel-565026126937125/