Interviews - Misanthrofeel (May 2010)

Misanthrofeel is a new one man project from Moscow, Russia. Misanthrofeel's last release Ultimate Senseless evokes memories of Treponem Pal, but their previous albums has a more lighter sound. In any case, this project is worth checking out. All their releases is also free downloads.

Who are you and what is your background ? When did you set up Misanthrofeel ?

Why did you choose that name ?

I work as a graphic designer, so all the covers for my albums were created by me. In my childhood I went to the musical school, but didn’t finish it. I compose music since my childhood, but I never recorded it. My first experience with using computer in recording my music dates back to the beginning of 2000-s, but quite soon I lost all interest to it, because I wasn’t satisfied with the sound I got. I play the piano a little bit, bayan/accordion and acoustic guitar.

I started the project in June, 2009. At first I just tried out different sounds with the sampler and never thought it would turn into anything serious. At the beginning of July I uploaded my first demo to the Internet, and several people, having heard it, told me they liked it. Then I made a video clip for the composition “Raw War” — it is devoted to the WW II.

”Misanthrofeel” — is a word-play: misanthrope and philanthropist. Two things in one. The spelling in not quite correct (it would be better to say “Misanthrophile”), but the meaning is like this.

There is hardly any news from Russia and Moscow these days in the
Western media, except from these terrifying terrorist bombs. I guess no news is good news as we say in Belfast, Northern Ireland. But how is life in Moscow these days ?

I think information about the West in Russia and information about Russia on the West
is always distorted by the Mass Media, so we get only some fragments of news
about everything, and these fragments are served at the “right” angle.
Explosions in the underground are just political games based on human blood. In
Moscow the crime rate is very high by itself, because it is a huge city, one of the richest in Russia and all over the world. Because of the world financial crisis the general income level in Russia has fallen down or rather has sunk, while the rich have become even richer. And generally speaking Moscow is a beautiful city, there are a lot of things here to look at. So, come here and you’ll see everything yourself.

To start with; please give me your (long or brief) thoughts and information on...

All these albums are Internet releases.

Misanthrofeel from 2009

This is a demo-album. It contains five tracks of instrumental experimental/progressive rock and metal with death/thrash metal, electronic, ambient elements. There is no concept here, just different tracks. Track “Raw War” is dedicated to World War II, after that I made a video to this track.

Sampleria from 2009

This is my first full-length album. It contains two parts: experimental metal section and doom metal section. In experimental section you can hear five instrumental songs with synthpop, electronic, industrial, death metal, cybergrind, progressive elements. Part two consists of three tracks in doom metal/post metal genre.

Easterica from 2009

This is my second full-length album. I wanted to make an album, in which eastern ethnic elements and metal would be combined.
As I know, this kind of music is called “oriental metal”. Later I’ve made a new
version of this album — “Easterica: Revision” with newly remixed material,
changed track list and I also added one more track.

Leisurely from 2009

It’s my first EP in doom metal genre. It’s contains two tracks.

Ultimate Senseless from 2010

I have recorded this EP in beginning of this year. I have tried to make all music with one approach. Sticky riffs, ambient landscapes, monotonous drums — this is “Ultimate Senseless”. The concept of this record is a senselessness of all that happens around us. We live our lives without sense — we lost the sense. Perhaps, it’s time to find out some sense in life?

How do you record your releases and which type of hardware & software do you use?

I record my music with the help of the computer, using GarageBand application and a compilation of samples. I’m not always satisfied by the sound, but I’m working for it to improve.

Everything you do is self-released and the albums are free downloads. Any plans to change this concept?

Yes, I released all the albums by myself, and uploaded them into the Internet for the free downloading. I don’t have any plans regarding releasing my music on some physical medium, but there is nothing impossible, we’ll see.

Please tell us more about the Misanthrofeel logo which I think is a very cleverly done logo. Who did it and what does it represent ?

It is not even a logo — this is amulet for people born in the year of Horse by the Chinese calendar. I found it on the Internet and used it as a mascot, but I’m going to work at the logo itself — I hope I’ll manage to do it in the near future.

Twenty years ago, we had bands like Treponem Pal and the music was called industrial metal. Listening to Ultimate Senseless, that is exactly the term I would use on your music. But how would you describe your music and which bands or scene would you compare your music with ?

I consider my music a mixture of different genres, and among other things there is progressive-metal/rock, industrial, ambient, death metal, electronics, ethnic music, doom metal, and other styles in it. I can’t think of any other band that would resemble mine, but at the same time I can say that I was influenced by such bands as Opeth, Anathema, Orphaned Land, Katatonia, My Dying Bride, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Tiamat, Moonspell, Depeche Mode and many others. Actually I like different music: jazz, rock, classical, metal, folk and others.

I guess you are still composing music. What can we expect from you this and next year ?

Yes, I go on with composing music, but I cannot say anything definite at the moment. Something may appear soon, and may not — I don’t want to make any plans. But I can say one thing for sure — two tracks will contain guest vocals.

Just to wrap this interview up; what is your five alltime favourite albums ?

PINK FLOYD — ”Wish You Were Here”

ANATHEMA — “Judgement”

OPETH — “Blackwater Park”

TIAMAT — “Wildhoney”

PORCUPINE TREE — “In Absentia”

Anything you want to add to this interview ?

I think it’s enough for the first time, but if you have any questions, I’ll answer with pleasure.

A big thank to Misanthrofeel for this interview. He is also active here in in PA so feel free to get in touch and ask him for more informations.

Misanthrofeel's PA profile is http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=5008 - and his homepage is http://www.myspace.com/misanthrofeelmusic -