“He is the powerful Great Duke of Hell, with thirty-six
legions of demons under his command”
Hi Kirill, Greetings from Metalheads Forever, How are you today? How is everything in your world?
Hi man ! Everything fine. Thanks !
Would you please Introduce the band to the readers?
VELD is blackened death metal from Poland and Belarus.
Let me take you through the history for the readers and fans. The Group was formed in early 1995 as V.E.L.D. We started as a Thrash Metal Band with Andrey Semenjuk-bass/vocals, Konstantin Drozdov-guitars, Andrey Kudryavtsev-drums. In that year the material which have heard in a narrow circle has been written down. Further in the group there is a second guitarist Kirill Bobrik and V.E.L.D. develops active concert activity across Belarus and Russia. We performed together with: Gods Tower, Great Sorrow, Neglected Fields, Mental Home, Metal Corrosion, Galgen, Rossomahaar, Nomad and others, we were positively reflected in development and group growth. Because of personal disagreements the group is left by Kirill Bobrik and creates the project KILLRY.
Further V.E.L.D. Works over a new material “Time is Now” which leaves on Mass Cruelty prod. A badge of the manager of group in May 2001. Group music has turned towards high-speed Death/Thrash. Together with DEMENTOR (Slovakia) and Evthanazia (Belarus), V.E.L.D. travelled around “East Massacre-Triumph of Blasphemy Tour” across Belarus and Russia. Reaction of the fans was positive and the same year, in Minsk, the group plays with the Polish monsters Vader.
Later V.E.L.D. again suffer changes in line-up and in the group has Kirill Bobrik, already in a role of the guitarist/vocalist. Andrey Semenjuk becomes the sound technician of collective. The name varies on VELD. At this time the style of Brutal Death Metal and in 2002 on label Fatal Ecstasy prod. carefully prepares. Leaves full CD “Infested With Rats Life”. After this the group on “Hammermusic Fest 2” we warm up for the Norwegian legend MAYHEM. Further numerous performances with such groups as BEHEMOTH, VADER, SANATORIUM, INTERNAL SUFFERING, DECAPITATED, MAYHEM, SINISTER and VELD become one of leaders of Belarus Brutal Death Metal.
In 2003 Konstantin Drozdov and Andrey Kudryavtsev left the band and Anton Sheluho and Denis Krutik joined the band. We started working on even more aggressive and high-speed program , simultaneously the band conducts active concert activity. The summer of 2005 had been wrote down a new album “End Of All” on the label GO-Records. In the Same year the band played on festival METAL HEADS MISSION largest in the CIS, on one scene with monsters CENOTAPH, HYPONOS and legendary NAPALM DEATH. Further in support “End Of All” VELD travel about in long round – Ecstasy Of Absurd Tour 2005, across Belarus and Ukraine. Under bombardment of Brutal Death Metal there were seventeen cities. Then in 2006 the group has the first DVD ”Pure Hatred – Live Ecstasy”. In 2007 VELD got in Kiev Zaglada Studio for record new album “Love-Anguish-Hate”.
After the recording of the album, on personal and musical disagreements, the group is left by the drummer and the bass player. Then after hard search of new and more professional musicians which had guys from Poland – Studio Project SINSINITY has begun. We had more concerts in Poland, Czech Republic, Finland and Russia. The final Structure of VELD at last was definitively generated. Now the group actively goes on tour, works over a new material in Poland and is in search of a serious label. This year is planned the exit full DVD Overdose By Hatred with concerts in Poland and Finland and as an exit of a new single group is planned. Simultaneously Kirill works over the solo project KILLRY, in style Instrumental Progressive Extreme Metal.
Today, the band’s line-up is Kirill Bobrik-All Guitars & Vocals, Tomasz Wawrzak-Bass, Wojtek Slavinsky-Drums. Soon the tedious work on a new opus of the group was started, which was named “DAEMONIC: The Art Of Dantalian”. The material was recorded in a leisurely Polish Sinsinity Studio, in collaboration with a talented engineer Marek Bochenek previously worked with Yattering. Music of the band has undergone many changes, and was subjected to mass experiments. Gloomy and poisonous atmosphere of industrial-made rigid and technically Blackened Death Metal more diverse, distinct and organic, which made it possible to stand out and declare awareness among hundreds of groups all over the planet. On the female vocals was invited talented girl Victoria Klimowicz, who is also a lecturer on the vocal class in her native city of Poznan. Responsibility for the design of the album was made by famous artist Vladimir “Smerdulak” Chebakov, in close collaboration with Kirill Bobrik.
The album was released on April 8/2015 due to the Belarusian Possession Productions label and Lacerated Enemy Records from Czech Republic, in both CD and Digi-Pack CD formats. With intensive regular update merchandise VELD, thanks to label Groupies Merch from Indonesia and the above-mentioned Lacerated Enemy Records from the Czech Republic. The huge investment of effort, time, painstaking diligence and finance were not in vain. “DAEMONIC: The Art of Dantalian” has become a new peak in the history of the group, received a surprising number of the highest grades from the profile of the press around the world. We have now planned to release the last album on vinyl.
What does VELD mean?
VELD is a room of fear, it is based from one of the novels by Ray Bradbury.
Are you a Polish metal band or a Belarusian metal band, as I can see that you guys belong to both these countries?
VELD is a Polish/Belarussian act. Because I am the leader of the band and I was born and I lived in both Poland and Belarus. But the rhythm section of the band is from Poland.
You have released one demo and four full length albums. What is your stand on the metal industry? Do you have the feel that you have achieved what you wanted to do?
Of course not! At the beginning we had no possibility to make and record good sound and I have a serious problem with level and quality of musicians in the band. But now all is great. And of course, during the early years we have problems with getting a deal with a label from Europe. Those days are gone now. VELD today is really a strong blasphemous machine! And we move further in this direction. More aggressive, stronger and there is beauty in our music! We really love what we do.
Last year, you released Daemonic: The Art of Dantalian. What is the fans reaction towards this album? Can you tell us how is it different from its predecessor Lo
ve, Anguish, Hate?
This album is different in all perspectives. Level of musicians, maturity of composing the songs, more diversity in our music. I worked long hours and we invested many forces in search of our personal sound. We are highly satisfied by the end result.
About “Love-Anguish–Hate” material I think it’s more of old school.
Is there a secret or a mythology behind Deamonic: The Art of Dantalian?
I am really big fan of demonology and the idea of album title quickly got into my head. Dantalian is a very strong demon! He is the powerful Great Duke of Hell, with thirty-six legions of demons under his command. He is the 71st of 72 spirits of Solomon. He teaches all arts and sciences, and also declares the secret counsel of anyone, given that he knows the thoughts of all people and can change them at his will. He can also cause love and show the similitude of any person, show the same by means of a vision, and let them be in any part of the world and they will. He is depicted as a man with many appearances, which means the faces of all men and women…This inspired me so much and the theme had a great approach to our music, tone and mood.
Do you have any plans to get back into the studio this year?
We are getting ourselves ready with new stuff and material and we are planning to step into the studio in the first quarter of 2017. We also have a deal with Lacerated Enemy Records for our next album.
You have been 
making music for a while now, have you thought of a worldwide tour in support of the last album, or you have this plan in the near future?
Of course we really really want it. But now I think that’s not possible. I hope in the future with our next album we will find the support to make this real.
Did you guys had any problems from the religious societies as the album art could trigger a problem with the Believers, to my knowledge Behemoth had this problem before, facing legal Issues in Poland?
Yes I heard about the problems with Nergal and I think in Poland it’s a unitary event. Situation in Russia with Belphegor and multiple cancellation of the shows and concerts are very fucking sad. But we do not have this problem now and I hope VELD will not fall in this shit with the orthodox morons. I think we all have the right to say what we want . Especially artists, musicians, people of creative art.
Thank you so much for your time Kirill, do you have any messages for the fans and readers?
I wish the fans to hear our last album “DAEMONIC: The Art Of Dantalian”. And I want people to taste the fountains of Blood to reach the heavens. Thanks for your interest in our band!
Keith Clement
©2016 Metalheads Forever
