Electro/Industrial music is growing in almost all countries, and especially in Eastern Europe after the fall of east-west boundaries we have several promising examples of new bands and projects. The Baltic state Estonia sets now a first mark on the map with the band Cyclone B, a three-man Electro/Industrial output hailing from the main city Tallinn. They are not really unknown in the international scene and can already be credited with some compilation appearances like the quadruple box set “Endzeit Bunkertracks Act 1”. The release of their debut CD “Consequence Of Hidden Truth” out on the Russian/Hungarian label Advoxya Records (www.advoxya.com) was a logical consequence and the band could surprise with amazing release full of refreshing ideas and a wide diversity. This interview done with the front man Igor “fr0zen” Mekued will introduce this band and their visions.
Chain D.L.K.: A band which hails from Estonia has still a kind of exotic touch. Please introduce our readers to your area, the band and members behind Cyclone B…
Cyclone B: First of all, I would like to thank you for your decision to ask us a few questions! And I would like to say *Hi!* to everyone! Estonia is a relatively small country in European measures and there is no actual stage here (I mean *gray* stage) there are some bands which became noticeable last time and Cyclone B is one of these bands! We value ourselves very unassuming and say that in the present moment (after the release of our first album, I hope not the last as it usually happens…) the band changes a bit and improves .
Chain D.L.K.: Can we already talk about a growing scene of Electro/Industrial music in Estonia? Any clubs, bands and DJs which shouldn’t be missed? How is the acceptance of your music by the press and audience in your country?
Cyclone B: As I said before, it can be hardly said that there is a gray stage in Estonia and although alternative clubs and movements with such music exist, we are still very behind. Of course enthusiasts conductarrangements and concerts, but this is all a more like a big undertaking than a serious and stable work! Like many countries of the formerly part of the USSR, Estonia is greatly influenced by the Russian Pop scene, andalso the world Pop scene, generally all the mass media is concentrated on the reflection of that stuff and that is why we are known in Estonia, and perhaps not more widely…
Chain D.L.K.: Although you are based away from the bigger scenes like of Belgium, France or Germany, you have here and there found a way to get recognition. How were the reactions globally that you could enter a sloton the quadruple compilation “Endzeit Bunkertracks Act 1”?
Cyclone B: Generally a big thanks to people which helped us: Thank you, Seba Dolimont , thank you, Dimitri (Advoxya Records), thank you for this interview, exactly this helps us get known and we just do music which welike. That’s all.
Chain D.L.K.: Cyclone B was the destroying gas which was used by Nazis against the Jewish prisoners in concentration camps at WWII. Why did you choose such a horrible band name?
Cyclone B: First of all, this was a gas which was devised for killing people! Don’t be so naive, both Russians and Germans and all who were in concentration camps were killed by it! Concerning the name, this wordembodies a certain process which results in horrible consequences if people blindly follow leaders! It is always important to watch and to see what is happening and to have an own opinion on it! Don’t be blind!!!!!!! No less horrible things happened also in the USSR at this time – we want that when people look at us they shouldn’t forget and shouldn?t let these horrible things return! And also I would like to say that surprisingly other equally horrible things do not inspire such a desire to keep silent about them (children abusers, sexual humiliation, religious fanaticism) but our name sometimes calls a furious hostility! One of our fans from Israel at the beginning wrote me a letter full of anger and contempt in an e-mail , but after I explained to him why wecall ourselves Cyclone B, he said – *Thank You!*And finally after such a long answer, we in turn say: Thank you, that you were not ashamed to ask us about the name!
Chain D.L.K.: With that previous question in mind, I have noticed some questionable voice samples regarding Germany at WWII on your track “Reflections”, but also some “Anti-Nazi” stickers printed in your CDbooklet as well as on your website. Please explain us the deeper meaning and your personal experiences about this difficult theme…
Cyclone B: We answered this question before, I can only add that in our remix for the Battery Cage track “Caged” which should appear in one of our collections soon (thank you, Tyler) we used Lenin’s voice.
Chain D.L.K.: With your first CD “Consequence of Hidden Truth” you get signed by the Russian label Advoxya Records. Please tell us a bit about this. How did you get in contact with them?
Cyclone B: We are very proud and pleased to collaborate with Dimitri of Advoxya Records. To tell you the truth, we had some suggestions for the publication of an album, but exactly Advoxya was more serious andunderstandable for us in our intentions. Now after some time passed I can say that the collaboration with the present label pleases us – the label is very stable and serious!
Chain D.L.K.: Advoxya did a promotional pre-release of your track “Agony V.1”. Why this promo release and where is the difference to the version available on your full length CD?
Cyclone B: Oh, believe me, the difference between the promo version and the version on the album is huge!
Chain D.L.K.: I would like to ask for a deeper meaning of the track “Deathember”. By listening to the entrance voice samples I thought it could be a word game based on the happenings at 9/11. How is it meant?
Cyclone B: The full name of the track is “Death Member”, after the horrible tragedy we thought of being transformed to the bodies and souls of those who died and we wanted to write something about that aboutwhat we felt.
Chain D.L.K.: I am still impressed about the wide range of different styles of electronic music you are able to handle. Tracks like “Sputnik USSR”, “Nothing” or “Razor” fall under the EBM genre, while “Agony” or ”Defloration” can be named Dark Electro. “You’ll Never Take Away” features clear and unaffected vocals and “Thromb of Live” tends into the IDM genre. Where did you obtain the inspiration to produce such a huge diversity in your music?
Cyclone B: We draw our inspiration from life, a great inspiration is found while writing texts in our own inner feelings and so on, the writing of music and words is a strange and hardly understandable process. Of course we listen to what others do, but our own mentality brings a great imprint…
Chain D.L.K.: You are playing live gigs. Please tell us a bit about your shows and how the reactions of the audience were. Which elements of your music are you really playing “live”?
Cyclone B: To be honest , the only concerts we had to the present time were just some gigs to start the formation of the band, of course not everything is smooth for a whole sort of reasons, I can only say one thing, that the band is growing and learns from the mistakes of others and ourselves! A great thanks to those who called us and will call for concerts!
Chain D.L.K.: Lets have a look into the future of your band. Advoxya already announces a follow-up EP with remix works. Please give us some insight about this and all further plans.
Cyclone B: Yes, it will be a remix EP which will have some new tracks, and also some remixes which our friends do for us (thanks to all who agreed 🙂 + also BLC Productions included one of our new tracks ontheir new Interbreeding compilation, in the present moment we are also doing some remixes (we’ll see if they will be good…). Also I and our former live-guitarist Dimitry, now a full member of the band, will startwriting a new album.
Chain D.L.K.: Any final words you would like to add to conclude this interview?
Cyclone B: Look into the eyes of the truth! Thanks everybody!
Visit Cyclone B on the web at:
www.cycloneb.com
[interviewed by Marc Tater] [proofreading by Brandon L. Clark]