In association with our friends at Rogue Records America, we're proud to present The Korea as our Artist of the Week! It might be the end of that week but the fun has only just begun!
We're giving you the chance to win some very cool prizes. In particular, we're giving away an AWESOME t-shirt and 10 free downloads of The Korea's latest EP "Saturnus". Check the contest info below!
We also conducted an in-depth interview with the band. Read up and learn! Also be sure to enjoy the music provided.
ENTER TO WIN
1. Must like The Korea
2. Must like The Circle Pit
3. Must share this post and tag both The Korea and The Circle Pit
BONUS
1. Like the post for a second vote
2. Comment on the post for a third vote
This contest ends Tuesday 7/16 at 9 PM EST!
*We will contact the winner.
*By participating, you acknowledge that you completely release Facebook of all responsibility. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.
TK = The Korea (answered collectively)
MT = Mike Thall
MT - We’re here with Russian metal kings, The Korea. First and foremost, thanks for your time.
TK - Hello to all of you! Let's start our conversation.
MT - Sounds like a plan. Let’s start from the very beginning. How did The Korea get started?
TK - The Korea started at the beginning of 2000 when Kuznetsov brothers Alexander and Sergey made their mind to put together a band and invited Evgeny Potekhin and Stas Rozhdestvensky to join them. This was the first lineup of The Korea. The music was a mix of chaotic-hardcore, metal-core and some other interesting moments.
MT - Now, you guys are called The Korea, you reside in Russia, and you’re signed to Rogue Records America. How does it feel to be pioneers in international conference metal?
TK - It is a pleasure to work with the guys from over the ocean in Rogue who love music as much as we do. And for us it is also a great honor to bring the music to our audience all around the planet.
MT - How did you go about choosing the band name?
TK - Alexander already had this name in his head and even once offered it to his friends, (a band from our city) the band however, preferred some other name so when it came time to create a name for our band we took Korea without any hesitation… yes, it was just Korea, without the “The”” added, since then our music transformed so the name had to transform a bit as well.
MT - How did you get involved with Rogue Records America?
TK - We started working with Rogue Records America about a year ago. At that moment we were recording “Saturnus”. We received an offer and after thinking it over and discussing it all together we decided to join the RRA family and have absolutely no regrets about it we are all working together for the same thing.
MT - Definitely great people to work with. You’ve been around for awhile, but the band really gained international attention with the release of 2011’s “Chariots of the Gods”. Great record. Can you tell us about that album and what went into making it?
TK - At first we were not even thinking of going abroad with our previous albums because we were promoting the band around our own country and just trying to handle that.. But we felt “Chariots of the Gods” was worth going abroad with because it was done very precisely and took a lot of time and attention. To us it felt like we did a good job, and the album felt like a great start for a new chapter of the band history!! We decided to change the character and the sound of the band completely, what we were actually doing from one album to another. But this time all the changes were global. We got a new vocalist, Evgeny is now solely focused on guitar….Etc..etc…
For us this lineup of the band is the best and strongest one! The album itself creates this chaotic atmosphere, contains some apocalyptic elements and of course it is also about love. It is like one big story!!!
MT - Very cool. You recently dropped a new EP “Saturnus”. Can you tell us about your new sound?
TK - This EP is an experiment from A to B! We tried to go down into the gloom and create something more than “Chariots of the Gods”. We experimented with vocal, guitar sounds, structure of the songs themselves. We even recorded a remake for an older track “Poles” from the first album!!
MT - How do you feel about the response to the new EP?
TK - We think that it was taken as a beginning of our new age and now people are waiting for new songs. So, this summer we will focus on cooking something nice for you ;)
MT - Tasty. What was it like transitioning between “Chariots of the Gods” and “Saturnus”?
TK - We are just moving down the Styx River to the valleys of the Underworld and nobody knows where it will bring us. Maybe we'll end up at some other dimension and then we will create something really hard and powerful. Or may be it will bring us up to the sky as in the “Zion” chorus. (laughs)
MT - Sounds like a trip either way! Rumor has it you wrote the EP to test the waters for writing a new album. Is there anything you can tell us about your music in the works?
TK - Yes, in a way these rumors are true. We are really interested to know what our fans are waiting for from us. But now it is too early to uncover the mystery as soon as we get something down, we’ll make sure to send it to you first so you can let us know what you think.
MT - Awesome! Who or what inspires your music?
TK - Lots of books, movies, sometimes art and of course music. All kinds of music. From Cannibal Corpse to Bjork! But if we speak about books that would be science fiction! A lot of what we write about is from the books we all read on our downtime. We love to write fantasy and sci fi stories in our songs, and it reflects in our artwork and videos. It’s funny because we see posts from people saying we are part of some conspiracy or we are in league with so and so….and it makes us laugh because everything we write about is about what we read and see in these worlds (books and movies).
MT - Heard you guys have been having quite the stretch touring of late. This includes a fight in Poland and some cancellations. Could you tell us about that?
TK - Yes, sometimes the internet is a blessing and it’s also a curse, in this instance in Poland it was a curse because what was posted was a twisted version of the truth and by the time we actually had the ability to address it…it was already too late in a way. People had already made their opinion, we’d like to state here that we would NEVER fight or cancel because of a small audience at a show!! That’s just not how we are, some shows were cancelled due to the booking agent / venue management mistakes and they just didn’t care to fix or live up to their responsibilities. We couldn’t play because we had no idea of the schedule where we could unload, setup, etc etc etc. Nothing was organized and it would have just created more chaos if we tried to play. As for the “fight with a fan” it wasn’t a fan of any of the bands playing that night, just someone who happened to be at the venue, had a real issue with Russians and was drunk enough that he wanted to express that…so he did. The promoter we guess decided to make this story even louder than our concert!!) And of course we were the bad guys. People can do a very good job causing disruption and having people focus on something else when they do not want you focused on the real issue. We’re sure he’s a good promoter sadly he just focused on the wrong thing to promote ……(Laughs)
MT - That aside, what’s the craziest thing that has ever happened to you on the road or at a show?
TK - So, we would say that it was when our vocalist went out on stage absolutely naked. It was during a concert with our friends in Noostrack that was touring with us! Ilya came out with nothing but sneakers and glasses on, it was great. A short time later during our last Eurotour concert in Moscow our Bus Driver decided he wanted in on the action and came out to a packed house totally nude!!! :)
He stayed on for the rest of the set naked which really threw Ilya for a loop…it was great.
MT - What are your plans for the second half of 2013?
TK - Now we are planning our concerts for the second part of 2013, collecting ideas for a new video and getting ready to get together in the studio and record something amazing for everyone!
Pretty soon we are leaving for the Far East of Russia to meet our fans there for the first time! So that’s going to be exciting as well.
MT - Those are all the questions we have. Thanks again. Any shout outs you want to give?
TK - Thank you so much for the interview! Remember there is tons of amazing new music out there from indie artists all over the world, support them and Peace for all of you.
Much love from The Korea, See you on tour!!!
Our favorite Koreans from Russia have officially returned through their brand new EP, "Saturnus"! This is the follow up to their critically acclaimed debut "Chariots of the Gods" (read up on our review here). That album spread like fire across the metal underground and earned The Korea a spot on the Rogue Records America roster. Now they're back again, but how does the new music stack up?
When "Saturnus" hits, it hits hard. This is a very good release. It manages to bring an abundance of heaviness, groove, and entertainment through it's short duration. Three tracks are featured on the "Saturnus" EP. They are the opening title track "Saturnus", the single "Zion", and the closer "Poles". Both English and Russian versions of these tracks are included in the package. In some respects, this EP was an experiment from the band. This release is actually a prequel to the next full length album and was made as an EP to test the reaction to the band singing in English.
The Korea could easily be considered a Djent band considering their incisive, spacey composition and technical approach. In some ways this release is more sterile while simultaneously more open than what you may expect. That sounds like a contradiction, but upon a single listen you'll see that it holds weight. They have a sharper edge through parts of the writing and production while experimenting openly in other regards. This can be heard when the bells toll on "Saturnus" and through sections of my personal favorite "Poles" especially. All three tracks have something to offer listeners from the chaotic and moshworthy to the melodic segments.
This band has progressed in some ways while regressing in others. This is a really good yet somewhat disappointing release from The Korea. Their debut really had a spark to it that set it apart in some ways. This time around The Korea end up sounding almost like a direct cross between Hacktivist and old school Monuments, musically and vocally. Which brings me to another point, Ilya Sannikov is a great vocalist. This is evinced through both The Korea and his side projects. He has his own style which pans out well, but he seemed to partially drop it in favor of a more Neema Askari-esque approach this time around.
As I've said, this a good album all things considered. It brings quality and heaviness together while adding truth to the saying "big things come in small packages". You can sample two of the hard hitting tracks above. And if you enjoy what you're hearing, be sure to support The Korea with a purchase right here! I'm sure these guys have more up their sleeves so stay tuned for future music!
The Korea have a BRAND NEW EP dropping March 25th. That's right, I'm talking about tomorrow. Go ahead and check out the Preview right here.
In honor of the upcoming "Saturnus" EP, we're going to be taking a look back at the album that put The Korea on the map (see what I did there?), last year's "Chariots of the Gods". When this record was let loose in the metal underground, it spread like wildfire earning international recognition. Now The Korea are signed to Rogue Records America and are easily one of the biggest modern metal band in all of Russia, if not the biggest. (Not sure if this is a metal review or an international conference...)
Russia's Secret Weapon is... teabagging. Russian scientists figured out if they got a heavy as
hell band to teabag enough, the world would explode. You can see it for
yourself in the "Chaos Theory" video above. But in all seriousness, this up and coming band must open some insane pits overseas with their skull crushing, chaotic take on the djent style.
"Chariots of the Gods" is opened with the soft tones of a forgotten language and a surrounding atmosphere. "Cobra" has an eerie way of kicking things off and that sense is pushed further when joined by a ringing guitar (similar to Tesseract or Monuments) and the voice of Ilya Sannikov. Then the groooooovin begins with the fury of a scream. You can expect a good bit of this as the record progresses. Grooves, breaks, and technicality are a huge part of this albums sound. So if you live for teh chug, your ears should feel right at home. Standout tracks like "Waterline", "Chaos Theory", "Armada", and "Zombie" will pummel you with rhythmical, low tuned aural assaults. The band does take breaks through interludes such as "Neva" which especially stands out with some unexpected instrumentation.
This is a great album, no doubt. But it does have it's flaws. The most apparent being it's general lack of originality, with the exception of a couple segments here and there. In all fairness, this record was released at the very beginning of last year, but it does fall straight in several of the djent stereotypes faithfully. Other than that it's really just minor flaws.
Give a good listen to the tracks above and learn about Russia's Secret Weapon. If you want some more, you can go ahead and grab "Chariots of the Gods" right here and prepare yourself for the arrival of "Saturnus" tomorrow with a pre-order here! This band brings a lot of skill to the table and it should be great to see how they progress from their debut to the EP.
It's almost here! The most famous Koreans to come out of Russia will be returning on March 25th with their EP, "Saturnus". Read our preview for the release right here. They just dropped a second teaser in support of the upcoming EP featuring previously unheard content from the track "Zion". It's sounding awesome. Give both trailers a watch / listen down below along with a classic from The Korea. And get ready for the arrival of "Saturnus"! Should be huge \m/
ENTER TO WIN: 1. Must like Rogue Records America 2. Must like The Circle Pit 3. Must share this post and tag both Rogue Records America and The Circle Pit
BONUS 1. Like this photo for a second vote 2. Comment on this photo for a third vote
Hailing from Russia, The Korea have risen to the forefront of their countries metal scene and have become a name known throughout the international metal underground. This is due to the success of their 2012 debut full-length, "Chariots of the Gods" which featuring some devastatingly heavy tech metal tracks.
Now the band is looking to follow up their debut with a sharper, more diverse, and experimental 3 song EP, "Saturnus". This release has been in the works for awhile and it seems that The Korea have expanded upon their sound for the better, just as to be expected of good musicians. This is evinced from the teaser the band released in support of the record. You can go ahead a give it a view or three below along with the official artwork.
"Saturnus" will be released via Rogue Records America on March 25, 2013. Not a bad wait at all. You can go ahead an pre-order the EP right here and prepare your ears for the 25th. This will be a big one.
Hailing from Russia/The Czech Republic/Germany, Pull The Curtains is a brand new super group. This isn't our usual variety of music, but the level of talent in this band is phenomenal with a metal pedigree to boot. But this isn't a metal band, it is a progressive rock group featuring the insane drummer from Apostate, guitarist from Change of Loyalty, and the vocalist from the Russian legends, The Korea (oh, the countries). This may not be everyone's cup of tea but it's worth a try. The band has a few videos out so far supporting their single release "Ex-Girlfiend". Watch and listen!
...is teabagging. Russian scientists figured out if they got a heavy as hell band to teabag enough, the world would explode. You can see it for yourself in the "Chaos Theory" video down there. But in all seriousness, Russia's secret weapon goes by the name of another country (or two), The Korea. This up and coming band must open some insane pits overseas with their skull crushing, chaotic take on the djent style. You might get an idea of what I'm saying from the video for "Waterline" below. I just gave The Korea's debut album "Chariots of the Gods" a listen and was fairly impressed. You should give them a try and see what you think. I'm also pretty sure these guys are gonna release a new album "Saturnus" soon but it's hard to tell considering I don't read or speak Russian.
