Arctic Dreams is a Serbian sympho-industrial-black-death-metal band, founded in 2009 by Aleksandr Järvinen (Alex_Y) (vocals, guitars, bass, music, lyrics) and Igor (Sydius) Pokatilov (backing vocals, guitar).
The band’s lyrics explore a wide range of themes — from abstract concepts and philosophy to literature, cinema, and video-game worlds.
Originally conceived as a studio project, Arctic Dreams remained behind the scenes for years until 2020, when the band revived its activity and began shaping its live identity.
We got to speak to the band about their opinions, the interview is below.
What advice would you give to people just starting out in the music industry?
[Alex_Y]: I will give you only one piece of advice: think ten times, no, better twenty times, about whether you need this or not. You will face difficulties that most people cannot handle. You must weigh all the pros and cons and decide whether you need to spend your strength and energy on this.
[Gena]: Don’t.
[Mirko_Death]: Do or do not, there is no try.
[Roman]: Please don’t. This world already has too many musicians.
What were your musical influences growing up?
[Alex_Y]: There were many of them. But the first, most vivid, and influential on my musical thinking was, of course, Metallica.
[Gena]: My father listened to rock and metal from the 60s to the 80s, which had the biggest influence on my musical tastes.
[Mirko_Death]: Slayer, Megadeth,Testament,Exodus, Overkill, Destruction, Kreator……
[Roman]: Korol i Shut -> Aria -> Nightwish -> Blind Guardian.
Who did you watch at your first ever gig you attended?
[Alex_Y]: It was a famous local Russian band called Kipelov. To put it simply, they were the Russian equivalent of Iron Maiden or Judas Priest.
[Gena]: I don’t remember, it was a local club and I was drunk.
[Mirko_Death]: My friend’s high school band.
[Roman]: Aria
How did that gig you watched made you feel?
[Alex_Y]: Oh, it was a sensation. It was a concert in an indoor sports arena, there were a lot of people, and I understood the full power of metal.
[Gena]: It was awesome, so many positive emotions.
[Mirko_Death]: I broke my nose in a mosh pit but it was awesome.
[Roman]: Inspired
What was the hardest obstacle you had to overcome to get to where you are now in music?
[Alex_Y]: In my case, it hasn’t been overcome yet…. I have to work at a regular job and can’t devote myself 100% to music. I’m constantly running around like a squirrel in a wheel between two fires: work and Arctic Dreams, and the more my brainchild develops, the harder it is to do.
[Gena]: I sacrificed everything =)
[Mirko_Death]: Finding musicians to be in a band is an issue.
[Roman]: Earn money.
What was your best performance?
[Alex_Y]: Our last concert with Hate in early September. Despite some organizational hiccups, we played well and I think we reached a new level.
[Gena]: Open Air “Taman”
[Mirko_Death]: Every performance is great and I always have a good time.
[Roman]: I played in Nizhny Tagil. It was unforgettable.
How do you feel about sampling, do you use sampling?
[Alex_Y]: This is a much deeper question than just sampling. It’s about the use of technology. First of all, we have our own recording studio. As for live performances, we simply have to integrate digital technology. This is due to the preparation for the show and the setup before the concert, because the show must be of high quality, and there is often no time for setup. Therefore, plug-and-play solutions are needed. As for recording in the studio, the main rule is to use as little digital technology as possible; everything that can be recorded live should be recorded live. For example, drums—yes, we trigger them, but the mix emphasizes live drums, their breath, Roman’s energy, bass, and guitars—only live amplifiers, live recording, or reamping. This is what gives the mix its UNIQUENESS. Moreover, we even record live orchestral instruments (violins, cellos, trumpets, etc.). Ivan has now joined us, and we will finally be able to record live synthesizers. The problem with plugins and libraries is that everyone uses them, and as a result, many bands lack their own UNIQUENESS. Hundreds of bands sound similar to each other. Our approach is to offer our listeners a UNIQUE and HIGH-QUALITY product. I even think more globally—when I die, I won’t be able to take material possessions with me to the afterlife, but music is a legacy that I will leave behind. And I wouldn’t want it to be recordings cobbled together from samples and guitars recorded through a plugin, haha If you’re going to do it, do it right.
[Gena]: We all use industry standards regardless of whether we like it or not.
[Mirko_Death]: No I don’t.
[Roman]: I play drums. I suppose Gena uses some triggers for the bass drum and snare.
If you could choose from a historical gig, from any era who would you have seen and why?
[Alex_Y]: Metallica, Tushino! 1991. I was two years old at the time, but I talked a lot with people who were there. It was something unimaginable. The very fact that yesterday’s Soviet people got their hands on Western metal, all that cool vibe and those ideas.
[Gena]: Performances with musicians who were no longer alive when I was a teenager. Nirvana, Pantera, and so on.
[Mirko_Death]: Slayer and Exodus 80‘s
[Roman]: Nightwish – The End of an Era
Do you have a moment you could share with the magazine from your previous gigs or recording experiences?
[Alex_Y]: Well, not the concerts themselves, but the preparation for them. For example, we couldn’t come up with a reliable solution for playbacks for a long time. Each of our concerts involves preparing new projects with them, and that’s a lot of work. But in the end, I closed this issue, hopefully for good.
[Gena]: I can share some advice: practice using a metronome.
[Mirko_Death]: Every gig is a great time spent. There is no special situation.
[Roman]: Last year, I spent two weeks in the studio recording the next Arctic Dreams album.
Where and when is your next gig?
[Alex_Y]: It will be in 2026. And it will be dedicated to the presentation of our second album. This year, we have already done everything we could.
[Gena]: I don’t know yet =)
[Mirko_Death]: We are recording new material,gigs are planned when we finish an album.
[Roman]: I have no clue, to be honest.
What’s your favourite song and why?
[Alex_Y]: Well, to me, (they’re like children) I love them all. You wouldn’t love one of your children more than another, would you?
[Gena]: There are too many of them. It’s impossible to choose just one.
[Mirko_Death]: Our song, Let Me Introduce My Cosmic Hell, is my favourite.
[Roman]: Blind Guardian – Mirror Mirror. It contains literally everything I love in music inside.
Why do you make music?
[Alex_Y]: Because that is the meaning of my life, and I was born for this.
[Gena]: Because I’m stupid and didn’t start studying to become an app developer or something like that.
[Mirko_Death]: Because I love playing metal.
[Roman]: Boredom.
Talk us through your song writing process.
[Alex_Y]: It’s like making wine. An idea is born in your head and matures there for some time (an indefinite amount of time), and then it turns into words and notes.
[Gena]: It’s like giving birth… Everything happens in agony.
[Mirko_Death]: First I explore the topic, subject. Try to be emotional about the situation and then a riff just pops in my head.
[Roman]: I use GuitarPro, and I love writing drums in notes.
If you could offer one small bit of advice for your past self what would you say?
[Mirko_Death]: Try harder playing guitar.
[Roman]: Buy bitcoins in 2013.
Find out more here: https://arcticdreamsofficial.com/#home
