Style and Concept.

Welicoruss: pagan black/ atmospheric metal

The band’s sound and imagery is undoubtedly that of black metal; lyrics, concept and ideology are inspired by the ancient Rus lore, which refers Welicoruss to pagan.

The Siberian band delivers dark, intense and mystic sound that demonstrates how to impressively unite the contemporary metal with the dim and distant mythological past. Their music recreates the Old Rus solemn and sunless atmosphere, expressing both national feelings and personal perception of the Ancient Rus Spirit through the lyrics. Devoted to their pagan heritage, Welicoruss reflects in their compositions their admiration of Nature and search for the hidden mysteries of the secret Powers that rule the Universe.

However, never has Welicoruss put themselves within the tried and tested stereotypes of the genre. As the band’s mastermind and frontmen Alexey Boganov explains, their main goal is not only to produce pagan black metal of high quality, but also to create a certain atmosphere, astonish and amaze the Listener, making him dissolve in the sound and find himself face to face with his roots. That’s why the band uses some unexpected solutions to enrich their music, like producing symphonic version of their hit «Glory to Rus» or melting traditional folk melodies with black metal guitar riffs in «Slavonic Power», nevertheless remaining true to pagan genre. One can’t deny that it’s the video version of «Blizzard» that reflects the band’s vision of the art and world. Blizzard serves as a metaphor to the innerstate of men, ruthless power of Nature and is quite an appropriate symbol of the music that band delivers – blackened, atmospheric pagan, dark and majestic. Images of emptiness and coldness, eternal darkness and disturbing northern lights, vast snowy wastelands and frozen yet alive Nature in «Blizzard» and «Wintermoon Symphony» along with unearthly and sombre sound hint at both forgotten pagan past and visions of post-apocalyptical, surreal future, nonetheless never fully revealing its secrets to the listeners. This is a distinctive feature that sets Welicoruss apart from numerous bands of the same genre, allowing to place them among bands not only to be heard, but seen and sensed as well.



“BLIZZARD” VIDEO – from Producer Alexander Tretyakov’s press release.

“For me this video was meant to be the reflection of complicated artistic view on the slightest changes in human’s wishes, thoughts and a variety of symbolic meanings entwined with the events of the Past and Present. Do we frequently dwell upon the numerous emotional gradations given by the Nature itself, which endowed us with this secret purpose and hope? Don’t we doubt in the possibility to hear its Voice, which divides and binds the symbols and senses, without our fondest wish to give everything its form, sound, colour? To cast a play which is only a tiniest part of the Eternal life? The blizzard serves as a metaphor both to the inner interlacement of human’s thoughts and feelings and the power of Nature. The main characters of this video, like snowy winds running through sleepy winter forests and the web of Nature’s forms and powers, pierce the scraps of their doubts and illusions. They go through mysterious and ambiguous phenomena. These odds and ends of surreality, having no decoding and clues, are blasts of emotions which entwine scraps of dreams with the texture of legends.

While creating this video, we didn’t want to use clear and direct image, script and story. It is the Music that was our main script and metaphor, reflecting the moments of embarrassment and agony, the consolation and magnificence of Nature. Having used the allegorical meaning of the Elements we’ve emphasized not only the musical composition, but the process of its creation as well. The auditory can see that the Art draws inspiration from real Life; the reality gives birth to emotions which transform into music and visual pieces of Art. Human emotions are unique, but transient and momentary. This universally acknowledged metaphysical concept is our main message to the audience. I guess this video should not only be seen, but sensed as well.



Nevertheless, the main characters of the clip try to choose they own script and course of events; they make huge efforts to conquer and overcome the blizzard. The haunting image of the back-breaking load which prevents humans of finding the fair and clear side of Life makes our characters to perform symbolic rituals and solve the riddles of their essence and the Universe. They try to tell apart truth and lies, foresee the future events. Their inner world changes – some of them yield to the blizzard. Some even begin to serve this Element and unite with it – the dark force enslaves them and changes completely. The displacement of space and time, the change of graphic mise en scene, the Blizzard gaining strength and enthralling people – all of this one can see with majestic Nature serving as the background.

I didn’t want this video to thrust some truth on the audience, neither to explain nor impose any opinions. We decided to leave it as the artistic sketch rather than complete picture. I’d call the result of our work “the work of art with a bit of staging and a lot of composer and performers’ expression ”. Those who have the ability to feel and sense will catch the glimpse of our secret world for sure.

I express my greatest thanks to Welicoruss, as the guys live and breathe Art, they can express their emotions. It was them who managed to reconcile their artistic views with my specific vision of the World, creating together this new thing – the Blizzard. I wish them great success and recognition”.


Download Making Of Blizzard - 14 Mb