16.01.2005 : New album of Russian Gothic Rock band DoppelgangeR - "Dancing"
On 15 January 2005 Russian gothic project DoppelgangeR finishes its more than semi-annual work at its new release. "Dancing" actually is the second album in the newest history of the band and is a quintessence of the events that happened to the band recently, including staff changes and leave of the major label. In the material of new album is obvious the change of the sound to the classic gothic rock of the 90’s and at the same time the original style of the band was kept. "Dancing" is 10 compositions with low charismatic male vocal, velvet rhythm section and powerful guitar riffs. Disc includes a bonus track – a result of teamwork of DoppelgangeR and one of the most perspective Russian synth-goth bands Requiem for FM.
The new album of DoppelgangeR "Dancing" will be released on 15 January 2005 at the Russian gothic label Shadowpaly Release.
ATTENTION!!! In 2005 the band DoppelgangeR is planning "Dancing" promo-tour. If you want your city to be included in a tour-list contact us: admin@doppelganger.ru
BAND'S HISTORY
FIRST CHAPTER
History of the band as it usually happens started when two fellows with kindred spirit decided to create their own project. In 1994 in Moscow Andrey Malinovsky and Alexander Klimov called one of such projects DoppelgangeR that in translation from German means ‘somebody’s double’. The other specific meaning of this word is ‘astral body’ that separates from the physical body in a moment of a clinical death. Probably that is the name that influenced the further development of the band's musical trend and the fate of the band itself - so contradictory it has been.
The first album under the same name – “Doppelganger” was released in 1995 by “Metal-Agen/Soyuz” record label. Now we can for eternity debate about the advantages and disadvantages of this album but the fact is that the main featuring styles as doom, gothic metal and a little bit of hard-core made this release known in Moscow underground scene.
The next album, called “Serpent's Land”, was released in June 1996 at the same label. The band began playing live in Moscow clubs, tour throughout Russia being a success among both those who prefer heavy music (hard-core, doom-metal) and those who are fond of more 'lyrical' styles (gothic-metal, gothic-doom). One of the most considerable events of that year was the band’s performance at the festival “Deathrider IV” together with Mental Home. Right after that festival the band got the proposal from the record label “Metal-Agen/Soyuz” to release the next album but due to staff changes this plan was postponed. DoppelgangeR remained in the shadow for the four long years in order to come back with almost new staff and absolutely another music.
RESURRECTION
The band came back from non-existence on the edge of the century in 2000 that was very symbolic. The complete reincarnation happened in autumn 2001 when Dmitry ‘Flo’ Tishin committed Yuri Postoev (Gatan) to be their vocalist. So the band with the following line-up: Gatan - vocals, Nikniki - guitar, Flo - bass, Malina - drums moved to the home studio of Max Fedoseev (ex-Wishmaster). Max Fedoseev also helped the band with guitars’ recording and arranging. Two months later demo-album “Love is like suicide” was released. It contained four tracks: “Love Magińa”, “Dead Heart”, “Greed”, “Sins of October”. This release got very good reviews and was selected for Russian compilation CD “Russkaya Sborka” released by music magazine “Play”!
Unfortunately in summer 2002 Andrey Malinovsky left DoppelgangeR. The band had to search for a new drummer and finally Ilya Alekseenko (Drummer) took the vacancy. Keyboards replaced the second guitar in order to achieve more classic gothic rock sound. Elena Kuznetsova (Vezuka) became the new keyboard player.
With the new material the band started playing gigs, had three videos shot, appeared on the M1 TV channel, was on the air on one of the Serbian radio stations, was approved of by the visitors of the famous Western internet portal MP3.com.
On March 8, 2003 the band played in the club ‘Avalon’ at the after-party of the well-known goth’n’roll band from Finland – The 69 Eyes.
On March 16, 2003 another video of the band was showed on the TV channels TV3 and NTV+.
On May 31, 2003 the album “...Desire Lost Forever?” was released at the major record label “Misteria Zvuka”. All the music in the album except for “Immortal Lady” was written and arranged by Flo. “Immortal Lady” was written by Nikniki, lyrics by Gatan. Nikniki was also very helpful while arranging “Sins of October”. And thanx to Drummer, a good studio with the talented sound producer Oleg Sharonov at the head was found. Nikniki came up with the cover art idea for “...Desire Lost Forever?” that was brought to life by Mikhail Seregin, who designed the booklet. The designer of “Misteria Zvuka” Alexander Novikov gave the whole thing the final touch.
The reviews in the press were contradictory but the album had a great impact on the band's further destiny. During just a few months the band turned into the favourites of the Moscow goths.
Soon afterwards the cover of “...Desire Lost Forever?” was called “The Most Vampire Style Cover of the Week” on the well-known gothic portal Gothic Unity. The radio station “Maximum” included the song “My Invisible Touch of Your Heart” into their playlist.
On September 8, 2003 the band appeared in the program “Serebro” (Silver) of the radio station “Ekho Moskvy” (Echo of Moscow). DJ's told about the band and answered the questions of the listeners that were calling for 40 minutes. The 3 songs were on the air: “The Cold”, “Immortal Lady” and “Winter's Misery”. Also one of the songs got into this radio's chart.
Winter brings many pleasant surprises:
On December 17, 2003 MTV showed a reporting about the gothic scene in Russia in their NewsBlock. The reporting included the interview with the band and the review of the bands playing gothic rock in Russia. DoppelgangeR was called Moscow's leading gothic rock band.
On December 7, 2003 the band supported the Finnish band Charon. The band Forgive~Me~Not also took part in the concert.
Major Russian magazine about the heavy music "Dark City" called the band “Breakthrough of the year 2003”. The end of the year was marked by the big concerts in Saint Petersburg and Voronezh.
WE CAN IMAGINE GOTHIC ROCK WITHOUT US BUT WE CAN’T IMAGINE OURSELVES WITHOUT GOTHIC ROCK!
The year 2004 was opened by the gig at the First International Gothic and Love Metal Festival “Moscow After Midnight”. Such bands as ENTWINE (Finland), DARZAMAT (Poland), DEADBABES (Finland) participated in the festival. National gothic portal Russian Gothic Page in their report from the festival marked that DoppelgangeR was the only band playing gothic rock.
In April, 2004 Ilya Alekseenko aka Drummer left DoppelgangeR and on his place came a new drummer - Kirill Zhuravlev (Borman).
On May 11, 2004 indie label Shadowplay Group released Russian dark scene compilation “Colours of Black”. DoppelgangeR is presented on this compilation with a song ‘Kiss to My Last Breath’. This release consists songs of 34 Russian bands many of which can be called veterans of the Russian gothic scene.
On May 20, 2004 DoppelgangeR appeared in a program “Total Show” on MTV. The band performed two songs: “Kiss to My Last Breath” and “Immortal Lady”, and also gave a short interview. Exactly thanx to this performance was broken MTV’s information blockade of ‘deviant’ music. In Russia DoppelgangeR was the first among the bands of gothic deviation that paid attention to the fact of gothic subculture existence and due to that the band got many new fans all over the country.
Good luck was following the band: concert-tours all over the country, invitation to perform at the 10th Anniversary International Specialized Exhibition “MUSIC-MOSCOW-2004”. For the first time in the history of Russian underground the band of gothic deviation played at such a significant event. The exhibition took place at the exhibition centre 'Sokolniki' from 23 to 26 September 2004.
To this moment the material for a new album was almost ready and the band takes a decision to leave the major label “Misteria Zvuka” for a recently founded Russian gothic indie label Shadowplay Release. In November musicians moved the record studio McCartney in Voronezh and within two months the new album was recorded.
At the end of the year the band played in Ryazan and Saint Petersburgh and also gave a jubilee concert in Moscow presenting the acoustic version of the old program. At the moment the band with bated breath before their new release and the next rush…
