On June 23, 2022, in Brussels, for the first time in history, EU countries approved a country at war as a candidate for EU membership, and of course, that country is Ukraine. Hailing from Kyiv, the melodic metal band Ignea is one of Ukraine’s biggest metal bands. In the interview, vocalist Helle discusses the band’s situation and future plans.
The last three months for the singer and the band have been phased, as music became impossible to enjoy due to constant insecurity after Russia’s invasion. However, the band members began to find their place amidst the war, and Ignea has been actively sharing information about the conflict online. With the resumption of the Ukrainian postal service, Ignea released new merchandise, with proceeds going to benefit Ukraine, and eventually, it was possible to play charity gigs.
Currently, men aged 18-60 cannot leave Ukraine due to mobilization, leading to the cancellation of Ignea’s gigs in Europe, including their first performances in Finland. However, this might change if the Ukrainian Minister of Culture recommends Ignea, allowing the band to leave the country for a week to perform gigs. Nothing is certain at this moment, and the band hopes to play at festivals in August and go on a club tour in September.
The band also planned to release a new album this year, but due to the war, the release has been postponed to next year, and Helle cannot share more about the upcoming album at this stage. The band recently released the single “Magura’s Last Kiss” from last year’s Bestia split. Inspired by Ukrainian mythology, both the song and the music video were completed before the war, with the video finished just days before the invasion. In a macabre detail in hindsight, “Magura’s Last Kiss” and its video dedicated to Ukraine’s defenders seem almost prophetic of the ongoing war.
As people grow weary of the news about the war and coverage diminishes, Helle wants to remind everyone of Russia’s ongoing atrocities in Ukraine and urges people to remember the situation in Ukraine, share information, and support Ukraine in any way possible.
Interview with keyboardist Yevhenii Zhytniuk from 2024: https://anti-commercial.media/ignea-31-01-2024/
Ignea interview 06.2022
Helle
Producer: Janne Vuorela
https://ignea.band/
Imperiumin artikkeli: https://impe.fi/articles/1/3107
Help Ukraine: https://helpukraine.center/
Picture: Ignea
