SPACE OF VARIATIONS Talk The Power Of New Album “Imago,” Touring Europe and the US: “This Career Growth Came During the Most Difficult Period In Our Homeland. It Is Difficult to Realize And Accept.”

Space Of Variations dropped an incredible album in March this year, titled “Imago“. The Ukrainian metalcore group grabbed attention with their unpredictable songwriting that was fueled with an intense aggression. To drive their themes home, especially surrounding the current war being perpetrated by Russia on Ukraine, the music videos to accompany tracks such as “Imago” and “DNA molecule in a million of dimensions” use powerful imagery to engage the listener further. The video clips are heavy to watch, but the thought and emotion put into them results in the viewer taking a lot more of that thought and emotion to heart.

The band is currently on a huge Europe and UK tour, sharing the stage with Within Destruction, Bound In Fear and Earth Caller. Right after this, they’re jetting off to the US to finish off the year on a high note with fellow Ukrainians and metal juggernauts Jinjer, as well as Malevolence and Vended. During all this, the band found some time to answer some questions asked by Sonic Perspectives writer, Josh Muncke.

So, hope you’re all doing well! Firstly, for those who may not have had the pleasure of being familiar with you just yet, can you give me a quick sentence about what you’re all about?

We are a band from Ukraine that plays heavy music. We believe that the concept of the band is encoded in our name. We are a field of different emotions, genre variations.

Your take on metal is something insanely unique. For me, it’s the confidence that bursts out of your music when you lean into any style, whether it be the more electronic, or more metalcore side of things. What did you want to accomplish for yourselves when you were writing your new album “Imago”?

We wanted each song to differ from each other in terms of vibe, emotion and content. We don’t want to play by genre standards. We want to be outside the box and go beyond even our own understanding of things.

The music videos you’ve put out with your recent singles are so intense, especially your latest single “DNA molecule in a million of dimensions”. I got goosebumps; it’s truly a visual and sonic experience. How do you go about conceptualizing a video like this? How much creative space does director Tymofii Kasatkin have to move around when producing it?

In this particular video, Tima had a lot of creative space and made everything very cool. We got together, discussed how it should look in general, and Tima came up with different scenes and showed us. Everything always goes through the censorship of the whole band. We make 90% of our videos ourselves. For us, this is an important part of creativity that continues our music. Completes our worlds. We do mostly everything ourselves, from the concept to the clothes, make-up, editing and vfx.

This track, as well as title track “Imago”, are especially heavy considering their direct subject matter and the circumstances surrounding Ukraine. How did it feel to release these tracks into the world? 

We filmed the Imago video a few days before the war started. Tima edited it and did the vfx under air sirens and explosions. It’s hard to put into words. Everything that is happening now is a very surreal reality. Unfortunately we are in it. The only option for us is to only become stronger from this.

What are you hoping that the people will feel or experience when listening to the tracks, or watching these videos?

I hope that they will feel a deep connection with these notes, sounds and words and this will help them understand that they are not alone in their thoughts, in their vision of the world. If I managed to shout to something deep in them – this is a success. That’s what I’m here for. I want people to feel strong and deep emotions from our music

Dmytro, you sound like you’re giving all of your emotion into each track, and that’s displayed with a lot of variation which is incredibly impressive. Did you start your vocal career as a clean singer, or extreme vocalist?

From the very beginning I was an extreme vocalist. Over time, I tried to become better, but I had my ups and downs. On this album, I sing with a clean voice the most I ever have during my entire musical experience and I get a lot of pleasure from it.

How long have you been developing your voice? Are there any influences you’ve looked up to during your development?

Oh. I think there is no end to this process. The longer you live, the more you learn. Different parts, different lines. Your body changes through the years, your mindset changes. It is always a life-long journey.   I have no references as to who I would like to sound like. I want to sound organic to my nature.

The production on “Imago” is full to the brim with energy, but it’s still crystal clear and dynamic as hell. How much time and dedication was spent dialling in all the little nuances and layers until the band was happy to say “it’s ready”?

It took a long time. There were many versions of the sound, but in the end we are very happy with the sound that came out on the album. We’re grateful to Roman Bondar from the Kyiv studio Lizard Audio for this awesome sound!

What are you all most proud of about this album, be it the production, the message, the performances or anything else?

There are many things on this album that we are proud of. It seems to us that the album sounds quite unique. This is our best work so far. The best songs, our best videos, the deepest lyrics, the most honest opinions. We put everything we had into this album. I hope people will hear it.

Throughout this year you planned to perform across Ukraine with Grayshapes and Sick Solution. How important was it for you as a group to make this happen, to see your fans at home?

The problem is that we do not demand to hold this tour because of the war. This is terrible. After our victory we will do it and we will celebrate life.

I’m sure you guys must be super excited about the tour with Within Destruction, Bound In Fear and Earth Caller across Europe and the UK. After that, you’re heading over the US to tour with fellow Ukrainians Jinjer! As well as P.O.D., Vended and Malevolence of course. When it was decided that you were joining Jinjer again, but on this huge tour to the US, what did it mean for you as a band, and also personally?

It was decided somewhere in the middle of the summer, but we did not know whether we would be released abroad or not. Everything went well. It’s been a dream of my life to play a tour in the states. The same for all members of the band. Now this dream has become a reality. This is definitely a new level for us. On the other hand, this career growth came during the most difficult period in our homeland. It is difficult to realize and accept.

Last question and I’ll let you go! In three words, describe the experience you’re going to give to your fans across the EU, UK, and the US on these tours? 

Many people say that to fully understand us, you need to attend our live performance. It will be heavy, emotional and hypnotic. We are here for pure energy!

Thanks for your time, guys!