Ukrainian punk trio Death Pill to reunite for European tour after ‘waking nightmare’ of conflict separation

A Ukrainian punk trio separated by Russia’s conflict are because of reunite as a band for the primary time in additional than a yr to play a European tour.

After releasing their debut album earlier in 2023, whereas residing 1000’s of miles aside, Death Pill have introduced the Over My Dead Body reveals in Ukraine, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK in May and June.

The band – Mariana Navrotskaya, Anastasiia Khomenko and Nataliia Seryakova – had been separated after Russia‘s conflict on Ukraine started in February 2022; Nataliia moved quickly to Australia for work, Mariana stayed in Kyiv, and Anastasiia made the troublesome determination to take her younger son to security in Spain, leaving her husband behind.

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Now, Nataliia and Anastasiia are set to return house for the Kyiv present, which kicks off the tour on 20 May.

“For me, not playing is almost like not living and I’m very excited about the opportunity to get together, go on tour, see new places, and meet new people,” Anastasiia instructed Sky News. “It should be a very exciting journey.”

While she can also be excited concerning the reveals, Mariana stated she can not really feel true happiness concerning the band’s return after every thing that has occurred to their nation.

“[My feelings] are very mixed,” she stated. “I know it is impossible to feel the current situation as fully as we feel it, but try to imagine this: we are going on our first tour, to follow our long-awaited and cherished dream, we are playing for the first time in Europe and in the UK – actually, it’s my first time going abroad. It was a dream of mine.

“But I completely don’t really feel ‘happiness’ inside. I’m excited however I really feel anxiousness and devastation, I really feel an inner wrestle; the dream of my life comes true proper within the midst of a horrible bloody f****** conflict.

“All my endless ambitions, all my emotions and feelings, all my joys and all my pain – Death Pill. This is the most honest and sincere thing I have. Nataliia and Anastasiia, they are literally sisters to me; sisters by blood, sisters by spirit. We’ll all be together for a month, and right now it sounds as sweet to me as it can be.”

‘Exciting doom’

Nataliia stated she has solely began addressing her emotions correctly up to now few days after months of not permitting herself to be something however robust.

“I didn’t allow myself to be sad, or sick, or poor, or weak during my whole life and even more so in the last year, because in my opinion it prohibits moving forward,” she stated. “I have just started to think more about my honest feelings a few days ago and I can’t describe it properly. It is new for me.

“I used to be very centered on preparations for the tour during the last 4 months – bookings, promoting, merchandise, house rehearsals, flights and many others – and simply now, when the date of my flight house is in 10 days, I realise that the majority of all I wish to see my mother and father alive, to see the women from the band and to attempt to catch the sensation that I’m at house.

“But I realise it is only for one month and after that we all will be separated again. [It’s a] strange new feeling – exciting doom. Our nation has been handling it for the last few years, I hope I can handle it too.”

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Death Pill’s self-titled debut album gained reward from critics – described as “a record of staggering musicianship fuelled by an untamed fury” by The Line Of Best Fit and “a face-toasting listen” by the Guardian, whereas Metal Hammer referred to as it “one of the best crossover albums of the modern era”.

The put the album out in opposition to all the chances on 24 February this yr, marking the primary anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

While Anastasiia was in a position to practise with Mariana throughout a go to to Ukraine to see household, their in-person rehearsal two days earlier than the Kyiv present would be the first time all three ladies get to see one another, and play music collectively, since they had been separated.

“I am rehearsing with my computer,” Nataliia stated. “Sad but true – Guitar Pro replaced my girls for this year. I miss them.”

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“In Barcelona, I go to a studio where I play solo,” Anastasiia stated. “I have our records to play to, a metronome. Of course, it’s not as cool and productive as when you play with a band. But you have time to hone your game more.”

“Each of us regularly rehearses a concert programme solo, under a metronome and MIDI (digital) drums from Guitar Pro,” Mariana added. “Of course, a solo rehearsal will never replace a rehearsal with a group, but in our case it is impossible.

“We put [so much] effort to make this tour occur in opposition to the backdrop of this waking nightmare – and I’ll take full benefit of this tour.”

Death Pill play The Crown Bar in Kyiv, Ukraine, on 20 May, with reveals in Bradford, Manchester, Bristol, Brighton and London in June