- Year of foundation – 2015
- City – Kyiv (Ukraine)
- Language – Ukrainian
- Genre – country, folk, rock, neofolk
Lineup:
- Divoire – vocals, guitar;
- Sasha Kladbishche – vocals, drums, kazoo;
- Eric – banjo;
- Natalia Ferens – washboard, percussion;
- Andriy Pavlenko – keyboards.
Former members: Serhiy Pror (bass, musician passed away in 2024).
History of the band
ZWYNTAR (Cemetery) is a Ukrainian dark country band from Kyiv, founded in 2015 by musicians Eric and Divoir. Regarding the name of the band, one of the group leaders, Eric, noted that the members could not agree for a long time. They offered each other a variety of and sometimes extremely exotic options. They also considered the name "Devils from the Valley of Death". In the end, the Latin inscription ZWYNTAR appeared on a piece of paper. This option became decisive. After all, it immediately outlined the future style of the band, its aesthetic direction and the language of the compositions.
A few months after meeting, Sasha Kladbishche initiated joint work on her old song "My mother once gave me a knife". They also decided to shoot a video clip for the composition. During the creation of the track and video, the members agreed so much in musical views that they decided to continue cooperation within the framework of a joint band. And the clip, designed in a post-apocalyptic style, received positive reviews from both the audience and critics.
Creative path
In 2016, the band presented the first single "You Are Not God" to fans of the genre. Later, a mini-album called "Sin" was released. The debut of the studio full-length album "Dead Voices" took place on December 14, 2018. The participants describe the release as an atmospheric journey into a bizarre world that lies somewhere beyond the Shadow of the Valley of Death. According to the musicians, folklore plots, urban legends and fictional stories are intertwined here, united into a holistic concept. The space depicted in the compositions is filled with danger, but at the same time leaves room for hope. In the fall of 2019, the band presented a video clip for the song "Johnny". And on June 17, 2021, fans received another gift from their idols - a new single "Girl".
In 2023, on Friday the 13th, the second album "A Thousand Eyes" was released. The success of the album expanded the band's army of fans and confirmed their recognition among both listeners and producers and critics in the music industry. According to the musicians, the release of "A Thousand Eyes" became the darkest in their discography. Individual tracks were released in different periods and touched on different topics. Despite this, within the framework of the full-length album, all the compositions merged into a single mood, imbued with a common atmosphere.
On December 7, 2023, the mini-album "Sin" was reissued. It includes the songs "Black Tree" and "Johnny", translated into Ukrainian.
The style and development of the band
ZWYNTAR is the charisma of the members, a special concept, high-quality sound and a professional approach to creating lyrics. The band works at the intersection of genres. The artists create music that can be described as dark country. However, other styles are also intertwined in the band's compositions - from folk motifs to gothic sound. The aesthetics of American folklore and deep Ukrainian traditional culture meet in their work.
ZWYNTAR's music is a journey through dusty prairies, where time slows down to the heavy rhythmic banjo. Legends of ghosts, curses and retribution are heard there. And nearby lives the eerie poetry of the Ukrainian land, woven into lyrics with folk melodies and expressive vocal manner. The creak of a washboard, explosions of contrasting timbres and a hypnotic atmosphere - all this forms the unique style of ZWYNTAR.
Each member of the band has unique musical tastes. From jazz and metal to electronics and niche alternative. It is this diversity that allows the band to avoid repetitions, clichés and stereotypes. And the lyrical component is considered one of the strongest aspects of the team's creativity.
Since their appearance on the stage, ZWYNTAR has held over a hundred live shows throughout Ukraine. Often with sold-outs. The musicians have performed on the stages of the country's most famous festivals: Faine Misto, Zaxidfest, Comic Con Ukraine, Gogolfest and others. The artists have repeatedly headlined country nights and themed events, and have also performed on stage in front of underground stars such as King Dude, Aurelio Voltaire, Persephone and others.
Singles of the group:
- “You Are Not a God”;
- “On the Marsh”;
- “Nikola”;
- “Angel of Heaven”;
- “The Devil Enters the City”;
- “Don't Trust Mortals” and others.
Social activity of the group
The musicians admit that they get special pleasure from live communication with the audience after concerts. According to the group members, they have repeatedly heard from listeners that their music becomes a support during difficult periods of life. Such reviews are of incomparably greater importance to musicians than any chart rankings or media mentions. After all, the real valuecreativity – in the ability to help, heal, inspire.
The support of creativity from the military has become especially important. The musicians are flattered by the fact that their songs are listened to on the front lines. And this, according to the band, is really cool. From the beginning of the war in the East, and later after the full-scale invasion, the band members actively joined the volunteer movement. The most active was Sasha Kladbishche, who not only became an integral part of the volunteer community, but also made a significant contribution to supporting the army and helping the victims. Today, ZWYNTAR donates all the proceeds from its concerts to charity.
Interesting facts about the band:
- the band has its own magical creature named Byasha;
- Eric and Divoir completed an online course from Berklee College on the theory and practice of poetry;
- among the band's musical recommendations are King Woman, Lingua Ignota, Ghost, Trio Marenichiv, Moonspell, The Cure, Fields of the Nephilim and others;
- Eric is a fan of Old Norse poetry;
- Sasha has a degree in editing;
- Natalia is a translator by profession.
