The Total Sound Of The Undergound

Lelahel Metal

After a decade in the making, Ivan from BRAINMAZE unveils When Your Demons Come — a powerful, personal journey through darkness, perseverance, and global collaboration. Here's what he had to say.

1.  Ivan, congratulations on the release of When Your Demons Come. After ten years in the making, how does it feel to finally bring this vision to life?

Hello, first of all I want to say thank you Lelahel Metal  for the support and for this interview. I sincerely hope that my music will be heard by more metal fans. And if you like it I will be the happiest person :).

How does it feel? In one word - satisfaction. I defeated my demons :) Now I enjoy the victory listening to my album every day :) I am calmer and I hope to defeat other demons too :) maybe 2026.

Regarding the long term - 10 years. I am a photographer. I own a photo, print and advertising studio and I manage two online stores. My job is quite responsible and busy. I'm a musician in my free time :) after midnight. But there is no EX-musician. Something is always scratching inside :)

About the work on the album! In 2013 I started working for fun on 1-2 mature ideas. I programmed some MIDI drums, recorded the rhythm guitars and bass guitar, I wrote lyrics only for FEAR and the idea of ??the project about the "demons" matured by itself. It so happened that the work continued until 2014 with 12 almost finished songs. At that time I also made the shot for the album cover.

In 2014 FEAR entered a professional studio with my musician friends, but it was never released, I have no memory of why.

Over the years I returned to the project from time to time to test different arrangements and structures, but the main work was done in 2013-2014 - music, most of arangements, vocals lines, lyric ideas. The rest of the time was - maturing and light cosmetics.

2. You’ve said the album was born from late-night sessions and years of perseverance. What kept you coming back to this project over the years, even when life got in the way?

I’m a Taurus. I have a pretty developed self-criticism. I was convinced that the songs I created were good. When I start something, I try to finish it in the best possible way. Yes, sometimes things don’t depend on me. There are more important life things and problems that press us. Then we go into a waiting period, arm ourselves with patience and postpone in time. Yes, some people give up, and others continue... but when we can. So that’s what happened with the album. It was just time for me to release it after 10 years of aging.

3. Every track began on your bass guitar. How did composing on bass influence the overall sound and feel of the album?

I’m sure that anyone who hears the album will understand what instrument it was composed on. The bass guitar riffs are the basis of the entire album. The forward rhythm section is characteristic of the sound of the album. The rhythm guitars are slightly neglected. This was also the main criticism from my friends about the sound. In most metal bands, the rhythm guitar is the leader. Why is that? Bass guitarists are also people. They can't stay in the shadows forever. Ultimately, the style and sound of BRAINMAZE are very specific, which was one of the goals I worked on. That is, a completely original sound and style. I define it as thrash with progressive elements, aggressiveness, hardness.  Maybe Style Brainmaze why not progressive thrash for example  :).

4. The album explores powerful themes like fear, spite, and despair. Were there any specific moments in your life that inspired these emotions musically?

I am a pretty sensitive person, at least I think so. I have always been very excited and there is not a day when I don't experience at least one or two such feelings. A specific song for me is I'm terrified. The lyrics were written precisely in connection with the events of 2022 near Bulgaria. About how spoiled humanity does not even understand what is happening in reality and never learns the lesson from the past.

And is there a person who has not experienced all these feelings from the album? I think that each of us, being alone with ourselves, has experienced them and continues to experience them. Life has been quite stressful lately and I think that the timing of the album's release is also good.

5. You handled not only the music and lyrics but also the photography, design, and financing. What part of this all-encompassing creative process was most fulfilling — and most challenging?

Yes, the whole project was in my head for a long time, photography, design. The music and arrangements were clear from the very beginning. The lyrics were a problem. I could not even imagine this music in any other language than English. My English is not that good, I am not an English speaker after all. So the problem was quite big. Friends and acquaintances pushed me here and there to get the muse to come. I work best when I am pressed against a wall. So I had to put the vocal parts into lyrics for the remaining 5-6 songs. Time was very short. Rob was already recording the finished songs and I had to not miss his moment. The most satisfying thing was writing the string accompaniment in DESPAIR. I had no idea what to do. After I finished I sent the whole song to my violin friends to give their opinion and correct it if necessary. Well, they approved it.

6. Despite being a sol o vision, BRAINMAZE brought together musicians from across the world. How did you select your collaborators, and what did each bring to the table?

Oh, I could write a whole novel, but I'll try to be brief.

When I started recording the entire album, I was at a crossroads.

Should I bring in friends or work with completely unknown musicians? To avoid an emotional connection and a divergence from my vision for the finished product, I preferred the more difficult path - working with strangers. Putting together a team is a pretty complicated thing in general, and remotely it's a matter of luck.

First of all, this wasn't just a single. The entire album had to have one vocalist, one rhythm guitarist, and one drummer, who I had to engage and want to put their whole heart and all their professionalism into. There are many platforms for working with freelanser musicians. I worked with one of them.

To build the team I tested 7 vocalists, 4 rhythm guitarists, 4 lead guitarists and 2 drummers, which took a lot of time. In the end, the team was present and familiar with the idea, commitment and desires. In early January 2024 we started recording I'M TERRIFIED - team building single. I had no balls to make connection with good metal producer and I took the control. It's too hard to be author and producer :).

The process of working with the team went something like this:

“Hello! I’m sending you my drums, guitars, vocals. Can you record them like a pro? …Thank you!”. A few days later: “Hello Ivan, here are the parts”. “Thank you, my friend!”

And so it went, through 12 months of midnight work. And here the team.

- Fabian Carrion Troya (Ecuador)– MIDI Drums.

He gave me different patterns for each part of the songs so I could choose the right ones. Brilliant and clever musician.

- Ramon Martinez (Venezuela) – Rhythm and Lead Guitars

Ramon delivered exceptional guitar tracks, including the solos for I’m Terrified and Insanity

- Rob Davies (UK) – Incredible Vocals

Rob brought my songs to life with his dedication and versatility, even tolerating my singing in English :) in referent vocal lines. His artistic interpretation and commitment were invaluable. Amazing vocalist.

- German Maldonado (Argentina) – Guitar Solos

German crafted stunning solos for "Despair", "Uncertainty" and "Envy", blending technical mastery and emotional depth.

- David Mendez (Argentina) – Acoustic Drums

David transformed Fabian's MIDI drums and my little corrections into dynamic live recordings, exceeding my expectations. Fantastic drummer!

Studios:

Finally, after a long process of recording, corrections, re-recording, and transferring files across continents, the songs reached the studios for mixing and mastering:

- Ilarion Ivanenko (Ukraine) – Editing & Mixing /the third studio I worked with/

An exceptional professional with a positive attitude and great attention to detail. He created an outstanding mix and transformed the sound of the entire album.

- Colin Davis (Imperial Mastering, USA) – Mastering

Colin added the final professional touches to the album, giving it that polished, finished sound.

Thank you, people! I love you!

7. What was the biggest technical or emotional challenge in coordinating this album across so many countries and time zones?

I am blessed with the two teams I worked with.

One is the recording team – international.

I am glad that I was able to explain to everyone exactly what I wanted and what the idea was.

They understood me and put all their energy and professionalism.

There were also many nerve-wracking moments, but it was still a lot of work. Rob was the most screwed up. I would finish the lyrics while working in my office, and in the evening, even without reading them, I would record them singing in "English". Rob must have wanted to kill himself, listening to the inarticulate language. I think my wife had the most fun while I was recording the vocal parts. I would always find her writhing in laughter in the next room.

The second “team” is the one for feedback – my friends from Bulgaria.

I had a powerful trio of musicians who were available 24/7 for help and a “fresh” ear, and others who nudged me when I got lost along the way.

So the album is a joint effort.

8. The production took place in countries like Ukraine, Ecuador, Argentina, and the USA. Did the global aspect of this project shape the music in unexpected ways?

I’ll be brief here, unlike the questions above.

Oh, of course. Each musician has their own style, which was like a spice to the album. I say again that I am blessed to have worked with such positive and wonderful people.

9. Which track on the album feels most personal or cathartic to you — and why?

When I published UNCERTAINTY my good friend called and said: “Ivan, I felt like I saw you in this song. You were there”.

There is no song that doesn't have something personal to it, but yes - Uncertainty is the most personal. That's why the lyrics I wrote in 5 minutes.

10. The album title When Your Demons Come is evocative. What do “demons” mean to you in the context of this project?

Each of us is attacked by "our demons".

For me personally, it's being able to resist the temptations that make me stray from the right path. It's knowing what is good and what is evil. This album was like a shaman chasing away ghosts.

11.  With such a heavy, intense record now out in the world, do you feel you've exorcised some of your own inner demons? Or are they still lurking, waiting for the next record?

The album has  gotten pretty solid and good, hasn't it? Around me and inside me, all the demons have already been cast out. I'm calm now.

There are always more demons lurking in the darkness, but once they hear the album, they disappear immediately. This is the recipe, people: "Listen to the album to cast out your demons :)"

12. Now that BRAINMAZE is out of the shadows and into the light, what's next for you? Are you planning live performances, new material, or perhaps visual work connected to this release?

I was in a trance for the whole of 2024. It was very hard - working in my office, working on the album. This workload was mostly mental and emotional. This year I'm going to have a good rest. I have 3-4 new song ideas and 2 left over from previous years, but I definitely won't be working on them. I really feel tired. 10 years ago I dreamed of hearing the album finished and it happened. Now I dream of performing it live with a band. Hopefully it will come true in the coming years :). One has to dream, but also do everything possible to make it happen.

Now that the album is complete, I can say: “Yes, I managed to bring to life the vision I’ve carried for over 10 years.”

Brainmaze – Metal Project

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