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.”
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