Interview: Blackened Rose (Written)

Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life bring you an interview with old-school hard rock and glam metal band, Blackened Rose.

Hello! Thank you for taking the time to chat to us. First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

We are Blackened Rose, a hard rock and metal band from Sydney, Australia. The band was formed only at the end of 2022 / early 2023, but all of the band members have prior experience with other projects.

Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?

Well, let’s say that we mix the old-school fun hard rock and glam from 80’s like Poison, Skid Row, Bon Jovi, Deep Purple, etc. with the dark, melancholic beauty of goth like Type O Negative, HIM, The 69 Eyes or Negative. We have a wide range of sound up our sleeve, so stick around!

What’s currently going on in your camp? New releases? Tours? Etc.

We have recently released our debut single “Ginger Red (Oh, So Bad)”, which you can check out online. But we also have a few shows popping out around Sydney and planning a second single soon!

What has been the most positive experience of making music to date for you?

For me personally it has been finding new genres and inspirations. I love both 80’s glam and gothic metal, and Blackened Rose actually allowed me to express myself in these genres, – Aleksei Iagunkov, vocals

Likewise, what has been some of the more challenging aspects and how have you overcome them?

Again, playing in new genres. This band has something new for each single one of the band members and so all of us coming together, treating each other and each other’s influences with respect is probably the best thing again, – Aleksei Iagunkov, vocals

How do you handle the modern expectations of being in a band? Always online, having to put out content constantly, your success measured in likes and follows?

Of course it is hard. And it does take its toll. But we try to stay on top of things, and I am sure people are happy to see that we are busy and coming up with new stuff. Sometimes, I guess, you just have to do it even if you don’t feel it that day. I fully understand how it can be people’s full time job, – Aleksei Iagunkov, vocals

What’s something that really ‘grinds your gears’ about the industry/business these days and what would you propose is done to combat it?

I guess, it is gatekeeping. It is quite present in rock and metal world. And I absolutely can’t stand people, who think that no one should listen to a certain band, if they don’t like them. Just let people listen shat they want in peace! – Aleksei Iagunkov, vocals

Speaking directly to listeners – what would you ask they do to help support your music?

I guess, it is simple. If you like our music, please spread the word, chuck a like or a comment, give us a follow! Not too hard, but we appreciate!

Outside of the music, what’s do you do to relax?

I personally really love history and have been recently enjoying the book series called The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell. It is about Medieval Britain from the times of Alfred the Great. You should check it out!

Where can people find you?

Blackened Rose is on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, iTunes, Deezer… You name it, we have it! The easiest way to reach to our stuff is through our Linktree here. Thanks and hope to see you around!