farfrommoscow.com band review:
"One of the more mysterious stage-names within Russian rock music today would be I Will Kill Chita. Nonetheless, for all the tongue-in-cheek humor on display, the band sometimes calls upon ominous imagery. One recent recording was entitled "Urban Fears" and dedicated to the gloomy contours of "Moscow's industrial outskirts. The mood of these works was inspired by a dark urban setting: abandoned, outlying districts, endless railways, and grim old apartment buildings... all against the backdrop of an overcast sky."
Human endeavor fades slowly beneath gathering clouds; greenery reclaims concrete ruins.
Abandoned, outlying districts, and endless railways
The next IWKC release was called "Before We Disappear." Simultaneously, the band's label RAIG declared that IWKC was growing to become a twelve-piece chamber ensemble. More people were needed to evoke a grander sense of demise. Among the names of that team-sheet, we found the soundtrack to some elusive social bonds: "Haunting melodies and aching dissonances between the guitars, keyboards, and string section of IWKC all serve to emphasize the [themes of] confusion in wordless tales about love, adventure, and frustration…" RAIG have now announced a live DVD, too, designed to capture that same LP performed live on stage.
As we say, the number of people investigating these melancholy issues is impressive: Nikita Samarin (drums, percussion); Andrew Silin (keyboards); Artem Litvakovskiy (cello); Alex Ivanov (bass); Ksenia Pluzhnikova (violin); Anastasiya Narochnaya; Karthick Iyer (both violin, viola); Denis Smirnov (french horn); Konstantin Podgorbunsky (tuba, trombone); Egor Gerasimchuk (trumpet); and Boris Medved (keyboards plus "intellectual" input).
Together they continue to produce what the Russian press terms "thoughtful, instrumental rock" that takes its inspiration from realms more persistent than any fleeting human effort. In short, nature itself becomes a considerable influence here, offering patterns of endurance - come what may. "The dynamism of IWKC's compositions passes through all stages of natural growth. They move from some shivering expectation of warmth to the swelling of buds, the wavering flourish of tender blooms, and even the weight of ripening fruit." The worlds of botany and biology offer a symbolism of harmony and diligence, which - against the backdrop of IWKC's crumbling buildings - must seem impressive indeed."
www.farfrommoscow.com/articles/red-deer-theodor-bastard-iwkc-and-my-michelle.html
German
vanbauseneick.de review by Matthias Bosenick:
"Nochmal IWKC, noch unter dem alten Namen: Das Cover dieser Single veranschaulicht das „Risk“ recht hübsch, es zeigt eine partiell defekte Hängebrücke. Die Musik ist dabei weniger riskant: Der symphonisch gehaltene Metal-Rock ist recht gefällig, punktet aber damit, dass ihn klassische Instrumente wie Cello, Geige und Horn begleiten. Wohlfühlrock, und das ist nicht mal abwertend gemeint. Gesang gibt es hier übrigens auch nicht, und das ist in diesem Genre wohl die beste Entscheidung."
vanbauseneick.de/krautnick/spezial-addicted-label-aus-moskau/
released September 27, 2013
Nikita Samarin – Drums, Percussion
Andrew Silin – Keyboards, Electronics
Nick Samarin – Keyboards, Guitars, Bass
Artem Litvakovskiy – Cello
Ksenia Pluzhnikova – Violin
Denis Smirnov – French Horn
Mixed by Nick Samarin
Mastered by Vladislav “Smack” Ponomarenko
the band:
iwkc.bandcamp.com
cat# 678