The Moldavian progressive modern metal phenomenon INFECTED RAIN are now on the road with a three-month-long Heyday Tour, promoting their recent single “Dying Light,” and their new lineup. I sat down with the band’s lead singer, Lena Scissorhands, and their new bass player Alice Lane, before their show at Berlin, to discuss the changes in the band, upcoming releases, and hardships in the industry. Read the complete interview here…
Hi, how are you feeling? Thank you for making some time for me. You’re now on tour, Heyday. It’s big and complex. How do you feel about it?
Lena: I feel about it just like I feel about any tour, every single time we are on the road. It’s exciting. It comes with its ups and downs, of course, you have to mentally prepare for everything and mentally be open to any kind of situation. Any kind of surprise, because every day could be a surprise. But most of all what we are here for is the shows. So meeting new people, meeting new fans, playing new stages, hopefully, new cities, new countries, so it’s exciting. The best part of being a musician is to play. For me, specifically.
Alice, is it the first time you’re on such a big tour?
Alice: Yes, it’s the first time and I’m really enjoying it. Even if some days are quite tiring because we may spend more than twenty hours in the van and it’s tiring. Sometimes, we don’t sleep enough. Like tonight, we will have to leave at 4:00 a.m. after the show. But when I’m on stage, I notice that even if I’ve been stressed and tired the whole day, when it’s stage time, it’s like, I don’t know. Recharging. Yes, the adrenaline and all these good sensations, delete all the tiredness and stress. Then after the show, I collapsed [laughs] But when I’m playing, I’m feeling very powerful.
It’s such a cool sentiment that you feel empowered by what you do, what you love, it is cool. What was the coolest stop on your tour? The most interesting or the most memorable.
Lena: Well, so far, the tour is not even halfway through. So I feel like it’s almost not fair to answer this question yet because many more things might happen. One of the things that we are all super excited about is playing in Greece because we never played there before and some of us never even visited Greece, like me for example. And we are super excited to always play new places but that’s not the only thing that excites us. Of course, we are excited to play anywhere and be everywhere. Every festival is super cool and unique every single show. And look at this club, how unique this club is. You know what I’m saying? It’s pretty unique. So I’m looking forward to seeing people and understanding the vibe, but we played many times in Berlin, just not in this place.
This is the most iconic kinky club in Berlin, KitKat.
Lena: Yeah, I heard I heard and we are all about kinks. So why not? [laughs]
After the show, you can just go and relax, right? I want to ask one more thing about your tour. You have a lot of cities. You just told me you never played in Athens, but I noticed one thing, there is no hometown – Chisinau (Republic of Moldova). What was the decision behind that? Was it a logistical decision?
Lena: No, very simple decision. There’s no place to play, at all, zero. There are only places you can rent and hire everybody, everything including the gear of the house, and all these expenses are almost impossible to cover with only one band. So even if we invite other bands to open for us that are from Moldova, unfortunately, the city, the country itself is not doing as great as a German city could do. And we love playing in Moldova very much. But unfortunately, we play very rarely there and it’s nobody’s fault. It’s not the country’s fault, it’s not the nation’s fault, it’s not the people’s fault. It’s the economics. Economics keeps artists away from their hometowns, every kind of artist.
Alice, you have been to Chisinau, did you enjoy it?
Alice: Yes, I really liked that city. In the beginning, I was like… not surprised but it was strange. I don’t know how to explain maybe a bit, it’s a typical, typical city, but the more time I spent there, the more I started loving it because I liked the fact that it’s so typical with those very old buildings and its city center is quite cool and cozy. Like, I was born in Lodi, which is close to Milan. But about six years ago, I moved to Como, which is on the border with Switzerland where the huge Lake of Como is. The fact that Chisinau is so typical is what makes it different from any other city, at least where I was. It makes it special in its own way. It’s just not a copy of another city.
I remember the last gig I saw there, I think it was CRAZY TOWN X and you [Lena] were there.
Lena: I was, just for one song though.
Yeah, I remember the gig, I was taking pictures [laughs] I hope in the future it will be better.
Lena: Me too. I mean things sometimes get better temporarily but then unfortunately, they don’t last long because the rent is very high, the requirements, the tax, everything is insanely high and it’s just not profitable and people have to close them [clubs] down. Like we had some iconic places, yes, we had the Yellow Submarine, and Black Elephant, but those iconic places closed way before INFECTED RAIN started.
Some concerts were in this Soviet culture hall because of a lack of other options.
Lena: Our first show was there.
Yeah, I remember, I was at your first show.
Lena: You were at our first show?
Of course!
Lena: No fucking way! I never met anyone who was at our first show!
I was in high school and I knew Vadim’s previous projects and they announced a new project, so we were like “Cool, who’s gonna play there?” and there was this pretty girl with dreadlocks, and then you entered the stage and we went “Oh, it’s her!” It was so amazing and surprising.
Lena: Thank you, thank you! Wow. That, see, I have to ask him more about that because it was my first show ever, I have never been to another band. So for me, it was my first time on stage.
I want to talk a little bit about the lineup change because you had your core members the Babici brothers for a very long time.
Lena: Very long time, almost I would say eleven years.
Yeah, that’s almost family. Now you have Alice and of course, when you have fresh blood in the band, people tend to bring their experiences and their perspectives. What did Alice bring to INFECTED RAIN? And Alice, what is your experience at the moment, what did the band bring to you?
Lena: Well, first of all, I think she brought balance because right now, there are two girls and two boys, which is super nice. I mean, not that I ever felt, you know, mistreated or anything like that. But, you know, I always felt like, okay, the boys are doing their boy thing, and I’ll do my own thing. Now, I feel like I have a partner in crime and it feels so great. We often even dress the same, accidentally, or by the same shit accidentally. [laughs] It’s so true! We have the same shoe size even, so, it’s super funny. Yeah, but I like it very much. It feels great so far. And I think it’s just gonna feel better and better. Other years when, you know, also experience kind of binds us better but yeah, it’s great so far.
Yeah, this is cool. I mean I know how important is to have a girl talk sometimes.
Lena: Sometimes, yeah, even though I’m very very used to being in the company of boys, I grew up being best friends with boys and I was very boyish, so it was never a problem for me. But indeed certain things you know, when you tell to a girl she’s like “Oh I understand,” you know what I mean? And yeah, boys can only try to understand you. They try very hard though. And I am in a band with great people and a very, very respectful man. And that’s fantastic.
Alice: For sure! The band has helped me a lot. Totally helped me to achieve one of my biggest lifetime dreams! I’ve always wanted to be a touring musician and make music my job. Before, I’d always had other bands, but it was always like, well, not a hobby because I’ve always seen it as a professional. I’ve always lived it as a professional but with my other band, we are still in the beginning of the road. So it’s harder. But for sure INFECTED RAIN has realized my dream and I’m so happy to be part of it. And I think that what I’m bringing to this band is… that’s a good question! [laughs] Well for sure, I see that they are feeling good around me, so they always tell me that I’ve brought this kind of balance. See, so I’m very happy to be with them. I think that I put a good mood in the group.
That is great. I want to talk about your new single “Dying Light.” I noticed there was a little bit of a tone shift, with Alice’s five-string bass, it became more raw, and darker.
Lena: Well, if you also noticed, it’s an eight-string guitar as well. So it’s not just a new bass with the new tone, we actually had a five-string bass before, with our previous bass player, but the way she plays is completely different, and Vadim “Vidick” Ojog recorded this song, completely on eight-string guitars. So of course, it’s very different.
Alice: Also I think that my sound, I cannot say it now because the new songs still have to be released, but they will be a little bit different from what’s been done before, and yes, also music-wise I think that brought something new.
That’s why I wanted to ask about the music process.
Lena: Yeah, the music process for now is very similar to before, because Alice was invited to be part of INFECTED RAIN, quite at the same time while we were composing and recording the new album. So, it’s very early right now to talk about a new type of recording process. But in the future, hopefully, we’ll have more to tell you.
Alice, how was the music process for you? Your experience of the recording, was it interesting? Was it challenging?
Alice: It was interesting and challenging at the same time, especially because I was recording the tracks by myself, at home in Italy. So it’s been challenging because I’ve already had some experience with recordings, but this time it was for something way bigger than before. Usually, I was recording myself for internet music videos just for myself. Yeah, YouTube or Instagram reels, so recording an album it’s way more difficult, especially if you’re doing it by yourself. But even if, of course, I had some hard times at some point, because it was challenging, it helped me grow as a musician and now I know how to make it better than before. So it was also a moment of growth for me. It’s also very positive.
What is your current musician influence right now?
Lena: I never had one or a few bands or musicians that impressed me. Every single piece of music, every single song, every single band, or every single musician, that is in my playlist in a way, affects me, influences me, because I just love music very much, and I listen to music all the time, and it’s a different genre, different everything. I don’t care. I just like it if it touches me right at the heart, it means that it’s for me. So everything, every single thing I’m listening to again, influences me.
I feel you, I don’t have a genre either. Like if it’s, I don’t know, City Pop music and I like it, it’s amazing.
Lena: Absolutely, I have some Disney songs that make me cry. And I have some THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER songs that can make me go, you know, like “Fuck yeah, you know, this is it.” [laughs]
I recently rewatched The Little Mermaid, the original, and cried like a child. This is relatable.
Lena: There you go [laughs]
Alice: Well, as a bass player in the very beginning, I was inspired by the bass player of COAL CHAMBER, the very first one, Reyna Foss-Rose. Also, the actual KORN bass player who was playing before with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES is super talented and amazing. He’s also a very amazing person. So these kinds of people who are super talented but are very down-to-earth and kind people are the ones that I admire the most because I would be like them. I don’t want to be like, you know, a rock star type of person. I like to be down-to-earth.
I remembered a video on YouTube exists, but it’s pretty old. I think it’s one of COAL CHAMBER’s first shows in the Whiskey Go Club. I think it’s from ’96 or ’95. And it’s just crazy, only 30 people there, VHS quality and Reyna not wearing shoes going crazy.
Alice: Wow, I have to watch that, because my favorite video is the one of “Loco” live from Dynamo (1998). How do you know about this because, usually nobody does.
What do you mean I grew up on nu-metal, COAL CHAMBER was one of my to-go bands.
Alice: Amazing!
You’ve been independent as a band for a very long time. About 10 years before signing up with Napalm Records. How is the music business right now? Is it really hard to be independent?
Lena: Depending, on where you are from. And where you are based. In general, it becomes easier for bands to manage themselves because of the internet and because of so many other companies that are independent as well. But at the same time, certain things in the music industry are very hard to do or achieve. If you’re not under a label, especially if you come from a country, that people don’t even know exists. For example, I can tell you, I was telling everybody today the story when I was walking in LA and I entered a music store, one of the biggest music stores in LA, maybe in California in general, AMOEBA Records, I believe it’s called, years and years ago I entered it to just buy some records and looked around and I found INFECTED RAIN on the shelves together with other musicians and I cried like a baby. Nothing like that would happen for a band from Eastern Europe that is independent, maybe it could happen for an independent band from America. But very hard, very hard for a band from Eastern Europe to find its spot on the shows of a LA big music store. If you’re independent no matter how hard you work, no matter what you do, and no matter how talented you are, it’s just not possible. Is this just the sad truth, it’s what it is. But at the same time, I don’t want to think that. We are not sad that we are with the label. Absolutely not. We are now such a big team and we are together with super supportive people who believe in us, they never tried to change us and I felt the support and they come to our shows when they can and it’s super cool. We would like to be in touch with them and make things happen through them. It’s really nice.
This is very amazing. You guys are a phenomenon from Eastern Europe and also like JINJER, they’re massive. So it’s crazy and makes me proud a little.
Lena: Yeah. And it would’ve never happened if we didn’t put a lot of work into the band independently, you know.
I mean you did a lot, I presume you even paid for the whole shit from your pocket, right? Like for tours, gear, and accommodation.
Lena: In the beginning, we had to of course! Everybody has to in the beginning. Buy your gear, you have to buy your transportation, you have to play for free and pay for gas, pay for food, the hotel, or sleep on the floor of the same stage you just played. We did all of it.
Oh yeah, you’ve seen some things in there.
Lena: We eat some shit. I mean, let’s talk openly. [laughs]
Okay. Let’s talk girl talk – you’ve seen some shit.
Lena: Yeah! [laughs]
I mean, you’ve been in the band like in the business for 15 years. When you have, let’s call it a job for such a long time, you tend to burn out and you tend to have this point of full stagnation. Have you ever encountered that in your career?
Lena: A couple of moments, for sure. But it was mainly because of other people or because of certain situations in life, in general. It wasn’t necessarily because of this industry specifically but, unfortunately, this industry, just like any other industry, has toxic people. And often things are not fair and people misunderstand each other, different cultures and stuff like that. So often you’re like “What the fuck did I do wrong here? Why do people say this or do this toward our band” right? But honestly, you probably didn’t do anything. It was probably either, just I don’t know, some rumors about you that someone started, that are not even true or you just misunderstand each other and some things seem different. It’s I don’t know. It’s just like in any industry, there’s drama, there’s ups and downs. You just have to believe in yourself no matter the obstacles. Fucking move forward and work. Hard work, hard work, hard work, never stop because eventually it will pay off.
Have you ever reverted your depression and negative emotions to music?
Lena: All the time. That’s the only way I am a sane person. If you can call me sane, of course. Yeah, that’s the only way, that’s my way. The only way for me, for my life. Obviously, if I didn’t have this outlet, I would have probably been a crazy person right now.
The reason why I asked is some bands said that all the situations they describe in their lyrics and music are hypothetical. That’s why I was interested if you put real emotions into music.
Lena: No, I couldn’t do that [write about fake situations]. I mean, because INFECTED RAIN‘s music is very emotional, and the only way I know how to write is about my own experience in life and they are often very emotional, you know, different types of emotions and yeah, it’s the only way I can do it. I mean, I just don’t know how else to do it.
And a bonus goofy question. What is your ringtone right now?
Lena: It’s actually CROSSES. The band CROSSES. Chino Moreno’s band.
Oh, they are good. What’s your favorite song?
Lena: I have many, but I think I have “This is a trick” as a ringtone.
Mine’s “Bitches Brew”.
Lena: Yeah, I like that one as well, and all their newer stuff is very great.
Alice: Yeah, I wish I could answer with a good answer but actually, it’s like this standard iPhone ringtone. One of the most used ones because I never, never use ringtones. That’s why it’s always vibrations. Yeah, only vibration. And yeah, the sound of the phone annoys me. Like message notifications, I hate to hear the sound because otherwise, I keep on watching it if I hear it, and if it’s on silent mode, I’m less attracted to being with it all the time. I mean, I prefer to leave it somewhere and live the life.
That’s a very good practice. I mean, sometimes you need a break from social media.
Alice: Yes, yes. We spend so much time on the phone especially when we are in the van. Sometimes I just notice that I am spending hours on the phone, and I say “Okay, stop the battery is low. Let’s put it away and talk with people around me.” Yeah. This is a very good practice.
Great! Lena and Alice, thank you for your time for this interview!
Lena: Thanks for having us, I’m gonna run and finish my warm-up. Thank you and I’ll see you during the show for pictures and everything.
Alice: Thank you! See you on the stage.
Interview by Alexandra Aim
