Doomed Confessionary: Nokt & Jauhien (Dymna Lotva)
Photo by Katarzyna Mikołajczak
Dymna Lotva combines doom and post-black metal, adding sometimes dsbm and folk elements. The band’s shows are remembered for their strong emotionality. Due to the use of real stories in the lyrics, the musicians’ style is sometimes called “documentary metal.” Dymna Lotva was founded in 2015 in Minsk, Belarus. Already in 2016, the debut LP »Зямля пад чорнымі крыламі: Дрыгва (The Land Under The Black Wings: Swamp)« was released.
A year later, the second album »Палын (Wormwood)« dedicated to the Chernobyl disaster, was released. Very soon Dymna Lotva became one of the most active metal bands in Belarus. In 2020, musicians openly supported protests against the dictatorship. Because of this, in the summer of 2021, all Dymna Lotva’s concerts in Belarus were banned. Part of the lineup fled to Ukraine to avoid persecution. Only at the end of 2022 the musicians managed to reunite in Warsaw.
In August 2023, the third LP »Зямля Пад Чорнымі Крыламі: Кроў (The Land Under The Black Wings: Blood)« was released on the German label Prophecy Productions. This is a conceptual album about war and occupation.
Dymna Lotva played clubs and festivals all over Europe shared the stage with Cradle Of Filth, Amenra, Agalloch, Saturnus, Tiamat, Nocturnal Mortum, Devilish Impressions, White Ward, 1914 and many others.
Can you say a few words about your band?
Hi. We’re Dymna Lotva. Originally from Belarus, but now settled in Poland. We left Belarus because of political persecution by the Lukashenko regime. At the moment we are actively playing gigs around Europe and in the future we plan to play in Slovenia. See you maybe.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
We guess it’s a change of country of residence. A change in lineup as a consequence. And having to start all over again. After we moved to Poland, no one knew us. We didn’t have any useful contacts. And that doesn’t really help your music career.
What can you be most proud of so far?
We can be proud of the fact that we did not fall apart when the difficulties came. We can even say that we were able to go one step higher.
What was your biggest regret?
Overall, we have nothing to regret. But now we better check unfamiliar clubs for performances, so that we never again pay 370 euros to rent a hall for 20 people without a stage and a bar, but with a stoned sound engineer.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Prophecy Fest 2024. The huge stage inside the biggest cave of Europe, amazing lineup, soldout merch and unlimited beer for musicians 😀
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Showers for musicians at the backstage of bigger clubs/fests.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
It’s November – time for My Dying Bride. Always.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
It’s not so much musical advice as it is for life. But it works in music, too. “Do it normally – it will be normally.”
What are your guilty pleasures?
Our vocalist likes to rewatch 2015-2016 Belarusian national selections for Eurovision song contest. They are super cringe. Cringe videos + beer + salty snacks = Nokt’s guilty pleasure.
Can you say something more about current music scene in your area?
We don’t think there’s much point in talking about the Polish scene. Everybody knows Behemoth and Decapitated.
So let’s talk about the Belarusian metal scene. Things are not going well with the Belarusian scene. We had a good folk and black scene. But the repressions of 2020 cleaned up the music scene. Many musicians went through prisons and left the country. After the moves, not many bands recovered their activity. Yes, new young bands are emerging now. But how much they can grow under those conditions is an unanswered question.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
It’s already November so we have only 3 Polish concerts remaining. But in January 2025 we are going to European tour together with Psychonaut 4.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Touring, summer open airs, new album release, touring again.
Do you have any special plans for New Year’s Eve?
Tequila.
How can people best support your band?
Like any other band – going to concerts, buying merch and any type of support via social networks (following, reposts etc.).
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Support Ukraine. Remember about Belarus.
Links:
Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well