Doomed Confessionary: Vit Belobritsky (Psilocybe Larvae)
Photo credits: Roman Kondratiev
Psilocybe Larvae is a melodic death/doom metal band based in Sankt Peterburg, Russia.
Formed in the depths of winter January 1996 in the heartland of north-western Russia, manic-depressive band Psilocybe Larvae has proven to be an original act in many ways exploring a vast horizon of musical genres, combining the raw forces of metal with melodies of classical beauty and grace.
Having made quite a reputation for themselves within the underground with 5 full-length album releases and a large number of successful concerts (the band shared the stage with such bands as Anathema, My Dying Bride, Sadist, SepticFlesh, Swallow The Sun and others), Psilocybe Larvae are constantly moving forward creating new masterpieces.
Psilocybe Larvae are Vitaly Belobritsky (vocals, guitar), Anton Veresov (guitar), Alexey Legotin (bass) and Alexander Yakovlev (drums).
Can you please say a few words about your band?
Psilocybe Larvae is a four-piece band formed in 1996 in Vyborg (now based in St. Petersburg), playing melodic and haunting doom/death/dark/progressive metal.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
The toughest thing was standing the test of time and not getting totally fed up with the people around you. And man, finding the energy and motivation to keep creating after the war started in 2022.
What can you be most proud of so far?
That we are standing true to ourselves and continue to make cool music
What was your biggest regret?
It’s a pity that when we first started, we couldn’t properly record our stuff or go on tours. We just had no money and no useful information or proper connections.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Our Ukraine tour was actually our first proper one as a band. We traveled almost the entire country by bus, making tons of friends and fans along the way. It was a blast and totally pure rock and roll, such an unforgettable experience for us.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Honestly, I’m very impressed with how AI creates music and video. It’s a bit mind-blowing, and I can’t yet understand how far these AI games can go. I’m still digesting this.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Some of my favorite albums right now are Igorrr – Amen«, Thy Catafalque – »XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek«, Paradise Lost – »Ascension«, Coroner – »Dissonance Theory«.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Believe in what you do and do what you believe in!!!
What are your guilty pleasures?
I think it’s alcohol 😀
Can you say something more about the current music scene in St. Petersburg?
The scene is huge here in St. Petersburg. Russian language music is popular, mainly black and folk metal, but there are also many bands playing alternative metal and post-hardcore. Concert life is buzzing! On weekends, there are 2-3 shows a day. To be honest, I don’t follow the music scene in St. Petersburg or Russia; I don’t attend gigs. I am still horrified by what is happening with this country and am very depressed.
Where can we see you live soon (concerts/tours)?
We play gigs here every now and then, just to keep from going crazy with all this shit. So, nowhere but Russia, and you know why 🙁
What are your plans for the future as a band?
I’m afraid to make any plans for the future because of all the shit going on here. We hope to record a new album in 2026. Anyway, we’ll do our best to make it happen.
How can people best support your band?
Follow us on our social media, listen to our music, watch our videos and send us your feedback. That’s all we need!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Peace y’all! Take care of yourselves! Hope to see you at the gigs!
Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well