Mission Jupiter Talk New Music, Their Hometown And More

Based in Minsk, Belarus, two previous albums by alternative metal act Mission Jupiter have hinted at their potential to be one of the few bands from that territory to achieve lift-off worldwide. They kindly chatted to us about their new music, hometown and more: 

Who is in Mission Jupiter, how did you meet, and what do you play?

 

Eugene: Mission Jupiter is a three-piece project at the moment, plus our sax player. The main line-up is: Kate Varsak – vocals, Eugene Zuyeu – drums, Vlad Shvakel – guitars. Dmitri Soldatenko (sax), participates in the studio and will perform with us during some of our live shows. We are also planning to work with a bassist and synth player.

Mission Jupiter was formed in 2015, but Kate joined as our new singer in 2022 and is phenomenal as well as providing fresh energy. We are an alternative rock/metal band now with some epic songs that have a dark and gloomy atmosphere! There is quite an obvious reason for writing gloomy songs, bearing in mind where we live and what has happened to the world generally in recent years.

 

What is your earliest musical memory?

 

Vlad: Well, it’s a good question! I guess we all remember how our mothers sang us lullabies! That’s always sweet

 

When did you begin songwriting?

 

Kate: I am relatively new in the band, but Vlad is the main songwriter in MJ. We spent a great time working on arrangements, etc for our new album, ‘Aftermath’. But, the core of each song is by Vlad.

 

Vlad: Yeah, I mean, I started to write songs in 2013-2014. I remember sitting on the sofa at the university campus playing some chords (no lyrics back at that time), and suddenly I realised that it would probably be a good song, so I was like, ‘let’s write some lyrics’! More than a decade has passed, and I am still not satisfied with most of my lyrics. But a couple of new songs from ‘Aftermath’ will hopefully make you cry! Lol, we hope so.

 

Your new single ‘Self Destruction’ is out now. What was the inspiration/story behind the track?

 

Eugene: I remember Vlad came to my apartment and was like: ‘man, let’s make some heavy stuff!?’

I immediately answered: ‘finally, no melancholic ballads anymore, (laughing)’! We started to experiment with lower guitar tunings, then some punchy drums, then Vlad came up with the idea of the song lyrically. It’s about the consequences of being in a mental trap. I guess a lot of people are in this dark place nowadays

Kate: Definitely not a good place to be in. This is one of my favourite tracks on the album, plus it has some sort of headbanging vibe, and it’s perfect for live gigs. Can’t wait to start playing it live.

Vlad: Damn, I need to buy more guitars for live gigs. This song demands looooow guitar tuning.

 

Where did you record the new single, and who produced it?

 

Vlad: Eugene is our drummer and producer. I would say, PRODUCER goes first!

We spent several days in a professional studio working on it and are really happy with the vibe this song has. A badass rock banger!!!

 

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?

 

Kate: I mean, I mean, come onnn! I am new to the band, and this is my first experience working with these perfectionists. – “Kate, please sing like this, now please five takes of a whisper, then some harsh vocals on top of this”. And this is for one line (laughing)!!! That wasn’t easy at all, but the result is super cool, and I am happy we managed to do that.

 

Eugene: Typical Mission Jupiter recording process:)

 

Vlad: I don’t remember anything super memorable in the studio, but I do remember we were crazy about reproducing the atmosphere of drafting vocals recorded at home. Some of those vocals were so cool and emotional, so it took nerves and time to reproduce them in the studio.

 

Do you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

 

Eugene: We have a home studio, definitely a couple of synths, guitars, plugins, mics! But final touches need to be done in a professional studio ️ I wouldn’t say we used any particular instruments, etc., the most important thing is how you feel the music and how you blend sounds.

 

The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?

 

Vlad: You’re right! We wanted to create a live video with real musicians (us), and make it look modern and ‘tasty’. This is sort of Mission Jupiter’s presentation, you know.

 

Eugene: We have been working with the director, Alex Zhigalkovic, since 2019 when we shot our very first video with him for the song ‘The Sea Of Hopes’! He is a cute and pleasant guy, and he definitely knows how to present our band in the best possible way:)

 

Which of your tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

 

Vlad: Happiest – Joy of Life (from Architecture album)

Angriest – probably Self-Destruction (on Aftermath – new album)

Most reflective – Human Nature (on Aftermath 0 new album)

 

 

Do you have any future music releases planned for 2025?

 

Eugene: Our new album, Aftermath, is out soon! This is a complete and fundamental record and we are now working on our live sound to be ready for playing live. We won’t have any other releases in 2025.

 

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

 

Vlad: Good question, but I guess we should enter the stage first:) (laughing)! We have some cool songs and an interesting sound, but Mission Jupiter is now focusing on breaking through. Nowadays, it’s brutally hard to survive for a rock band plus there are a lot of overhyped bands in the world who are covering 75 percent of the rock music market. So I think we already achieved a lot as musicians: we created great music, the next step is to deliver it to the right people:)

 

Do you have any favored stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones, etc?

Eugene: As a music producer, I love unusual synths, pads and some vintage pedal effects for guitars! But since I am also a drummer, I do enjoy a drum kit!

 

Vlad: I’m really digging into some guitar cabinet simulators + vintage choruses and reverbs! But to be quite honest, the most important thing is a good song!

 

Kate: For me as a vocalist, a comfortable microphone is a crucial thing.

 

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

 

Kate: Our hometown is Minsk city, Belarus. I would describe it this way:

1. Cozy

2. Comfortable

3. Heartful

4. Dark (sometimes)

5. Creative

 

How do you look after your voices?

 

Vlad: Since I am mostly a backing vocalist, I don’t look after my voice too much. Just trying to breathe properly while singing

 

Kate: Silence, silence, and more silence (when it’s needed)! Also, it’s great to drink water while singing and, of course, the right singing technique matters.

 

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

 

Eugene: We would probably try to write something really dark for ‘Crime and Punishment’ by F. Dostoevsky.

 

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

 

Vlad: Definitely! I do love HIM, The Gathering, early 30 Seconds to Mars, Marilyn Manson songs and his recent comeback, ‘One Assassination Under God’. Btw, Mechanical Animals is my all-time favorite record!

 

Eugene: When I was a teenager, I was actively listening to Lamb of God, Slayer, Slipknot, etc. Then I was into some Radiohead and Massive Attack stuff and when you listen to Mission Jupiter, you can certainly hear their influence

Kate: I am a huge fan of Halestorm and Guano Apes. I love their energy and stage presence! Btw, recent Spiritbox songs are cool too! As you can see, we all have quite different music tastes (laughing).

 

Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025?

 

Vlad: Not yet, to be quite honest! The most important thing is to promote the record, rehearse as a band and concentrate on live gigs. We are a new band with a new vocalist, and it takes some time to break through and gather a proper and dedicated fan base. But we are working on that!

 

What makes Mission Jupiter happy and what makes you unhappy?

 

Kate: We would be happy to finally get the attention we deserve! In this crazy world it’s super hard for bands to break through even if you have amazing songs, etc. Resources for promotion are super important: you need to invest a lot of time, money and so on. We are getting bigger step by step, but this long and exhausting ‘road to success’ makes us feel frustrated and unhappy, at times. But we have a feeling that we are creating something special and fascinating, so one day all our efforts will pay off:)

 

Vlad: Completely agree with Kate. One thing we can be sure about: we write and deliver great music that we are proud of. At some point, this is the most important thing for any musician in this subjective world (smiling).