DRAGUNOV - Crushing Riffs & Cinematic Shadows ... (France - Instrumental Post-Metal - Interview with Seb & Tristan).

Hi—Can you introduce yourselves and tell us how it all began for you—how you discovered this musical world, what drew you in, what fascinated you, and what inspired you to make music?
Seb: We’re DRAGUNOV, an instrumental post-metal duo consisting of Sébastien on guitar and Tristan on drums. The band formed in 2013, and it’s above all the story of a beautiful friendship. For me, metal came into my life pretty early thanks to my older brother, who is seven years my senior and listened to Korn, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Incubus… I naturally dove into that world alongside him, and it clicked immediately. I was instantly hooked on that intense, dark, slightly rebellious vibe. And since my brother was a drummer, I started there before switching to guitar a little later.
Tristan: Same here—two older brothers, and metal CDs coming into the house: Rammstein, *Mutter* in 2001, I was 11! Nightwish (DON’T LAUGH, SEB!) and then once I was hooked, it was off to 20 years of metal in my ears!

Tell me about the band... How did you meet—the current lineup—past experiences—and above all—WHY the need to form THIS band?
Seb: We met while we were studying in Angers. At the time, I was selling a hi-hat stand on a forum, and Tristan came to meet me at a bar for the transaction. And actually… we haven’t really parted ways since then. A few years later, when we started working in Paris, the project came together pretty naturally. The goal was simple: no pressure, no calculations, just making music we love, together, among friends. Before DRAGUNOV, I played in the instrumental metal band ABYSSE, and Tristan was in LET THEM BURN (Lamb of God-style metal) as well as TELLMARCH, a post-hardcore project.

Describe your sound and explain why I should listen to YOUR band at all costs?
Tristan: We play instrumental post-metal, but it’s pretty open-ended: we move through post-metal, doom, black, neo, sludge, hardcore… We draw from all over the place to create something alive, ever-changing, and above all, surprising. There’s also a real rhythmic dimension to our music, probably because we’re both drummers by trade. As a result, it gives it a pretty raw, very dynamic feel—sometimes almost organic in its energy. We also work a lot with samples to enrich the soundscape and open up the sonic spaces. In short: it’s killer. So obviously… you’ve gotta listen 😅

Musical inspirations/influences? By the way, are these influences/inspirations purely musical, or do other artistic fields come into play?
Tristan: We were clearly influenced by the post-metal scene, particularly Cult of Luna, which was a huge gateway for us.
After that, we dove into Amenra, Russian Circles, Rosetta, Neurosis, Envy… and also TRIPTYKON for a darker, black metal-inspired approach.
What we love most about this music is the atmosphere, the power, and the emotional depth. We’re less into technical showmanship and more into the feeling.
Seb: And our influences aren’t just musical: film, photography, and visual art play a huge role for us, especially for music videos and album covers.

About the band’s discography... Imagine someone who doesn’t know your band at all and wants to check them out. Which release would you recommend they start with, and why?
Seb: Without a doubt, I’d say our latest album “VEPR” (2024). It’s the one that best represents us today: more polished in production, richer in atmosphere, and with a distinct identity that has really come into its own. Starting with the track “2402” is a safe bet :)

About your latest album?
Seb: “VEPR” was recorded in 2024 at Benoît Roux’s Drudenhaus Studio, then mastered by Raphaël Bovey (MyRoom Studio).
I handled the artwork and all the artistic direction myself, as I’m a graphic designer by trade. But the overall concept is always developed together with Tristan, who contributes the historical context and research on the themes. The album was released as a digipack CD, vinyl, and collector’s edition. It’s available in our shop.
And of course, the album is available on all streaming platforms (Spotify, Deezer, Bandcamp, YouTube…).

What are your plans?
Tristan: We’re preparing a rather special project for next year, but we can’t say too much about it yet…
At the same time, we’re working more and more on our live stage design, incorporating videos to enhance immersion and take the on-stage experience even further.
Seb: And we’re slowly starting to work on the next album, alongside the top-secret project… ;) 

What would be your wildest dream with the band?
Seb: To have Cult of Luna’s singer Johannes Persson feature on a track, play it with him on stage… and open for them 😍
And otherwise, to have a lot of money to take the whole live project universe even further, with no limits.

Your BEST & WORST concert—as a band—and why?
Seb: The best has to be our set at the Purple House at Hellfest in 2025. A completely crazy atmosphere, the crowd running around the cage, insane energy…
The worst, I’d say Vesoul. A pretty dead Monday night, four people who weren’t really into it, one of whom was really drunk… And that night, my looper pedal broke (a key part of our set), so we had to completely rework everything on the fly. A pretty unpleasant moment, but luckily our friends from NORD were there, and we were able to play our collab that came out in 2023!
Tristan: The worst for me: a VnB gig in Mayenne, at an “after-work” kind of time—people didn’t give a damn about our performance, the bartender kept asking us to play quieter—in short, hell… luckily the party at the hotel was way more fun! 

Upcoming live shows?
Tristan: We’re playing on April 17 at Les Papas Brasseurs in Clisson, on May 22 at Les Gros Cailloux in Le Bignon, on May 23 at Le Mage Malte in Mamers, and… most importantly, we’re back at Hellfest on Friday, June 19—this time on the Valley stage!!

A few words about your local scene—the bands you’re friends with and would like to mention?
Tristan: And as for the local scene, we’re thinking of Nord, Healer, Maudits, and Alta Rossa. Truly memorable human and musical encounters. We send them big hugs !