Can you tell us about the origin of the band name, a history of the band and a little bit about the various members?

Vlad (the drummer) – I was born in Belarus. Have been living in Brooklyn, NY since January 2019. District Manager at a pet food company. Have been into drumming since 2006. My inspiration – Christoph Doom Schneider (Rammstein). Favourite music styles – industrial, gothic rock, electro pop, space ambient, cyber punk.

Iva (voice/words/synths) – Ed (bassist/guitarist) and I met at work. We often spoke about music and listened to it together. I had another project going on at a time and we decided to work on it together. Soon after that the pandemic hit so we had to stop going to the studio, as everyone else I imagine. It was quite a challenging time. While trying to adjust to the new reality, the fear, the pressure, the lockdowns, the isolation, we forced each other to continue to create. We put together mini home studios. We would write separately and exchange tracks over the internet, starting with the arrangement that Ed made, and then adding to it. We did all the writing and recording ourselves, and then all art, videos, publishing, and so on. Vlad found us some time in 2021. He had a lot of patience waiting for us to be ready for a drummer. I am glad he waited. We definitely clicked and the chemistry between all of us is fantastic.

The band name, well, we wanted something that would “feel” like our music. Something dark, raw, energetic, and rebellious, but also beautiful and sensual, otherworldly, and mysterious, and maybe coloured blue. So, we mixed and matched, and mixed and matched, and came up with “Moonlight Lily”

I was born in Serbia, living in the States for about 16 years. I had my first band when I was 16. The band was called “Park Avenue”. We played in my bedroom, with amps and drums and all. The neighbours didn’t put up with it for too long, so we had to relocate  Today I manage IT platform and related projects for a Spanish bank in the Fraud Risk space. I also have a background in visual arts.

Are you all from the same area? How did you get together as a band?

Vlad – I found Moonlight Lilly on Bandmix.com in 2021

Iva – I guess I’ve already answered how we got together. Ed and I live relatively near, Vlad is about an hour away.

Who are your favourite artists/bands and how have they influenced your own sound?

Ed – My favourite bands are from the realm of classic metal. Iconic names like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Helloween hold a special place in my heart. The rumbling riffs and soaring vocals of Iron Maiden have always resonated with me, and so have Megadeth’s intricate compositions. Helloween’s high-energy performances and melodic prowess are nothing short of awe-inspiring. These bands have not only shaped my musical taste but also served as a wellspring of inspiration for my own musical endeavours.

Vlad – I love many things, from Rammstein (industrial) to DreamState Logic (space). There is no spec influence, just try to find the best rhythm for a particular song

Iva – I have a very long list, but some of my all-time favourites are: Rammstein, Breaking Benjamin, Korn, Lacuna Coil, Moonspell, HIM, Poets of the Fall. I also like a lot Epica and Within Temptation…as of recently Bad Omens, Butcher Babies and Jinjer. I imagine all of them have influenced me, one way or another.

Did you always have the ambition to be a musician and in a band or did you originally have other plans?

Ed – I’ve been playing in various bands since I was a kid, predominantly cover bands, but I’ve always been drawn to creating my own music.

Vlad – Always wanted to be a part of a band

Iva – I’ve always wanted to be in a band. I wanted a few other things too

What songs or albums are on your current playlist?

ED – My current playlist features a diverse selection of music bands. Albums like Avenged Sevenfold’s ‘The Stage’ and Gojira’s ‘Magma’. I like their intense energy.

Iva – “The Death of Peace of Mind” album by Bad Omens, “Kostolom” album by Slaughter to Prevail, “Lost on You” album by LP. In my defence, these are not on the same playlist 😀

Do you sing in the shower?

Iva – Rarely but yes

Do you have any plans for the band for this year and into next year?

Iva, Ed – We are recording three new songs to release early next year. We will also try to play out as much as possible.

Do you currently have any new songs/albums ready to be released?

Iva – Yes, we will release two more songs this year.

Ed – The band is pretty excited to share this new music with everyone.

If you could play at any venue in the world where would you choose?

ED – I often watch concerts from Wacken Festival. I would absolutely love to see the band perform at this incredible event someday. Let’s hope it happens!

Iva – I don’t have a venue preference, though I definitely wouldn’t mind Wacken 😀 Would be great to play Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Europe, Japan… And I can keep going

Do you have a favourite album? If so, what is it?

ED – Yes, my favorite albums are the ‘Keepers’ Albums from Helloween. The powerful riffs and vocals from those two albums are mind-blowing for me. The way the bass sounds and the guitar, absolutely phenomenal.

Iva – I have more than one favourite album

Do you have any guilty pleasure songs/albums?

Iva – I’ve never felt guilty listening to any music, so no.

If you were putting together the greatest show on earth, who would be playing?

Iva – Ugh, that’s a hard one. You didn’t specify how many bands I can add so I’ll go with Rammstein, Epica, Moonspell, Lacuna Coil, Korn, Breaking Benjamin, Bad Omens and Butcher Babies.

Can you remember the first album you bought with your own money? What was it and do you still have it?

Iva – Metallica’s vinyl “And Justice For All”.

Vlad – I think it was Mutter by Rammstein. I don’t remember, perhaps I have it in my hometown.

ED – The first album that I bought was ‘No Prayer for the Dying’. It was actually a cassette at that time, and I absolutely loved that album. ‘Holy Smoke’ and ‘Bring Your Daughter… to the Slaughter’ are my favourites.

As your fans will be reading this, is there any message you would like to send out to them?

Vlad – Listen, enjoy and support!

Iva – If you stumble upon our music and happen to like it, do get in touch with us! We would love to meet the crowd that feels and understands what we are about. Definitely, look us up and get in touch!

Finally, let us know all your social media sites so your fans, old and new, can find and follow/like you!

• Moonlight Lily
o https://www.instagram.com/moonlight.lily.official
o https://www.facebook.com/Moonlightlily
o https://twitter.com/moonlight_lily_
o https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC02OCwe622I9hZW_oEkeXjA
• Vlad
o https://www.instagram.com/roma_vlad/
o https://www.facebook.com/vladislav.romanovich
• Iva
o https://www.instagram.com/blue.maddox
o https://twitter.com/blue__maddox
• Ed
o https://www.instagram.com/guzmaerpr

We, at The Metal Asylum, would like to thank you for your time. Is there is anything further that you would like to add?

Thank you so much for spending this time with us. It was a pleasure. We will keep you posted on our new music.

This interview is the property of The Metal Asylum