Death Pill bandmates Anastasiia Khomenko and Nataliia Seryakova fled to Spain and Australia, respectively, following the outbreak of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, while Mariana Navrotskaya remained in Kyiv. After more than a year apart, they will soon reunite.
A Ukrainian punk duo will tour Europe after a year apart due to Russia’s civil war.
After releasing their debut album earlier in 2023 while residing thousands of miles apart, Death Pill has announced May and June dates in Ukraine, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom for their Over My Dead Body tour.
Mariana Navrotskaya, Anastasiia Khomenko, and Nataliia Seryakova were separated after Russia’s war on Ukraine began in February 2022; Nataliia moved temporarily to Australia for work, Mariana remained in Kyiv, and Anastasiia made the difficult decision to take her son to safety in Spain while leaving her husband behind.
Now, Nataliia and Anastasiia will return home for the 20 May concert in Kyiv, which starts off the tour.
“For me, not playing is almost like not living, and I’m very excited about the opportunity to get back together, go on tour, see new places, and meet new people,” said Anastasiia. The voyage should be very exciting.
Due to the country’s situation, Mariana is excited about the shows but not the band’s reappearance.
She stated, “[My feelings] are very complicated.” “I understand that you cannot experience the current situation as intensely as we do, but try to picture this: we are embarking on our first tour, fulfilling a long-awaited and cherished dream; we are playing for the first time in Europe and the United Kingdom; in fact, this is my first trip abroad. It was one of my dreams.
“However, I unquestionably do not experience ‘happiness’ within. I am excited, but I also experience anxiety and devastation. I’m struggling since my longtime desire coincides with a terrible war.
“All my interminable aspirations, all my emotions and feelings, all my happiness and all my suffering – Death Pill.” This is the most sincere and genuine item I possess. Nataliia and Anastasiia are genuinely my sisters; they are my sisters by both blood and spirit. We’ll be together for a month, and I can’t think of anything sweeter than that right now.”
After months of concealing her emotions, Nataliia has only started to adequately address them in the past few days.
She stated, “I have never allowed myself to be depressed, ill, poor, or weak in my entire life. And even more so in the past year, as I believe it prevents progress.” “Just a few days ago, I began to contemplate more carefully about my true sentiments. And I cannot appropriately articulate them. This is novel to me.
“For the past four months, I have been extremely focused on preparations for the tour – bookings, advertising, merchandise, home rehearsals, flights, etc. – but now, 10 days before my flight home, I realize that I most want to see my parents alive, to see the girls from the band, and to try to recapture the feeling of being at home.
“However, I am aware that it will only last for one month, after which we will all be separated once more.” It’s a bizarre new sensation – thrilling doom. I trust I can handle it as well as our country has over the past several years.”
