How did your school experiences shape your musical collaboration and friendship?
If it weren't for school, we would never have made friends, but everyday meetings during classes were leading to this. We started to be interested in music at another school, at the age of 14, and then exchanging views on music made us want to create something in this direction.
What specific aspects of metal music led to the formation of Lacerta?
First of all, metal music has its own character, which we both definitely liked. The discovery of old songs led to the founding of Lacerta through thoughts of starting "some kind of band".
Why did you choose the name "Lacerta" and its connection to the sand lizard?
The sand lizard is Kamil's favorite wild lizard. He likes observing nature, due to his special liking for this species, we decided to adopt the first part of its Latin name. Other than that, we thought it sounded good/original enough.
How do your diverse musical influences contribute to Lacerta's sound?
Quite a lot, various metal styles appear in our work, the album has thrash metal, death metal and heavy metal vibes. We like to be inspired by the music of old times, from the 1960s to the 1990s. However, modern music also played a significant role in our approach to music.
Can you share a piece of feedback that significantly impacted your approach to music?
Due to the fact that we approach each opinion individually and each one is equally valuable to us, it is difficult to point out one opinion that actually had the greatest impact on us. In addition, we need to take into account the opinions expressed during private conversations with our friends, which are difficult to quote.
How do you view your growth reflected in "The Age of Lacerta," and what imperfections do you aim to refine?
We believe that development has occurred in every aspect, both musically and lyrically. The problems we have to face are primarily the distance one has to travel to meet the other, we also have to devote more time to creative work. In terms of music, these are problems related to the quality and type of equipment, recording room etc. As for the idea of The Age of Lacerta itself, we are satisfied, but it could have been better and the next album will definitely be better.
What can listeners expect in terms of themes and musical changes in the upcoming album "I.T.S"?
First of all, a continuation of what could already be heard on the first album. I.T.S. will be an album, just like The Age of Lacerta, very diverse in terms of musical style. We still have a few old ideas from the time of Lacerta's creation, we have a few more current ones, but it must be admitted that the new album will mostly consist of completely new material. Thanks to this, it will be more mature and closer to us than if we started recording proto-projects of songs from 8 years ago.
How have your individual experiences influenced the themes explored in your lyrics and music compositions?
Individual experiences are probably reflected in the work of every artist, including us. However, we would only stick to this statement.
How do you balance preserving your signature sound while experimenting with new styles?
Very simply, the two of us have our own musical tastes, they differ slightly from each other, but are very similar. When we record, we often criticize each other harshly, to the point where a compromise is reached. Sometimes one side gives up, but it is still a decision of both of us, this is how Lacerta's character is created. I think this is a sufficient shield against loss of character. As for musical experiments, we are not afraid of them, if someone is dissatisfied with our co-creation of the world of music, it is only their problem, only substantive assessment can change the reality around us.
How has your musical style matured from your early tracks to your recent compositions?
Initially, this style was anarcho-punk in terms of lyrics and close to hard rock in terms of music, it was not something we wanted to achieve, which is why there was a significant shift in the announcement of the Lacerta project and in the creation of the first songs. None of these first ideas made it onto the album, but some experience we gained while recording and putting it together gave a lot of good things for the future. So, the first demo songs released on our YouTube page are most similar to the style described above, while the latest ones, such as Jaszczur or The Age of Lacerta or Carnivore, are closest to the current style.
Can you provide any hints about the direction of your new songs or collaborations?
We are open to cooperation with many musicians, on The Age of Lacerta we have already started cooperation with a great drummer (Paweł) and we hope to continue it on the next album. As for the new songs, referring to one of the previous questions - the songs will be varied and at the moment we would prefer to leave it to speculation.
Does nature or the environment play a role in your creative process or lyrical themes?
Yes, if it weren't for the sand lizard and its Latin name, we would never have taken the name Lacerta, but that's not the most important thing. Nature is a reflection of harmony, and we want to achieve this harmony. In lyrical themes, references to nature are expressed quite directly, nature creates more of an image and is a tool to show what we want to show you. Perhaps it's a good idea to let nature play a bigger role in Lacerta.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians based on your experiences and challenges?
We would prefer not to give any advice, let everyone reach their own goal, just like us. It is not an easy path, but reaching it on your own is more satisfying and valuable.
Can you elaborate on the metaphor of Lacerta's evolution as a dragon, starting from "clumsy" to something more refined?
Yes, the previous questions have already touched on this issue to some extent, but we will try to explain it. Lacerta's first album is a combination of something that has long passed in our lives and a more artistic approach to the topic, we try to create poetry of melody, text and sound, combine it and transfer it to headphones. Since our approach to music started to change in this direction, our music sounds much different, and the melody, lyrics and sound work together, they are not as detached from each other as the first songs. A young dragon just after hatching - we can assume - is still clumsy, it can't fly, but it already has the makings of it, a more mature dragon can already run and glide, we hope that if this dragon fully matures, it will fly in the sky and breathe fire, as he should. Same with our band. We have to mix our music and continue to professionalize it, this is the only way to achieve success, and success is nothing else than a well-written and well-matched album.