Interview with ANA: Snake Dances, Concerts and Life on the Road

(*NOTE: Interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

I drank a quick cup of black tea, thirty-and-a-half minutes before I would interview one of the most prolific bands in symphonic metal today: ANA.

Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, ANA is here to promote their latest, most successful record to date, Motivated By Death. They dub themselves “couture metal,” blending ethereal fashion, opera-trained inflections and atmospheric instrumentation.

But for this quick Zoom interview, away from the stage (at least until their next show starts), they swapped their elaborate, radiant costumes for the comfortable, casual go-to closet staples that every touring band needs: hoodies, glasses, caps and tees.

“You look so beautiful!” Khristenko beamed at me when she appeared on camera. (*I may have dolled myself up a little to show my couture metal support for the band.)

All of the most prominent members of the band were there: lead singer Khristenko, guitarist Josh Mak, bassist Cody Lamb and keyboardist Mark Shi.

Shi, who had the rare skill of contagious laughter, was in Singapore at the time but managed to turn on his phone and join a few minutes into the interview. I asked him how Singapore was treating him.

“It’s hot,” he said with a chuckle, sending us laughing.

Interview

The environment was so relaxed that, with the band’s consensus, I started off the interview with an ice-breaker question.

“If you guys were on a spaceship, how would you decorate it?”

Khristenko, Mak and Lamb conversed with each other. Then they reached their verdicts.

Mak: “I want it soft. Fluffy. Foam everywhere.”

Lamb: “Yeah, you don’t want to get hurt floating around in zero gravity!”

Khristenko: “Yes, fluffy, foamy. And it has to be colorful! Pink!”

Obviously, ANA won in the sense-of-humor category. But as the interview progressed, their passion for music was undeniable.

I queried, “What was the ‘aha’ moment that made you guys realize you wanted to be musicians?”

Khristenko went first. “I was doing little shows in kindergarten, when I was six or seven. I was singing, and my mom thought I was so good that I should pursue singing seriously. And it went from there!”

According to Lamb, his passion for music came much later. “It was always there, but I never took it seriously as a career until the right moment came.”

With news of their tour with the legendary DANZIG circulating online, and with their rich-sounding discography and visual prowess, I’d say ANA’s “aha” moment paid off pretty well!

“You’re currently touring with DANZIG, Twin Temple and Acid Bath, some very prolific bands,” I observed. “How did you guys react when you found out you were going to perform with them?”

Mak was blunt. “I thought it was a scam.”

As he and his bandmates laughed, he continued, “Scammers are getting smarter, you know? I genuinely thought it was a scam!”

Lamb pitched in, confirming the disbelief. “I kept re-reading the email, checking who sent it. When we finally confirmed it was real, it was completely overwhelming!”

Answers that transitioned seamlessly to my next question…

“How did you guys feel when you played your first U.S. show?”

Surprisingly, Mak’s response was: “Bittersweet.”

The band clarified that, although they were over the moon to nab their first U.S. gig, Visa complications made traveling to the event very difficult. “We were thrilled to be there,” Mak added, “but it felt incomplete without everyone.”

Shi agreed, pitching in, “It showed us what was possible, but also what we needed to prepare for.”

The musically ethereal, tastefully controversial “Hate Me” music video proved that the complications of their first U.S. tour were worth every second.

Of course, I highly recommend “Hate Me” to anyone interested in ANA’s music. (In fact, that was the first song and music video that led me to listen to their whole album!)

But what was especially outstanding was the boa constrictor wrapped around Khristenko during filming. It was a 2000s-Britney-Spears moment with a metal twist, because the snake almost looked like a piece of living jewelry over Khristenko’s glittering snake-skin one-piece.

However, as with any potentially dangerous animal, all it takes is one wrong move for things to go haywire. Yet, Khristenko nailed the vocals and the snake interactions. So, I asked…

“Was it terrifying for you guys [to have a live snake on set], or did you guys feel more comfortable?”

Khristenko grinned, answering, “It was bigger than I expected! But honestly, I got comfortable with it fast. Once you realize it’s not going to eat you, it’s actually kind of cool!”

“It hissed at you, though,” Mak remarked with a snicker.

Laughing in return, Khristenko pointed out, “Yes, but I was grabbing it really, really hard! And the person who gave me the snake told me not to hold it so hard. Then everything was fine.”

The visuals and musicality in the “Hate Me” video were fashionable and surreal, but the empowerment message behind it particularly stood out to me. “What’s your advice for aspiring musicians who are afraid of what others would think of them?”

With empathy in their eyes, Mak and Khristenko both had an answer.

Mak responded, “People are going to talk all the time. It’s inevitable. But, even when it’s bad, it’s better to be bad than to not make an impact at all.”

Khristenko agreed, adding, “And when people tell you the message got through, that the visuals connected, that’s everything.”

When I watched their music videos for their Motivated By Death album, I could see that ANA is no stranger to connecting with audiences in a visual way.

Thus, it was very impressive that Khristenko and Mak found the time and energy to simultaneously run ANA, their Kickstarter-backed comic book series, and a touring band. I asked, “What do you guys think are the biggest challenges of running a comic book series and a band at the same time?”

“Time and resources are the biggest challenges,” Mak acknowledged. “But in a weird way, those limitations force you to make decisions quickly. You can’t overthink it.”

I turn to Khristenko. “Anna, you write the comics, right?”

“More of an illustrator and art director,” she clarifies.

The group emphasizes Khristenko’s precise art direction. Mak adds with a chuckle, “She keeps trying to get us to add more hair to the characters! One time, she wanted her character’s hair to fill a whole page!”

Cody Lamb agrees with a smile. “I told her, ‘Hey, my character could use some more hair!’ ”

As the group howled with laughter, I made note of their relaxed chemistry with one another.

It should go without saying that chemistry is mandatory for touring bands, who often have to travel in a compact tour bus for days on end. And since ANA’s social media pages are overflowing with tour updates, saying that they’re busy is putting it mildly. “What are some lessons you’ve learned while on the road?” I inquired.

Mark Shi emphasized, “Don’t get sick!”

The band cackled in agreement.

Shi continued, “It happened in Nashville. I got really sick. When you’re that close together, sharing a van, sharing rooms. If one person gets sick, everyone’s going down!”

Khristenko laughed, adding, “There was a time where I couldn’t stand up for two days! I was so sick. Nashville was brutal!”

Mak nodded, saying, “It was rough, but the show must go on. You have to keep going.”

Touring in one of the biggest music capitals in America, when you’re in that much pain. That’s dedication.

However, what was also evident to me was the band’s dedication to life as a whole. And according to them, this powerful drive reflects itself in their song, “Papa.”

“I listened to ‘Papa,’ ” I told them, “and I thought the instrumentals and vocals were just top-tier. But I loved the message behind it. What are your thoughts on celebrating life vs. grieving death?”

Khristenko admitted, “It was a song about my late father. I thought it would be meaningful to write something directly to him, as if he could hear it.”

Mak added, “It was my suggestion.”

“Thank you for inspiring her!” I beamed.

Khristenko’s eyes lit up. “Yeah! He told me, ‘You should do this,’ so that’s what I did. Also, it taught us that life is important and you can’t be lazy. You have to live life to the fullest.”

Khristenko’s unyielding perseverance definitely showed in her vocals in “Papa” and her ability to help hold this band together. Significant things that would leave both Khristenko’s late father and ANA fans in awe.

However, life poured into every song that the band created for Motivated By Death.

Resultingly, I thought of my next inquiry…

“What careers would you guys have had if you didn’t become musicians?”

Mak admitted, “A chef.”

“Really?” I giggled.

“Yeah!” he pointed to Shi, who laughed. Mak continued, “He actually joined the band because of my cooking!”

Lamb chimed in, “I would’ve gotten into art. Like, miniatures and artwork.”

Khristenko included, “I would’ve been an influencer or model.”

Shi chuckled, “Going by my education, I would’ve gone into filmmaking. But I decided against it because I would’ve been broke!”

We all cackled.

Plus, I was impressed by their answers because it further showed just how creative they were. And that creativity had to start somewhere. For most bands, it starts with their first concert experience.

“What were the most memorable concerts that you guys have attended?”

Khristenko remembered a Lana Del Rey concert that she attended in 2018, which also happened to be part of her “aha” moment that helped bring ANA together. “It made me think, ‘Yeah, I can do this! I got this!’ ”

For Mak, his concert experience was a missed opportunity due to a catastrophic event that occurred just a little while before. “I wanted to go to a Michael Learns to Rock show. But with 9/11 just happening, it was cancelled, and I couldn’t go. At the time, I was really disappointed.”

Lamb recalled a KISS and Mötley Crüe arena tour that he went to between 2013 and 2014. I didn’t notice the KISS T-shirt he was wearing until Khristenko lifted his long hair from his shoulder to show the shirt to me. Lamb smiled, pointing at the black-and-white KISS graphic across the fabric. “It was my first time in a big arena,” he said, “and it blew my mind!”

For my last question, I thought I could ask something that would tie all of their music-heavy experiences together: how far they’ve gotten as individual musicians. “Imagine a scenario where past versions of yourselves approached you one day, out of the blue. How would they respond if you told them what they would become?”

“Disbelief,” Mak replied. “But also pride. I think my younger self would say, ‘Keep going. It’s worth it.’ ”

Shi seconded his sentiment, adding, “[My younger self] would be shocked, but encouraged.”

Lamb concurred. “Yeah, it’s weird, because my younger self wouldn’t think of music as an option. But if I told him what we do now, he would be so excited.”

Conclusion

After a sweet goodbye from the band, I left the Zoom meeting. I finished the job as a journalist, but the environment was so fun and kindhearted that I was sad it was over.

What ANA taught me through their latest album and this interview is this:

One of the most important things in metal music is to stand out with your own signature flavor. To try new things, persevere, and build something amazing with the people you care about. Because you never know how much of an impact you’ll make on others as a result.

ANA isn’t your typical metal group, let alone your typical symphonic metal group. Their album, Motivated By Death, showed instrumental, emotional and vocal experimentation that sent headbangers to outer space.

Even better, their smiles and high energy matched their music: confident, creative and ready to take on the world.

And even after all those tour dates, they still carried that vibrant energy all the way to the interview’s last few seconds.

That proud determination is one of the ways you know that a band is on its way to greater heights.

I’m Music Magazine Music Journalist Sydney James