Origin: Russia
Location: Korolyov, Moscow Oblast
Formed: 2015
Status: Active
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal / Shoegaze
Label: Independent
Themes: Instrumental
Years active: 2015–present
Ansa/Cinis is an instrumental atmospheric black metal and shoegaze project from Korolyov, active since 2015 and centered entirely around the creative work of Alexander Makhonin. The project blends shimmering post‑black metal textures with dreamy shoegaze layers, melancholic ambience, and introspective melodic structures. Without vocals, Ansa/Cinis relies on mood, repetition, and emotional guitar phrasing to create a sense of drifting solitude and nostalgic calm.
The project emerged in 2016 with a series of singles and EPs that quickly defined its aesthetic. Early tracks such as Увядший and По тропе грёз introduced a sound built on soft, reverb‑soaked guitars and atmospheric black metal undertones. The debut full‑length Opacis (2016) expanded this approach, weaving together melancholic tremolo lines, shoegaze haze, and ambient interludes. Listeners and underground reviewers often highlighted the album’s ability to evoke a sense of fading memories and quiet emotional distance.
Throughout 2016, Ansa/Cinis released several EPs—Malva, Дыхание лет, and Hiems—each exploring different seasonal moods and tonal palettes. These works showcased Makhonin’s ability to shift between warm, nostalgic soundscapes and colder, more desolate atmospheres while maintaining a cohesive instrumental identity.
The 2017 EP Fatig and the full‑length Oznob marked a refinement of the project’s sound. Oznob in particular received praise for its balance of blackgaze intensity and shoegaze softness, with layered guitars creating a dense yet emotionally delicate atmosphere. The album’s title—meaning “chill” or “shiver”—captures its blend of coldness and introspection, a hallmark of the project’s style.
Ansa/Cinis remains a quiet but respected presence in the Russian atmospheric and post‑black metal underground. Its instrumental nature sets it apart from many contemporaries, focusing on mood and texture rather than aggression or narrative. Makhonin’s involvement in other projects, such as Казнь, further situates Ansa/Cinis within the broader Moscow‑area experimental and atmospheric metal scene.
Current member