Things are clearly not going well in the Dogma camp. Yesterday we published a story regarding the less-than-friendly departure of vocalist Grace Jane “Lilith” Pasturini, guitarist Amber “Lamia” Maldonado, and guitarist Patri “Rusalka” Grief who cited manipulative management that turned “a band into a brand, and people into disposable pieces.”
Today, Grief is back with a much lengthier statement and it really doesn’t paint a sunnier picture of the band or whoever’s in charge of things: “The Rusalka that once was, and will always be. Hey guys. Rusalka (Patri Grief) here. I wanted to talk a little bit more about the recent events, what happened, why it happened, and shed some light on the situation.
“In November 2023, I was contacted to be part of Dogma; I immediately fell in love with the project. I instantly fell in love with the aesthetic and songwriting. It seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was hired as Rusalka, and the adventure began.
“You might already know how much I put my soul into this project, always bringing ideas, collaborating with my drawings on drumheads and cards, going to the merch booth every single night, and overall, defining who Rusalka was. Rusalka is based on a very, VERY personal thing that I went through, and I somehow felt the fans really connected to the character in multiple ways.
“Rusalka was unhinged, crazy, slightly creepy, but always supportive and there to listen. Several of you reached out to me through the character’s account seeking help, which I was always happy to give. Some very personal information was shared, from the fans and from me, yet the account was taken away by the management the minute I was not admitted into the United States.
“I gave my everything into this project because, even if things felt off with the manager. I kept thinking ‘you’re doing this for them, and you’re doing this for the teenage Patri who needed you the most.’ I believed Dogma was about ‘giving a voice to those who don’t have one,’ which resonated with me. As a child, I always wanted to become a professional musician specifically for that reason: to give shelter.
“I hid in music when I needed it the most, and I wanted to return the favor. With that in mind, I went to the merch table every night, read every fan message, and answered all that I could. As the character evolved, so did I. The fans that I met — I wouldn’t even consider them as fans, but friends. I was, and still am, willing to give my all to them.
“This management took advantage of my kindness. I was willing to do so many things for free, and, of course, I barely received a ‘thanks’ in return. But the minute I set a boundary (as in, ‘Hey, I’d rather not let you use my gear without permission’) I was met with ‘you’re showing that you’re not committed to the project.’
“The minute I said ‘Then why would I be helping with the merch? Why would I be assisting the two new guitarists, if I was not committed to the project?’ I received a ‘I paid you accordingly.’ I was given a 100€ tip at the end of three tours, which, as you can imagine, doesn’t even match the minimum salary for the work that I had been doing. But still, it’s fine, because it was my idea, and I never did it for the money in the first place. I did it for you, for me, and for Rusalka, as she was born from the crazy and misunderstood.
“He used the fact that he tipped me to make me shut up, and then he said that it would be better if I stopped doing it for this US tour. He’d rather stop the connection between musician and fan than recognize the efforts I put into the band.
“The reason why I am no longer in the band is rather simple: I wasn’t accepted into the United States because management wouldn’t provide the proper VISA. I watched another member get kicked out simply for asking for the correct working VISA, so it seemed pretty clear to me: either go on tour, or be replaced.
“There was no other option. I flew to the US with the person who was supposed to be the new singer. We were both interrogated and detained. They took our phones (you can imagine how worried my family was), belts, earrings, and even our shoelaces. After 48 hours, we were sent back home.
“The minute I turned my phone back on, I had a message from management saying ‘hey I found a replacement, could you teach her the songs?’ Not even an apology for taking the risk! Only him asking for more. When I got back home, I told him that I was detained for 48 because of his poorly made decision, to which he answered ‘nobody forced you to do so. It was your decision, and you got caught because you were wearing a Pirate Queen t-shirt under your hoodie.’
“I was done. I was done because throughout all the fours, I’ve had to deal with eating only twice a day because he didn’t want to provide three meals. Every time I voiced my concern, I was shut down with the response of ‘no band ever demands that kind of thing,’ while seeing bandmates cry under conditions that we accepted because of the opportunity. Every time I tried to discuss issues, I was met with gaslighting. I was treated poorly for having discussed the contract with another bandmate in order to receive better conditions.
“I was unable to organise anything in my life because of multi-month tours being planned with little notice. I was pressured into buying a piece of gear (aside from the guitar) that was ‘mandatory’ which ended up not being necessary at all, it was instead used to carry vinyl and CDs instead of my guitar without my permission. The response? ‘Nobody forced you to do so, it was a suggestion.’
“I was told ‘Do you think I’d still hire you if I had more money? Sorry to say, but the minute I can start paying more, I gain access to the people who charge more.’ Any time anyone expressed frustration with the situation, the response was ‘They need to f*ck to be calm’ or ‘They complain too much because they’re women.’ I was sick of him putting us down in order to keep us small and silent.
“Despite all of this, being a touring musician has always been my dream, and I loved Dogma, the idea, the concept, the character I played, and the possibility of giving to Music at least a little bit of what Music gave to me when I needed it most.
“Grace, Amber and I are not letting you down, and we will stand up for ourselves and the music we play. This management still has outstanding obligations, as ultimately it was his responsibility to provide what was required for a safe work environment. He failed to do so in a gross negligence which cost me and a poor girl — who didn’t even get the chance to sing one show after spending 48 hours in detention.
“It was a trip that led to nothing but disappointment. I was disappointed to see how easily replaceable we are, to see my character played by someone else who is using a playback at a live show that fans can’t even record, all because he is trying to hide the fact that he is selling something fans didn’t pay for.
“And, to add something rather cheesy and petty to my statement, I will say, in Dogma‘s usual mystique, but without any AI behind my words: ‘We were joined together in a dark ritual of music and blood, we went through sacrifices that you yet don’t know. Our voices will not be silenced, as, as far as we now talk with our cursed spirits, we will prove to you, sooner than you think, that the staves have already been drawn, the harmony is set, and the hexed melody of the coven is dying to be released’.
“Your support means the world to me. To us. I’ve read every single message, and, in all honesty, several of you had made me cry. Nothing new, though, as, since the beginning, while you admired the band from afar, I admired you back from the shadows.”
