Sunday 26 August 2012

ARAMAZD

Industrial / Folk
http://www.facebook.com/artashesmkrtchyan
Not to be confused with the other Armenian band ARAMAZD (aramazd.net)!




Sounds: 
"Egernakan" - Download here: files.realmusic.ru/..8/aramazd_-_Egernakan.mp3
"Anun Chuni" - Donwload here: files.realmusic.ru/..mazd_-_Anun_Chuni.der.mp3


Interview (12.8.2012):

When I visited Armenia and talked to the Metalheads in Yerevan, one name was always mentioned: Artashes "Aramazd" Mkrtchyan. Artashes is one of the fix points and one of the most important figures in the Armenian scene. Not only was he doing various Heavy Metal radio shows, he's also organizing live shows on a regular basis and playing in a really sick and unique Industrial-Folk-Metal (!) band called ARAMAZD (an ancient zoroastrian deity). And last but not least, he's the owner of the only real Metal Pub in the whole Caucasus, the legendary and incredibly cool Troll Pub in Yerevan. Fortunately Artashes took some time to give us a little insight in the Armenian scene and his various activities.

Artashes, I understand you had a big part in the evolution of the Armenian scene with a couple of radio shows. Can you tell me something about these radio shows?

Friday night at the Troll Pub, Yerevan.
I started Metalfront radio show in early 2001 and it was alive until the first part of 2002. The next run of the live show lasted from the beginning of 2007 until 2009. The last time I re-launched the show was in 2011, but for now I temporarily suspended it. It was very influential for the Armenian metal scene. 
Many new bands had interviews and showcases on the Metalfront radio show. Besides that it had an influence on the audience as well. I remember many teenagers who changed their music taste after listening to the show. The main goal of the show was to bring new teenagers to the Armenian metal scene, organize newbies and oldies in one Metalfront community, to support and grow the Armenian metal scene around quality music and Armenian metal bands. The format of the show was "from the lighter to the heavier", from 10 PM until we'd fall asleep at late night. I tried to mix some mainstream stuff like Nightwish, Apocalyptica, SOAD with heavier genres like Death or Black so the teenagers would quickly and slightly start to become real metalheads.


Is there a connection between the "Metalfront" radio show and the "Metalfront" festival?

The Troll Pub - the perfect spot for Metalheads and
worshippers of Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"
Yes, beside the radio show, Metalfront organized many metal shows, concerts and festivals. During 2008 to 2011 Metalfront organized almost 30 events. The most mentionable one was the Metalfront Fest in 2008, the only two-day international metal festival in Armenia until now. It was memorable. It was the first festival in Armenia with Iranian bands. We did other things also: we printed shirts for Armenian metal bands, we promoted other metal events, we were managing bands, we even tried to work as a label for Armenian metal bands. We produced Sacrond's album. These were good times. 
Oh god, I forgot about "Metalfront Project" band. It was a cover band which played only cover songs from Rammstein to Death, Emperor and Cannibal Corpse. We had a lot of Metalfront Live Cover shows in Yerevan. The bandmembers  were musicians from Stryfe (now in L.A.) and me as an vocalist. For now I suspended Metalfront in some way... but I'm planning to reincarnate it.


You are the owner of the Troll Pub, a very cool Metal and Rock Pub in Yerevan? As far as I know it's the only Metal Pub in the whole Caucasus. Can you tell me more about it? Is it a meeting point for the Armenian scene?

As the host of the Metalfront radio show, I promoted folk/viking/pagan music in Armenia. It has become slightly popular around metalheads. So yeah, I opened the folk/pagan pub, but because of the strong connections with me and Metalfront it became the meeting point of metalheads and people who like ancient history, culture, LOTR, Paganism ... etc. right now 50% of the playlist is metal, the other part is folk or rock.
I love what I'm doing, I love to promote metal in Armenia. It's not important whether it's via a radio show, live events or the pub. I think the main thing is that people should communicate with each other, become a community under one idea. So Troll Pub is doing its best to make metalheads get closer to each other, just as Metalfront did before. Now we are organizing small metal jam sessions in the pub. Metal guitarists come and play electric guitar here, its increasing communication with each other, and maybe preparing the background for the creation of new bands.



Besides your activities with Metalfront and running the Troll Pub, you're also the main man in a industrial folk band called ARAMAZD. Can you tell us something about Aramazd? 

I started in 1999. I recorded the first song "Bekanem Shanter" in 1999. A song about the Armenian Genocide "Eghernakan" was recorded in 2000. "Kochari" also. It was a one man band. So i had some songs. Later the raw black metal slightly moved to a new style, something like ethnic/folk industrial black.  For example, I think "Kochari" has many industrial influences. The last song "Beginning of the AR" has no Black Metal background, it's more like folk industrial metal. The main vision is Armenian history and culture, Armenian paganism, the early times when the sun was God.


Which bands influenced you, when you started ARAMAZD? I can hear some Ministry in your sound ...

I have different influences. I'm not sure which ones are more influential for ARAMAZD. Maybe it's Darkthrone, Nocturnal Mortum, Slayer, Mayhem, Enslaved. Personally the most important bands for me are Slayer, Morbid Angel, Emperor, Black Sabbath, Death and Borknagar.


I think the music in Aramazd is quite unique. I haven't heard anything quite like it before. On the one hand you're using these very cold heavy industrial sounds, on the other hand you're including traditional folk instruments. How does that go together?

I think the genre of Aramazd is very unique. As I said I'm listening to every genre in metal, but I tried to mix "unmixable" things: industrial, folk, black. Yeah, I dont know how, but I know why: Because I think everyone should do more unique things to penetrate the market or the audience. And on the other side it's good for me because I love industrial and folk music, so it's fitting for my personal taste. But if you ask me, I'll say that I'm also interested in creating Black Metal or Death Metal. Aramazd was just some experiment with an unique mix of metal styles. I like the idea that as far as I know nobody tried to do that mix... maybe Tanzwut from Germany. By the way, now I'm the vocalist for Infected Cinema band, we are playing progressive groove metal... close to Gojira, Meshuggah, Katatonia, Death.


What are your views on the current political situation in Armenia? Do you think that it's important for a metal musician to make political statements in his music?

I'm satisfied with the internal political situation in Armenia. Of course there are big problems like corruption, oligopoly, maybe in some way non-democratic things. But I see the growth of Armenia. Unfortunately not in the Armenian metal scene. The bad thing is that many people are leaving Armenia to other countries. I think it's dangerous for us. I'm an optimist, I think everything will be ok. I'm just worried about our neighbours, Azerbaijan. Ok, they think we are enemies. I don't think so, but I'm worrying that someday there will be war between us again. Also I think the geo-political situation in the middle east is not stable, and yeah its also dangerous for us.
Concerning political statements, I think it depends on the music genre bands play. There was some politically addicted bands. But politics influence music also. For example because of the strict Armenian border policies, our bands have low chances to make trips to other countries easily. Low incomes effect ticket prices, and it's becoming harder to invite big international bands here, because of the economic situation. I think musicians should talk about politics only if they understand what they're talking about. But many are just talking because its mainstream in some way.


Yes, I agree. So you're not very happy with the development of the Armenian scene. What are your thoughts on the Armenian scene in general? Especially when you compare it to the Georgian and Azeri scenes?

One of the reasons I've suspended Metalfront is the fall of the metal scene here. I don't know what's going on. Where are the metalheads? Why have they become so inactive? But yes compared with 2006 to 2010 there is a big negative difference. Maybe some of them emigrated, some bands resigned, some bands were tired to spend money and getting no response from the audience. They lost their motivation maybe. But I'm satisfied with some Armenian bands like DAERON or DIVAHAR. There are some new bands, I hope they'll become more professional. Personally I'm ready to help any Armenian band.
Compared to the Georgian metal scene I'd say Armenia is 70% of theirs. I mean, here during festivals we have a 200-300 audience, they have 300-400. We have 4-5 active bands, they have 6-8 bands. I was involved in the Georgian metal scene, worked with them, invited their bands here and can say that the Georgian scene is more sucessful than the Armenian. But there is one difference - live shows quantity, quality and festivals.


Yeah, I heard Armenia is like the Promised Land regarding the live scene. How come?

Arsen [Hakobyan, organizer of Highland Metalfest – MT] and me organized many live events. There was a time when during one year there were six and more metal events organized by Zhesht and Metalfront. So I think we have more events, but less audience.
I can't compare with Azerbaijan, because I have no connections to them, but as far as I know they have a much worse situation than Armenia or Georgia. Maybe because of their government and the non-liberal situation in the country.

Thanks, man! I really appreciate you taking the time. And now you guys reading this should check this amazing and disturbing video for the song "Beginning of the ...AR" by ARAMAZD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie7MItKN2lU&feature=youtu.be




(c) MT August 2012

Saturday 25 August 2012

BOKRAG

Death Metal
http://www.myspace.com/bokragarmenia
http://www.facebook.com/bokrag/app_2405167945



Vahe Soghomonyan (Sadael, Sworn) - guitars and backing vocals
Alex Amiryan (Sworn, Sacrond) - bass guitar and lead vocals
Ruben Arevshatyan (Flegethon, Blood Inheritance, Daeron) - guitars
Daniel Movsisyan - drums

Founded in 2010 by Sadael, long time known as a one-man-band and Alex, well known to metal fans as the bass guitarist and brutal vocalist in “Sworn”, one of the most famous Armenian metal bands. “Bokrag” is the name of the imaginary character, who hunts bad people like criminals, pedophiles and loosers and kills them in a sadistic manner. Later on Gev joined the band (played in Flegethon band) followed by Daniel. Bokrag aims to get to the first positions in the metals bands rating first in Armenia and then worldwide. How can the band be this ambitious? This goal is realistic based on high professional level in performing as the band members are highly experienced musicians, unique sub-style of death metal they are working in and, most importantly, the energy and high spirit of the band members. The band is rapidly acquiring new fans both domestically and Internationally.

Discography:

Mental Sickness (2011)

1. Vortex of Hallucination
2. The Rise of Eradication
3. Malady
4. Inner Hades
5. Inferior
6. Mental Sickness
7. The Weight of the World

BEERDIGUNGS LAUTEN

Grindcore / Death Metal



Edgar Petrosyan - Drums
Dowen - Bass
Dramber - Guitars
Ven - Guitars
Doom - Vocals, guitars





From Tartarean Desire:

It all began in 1993. Being influenced by the Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra, Atrocity, Righteous Pigs etc., we decided to play brutal, very unusual music for Armenia. Mostly metal bands were playing thrash and heavy metal. We (Doom & Festerdead) were involved in the thrash-band called Demon Spirit. I can describe them as an armenian copy of Slayer. After some abortive attempts to play more brutal music, we made a decision to leave Demon Spirit and make our own band. 



So, we started to find other members. The metal scene was rising in Armenia in early 90th, and those who wished to play in some band were a lot. But nobody wanted to play grind core/death-metal. The work started. First of all we wanted to find the rehearsal room. It was the hardest thing, because Armenia was under trying conditions. No electricity, state of war, etc. In the meantime we were making our songs at home without drums and trying to find at least the bass player. To find the second guitar player was quite difficult but that worried us less. But the things were going quite the contrary. Timur has joined the band as a second guitar player. He was addicted to death metal also, but his stay in the band wasn't long. There were still two of us. Then the idea was born to invite Dowen to play bass. Dowen and Festerdead were playing together before in the short-term project "Aggel". 



"Aggel" subsisted for 4 month. Later, in 1995, the guitarist Trush, who was also involved in "Aggel", have joined Beerdigungs Lauten. In the Festivals section all that transfers are described in details. So there were already three of us. The next step was the rehearsal room. We have rent the place at the scientific institution (Armgiprodor), which was outside of Yerevan. It took an hour and the half to get there. That was the autumn of 1993. The winter was dead period, because of no electricity, no transportation and a bunch of snow. The spring '94 came with an excellent offer. The other armenian band Dumbarton Oaks had a rehearsal room in Yerevan, but without recording equipment. We have solved the problem with the equipment (many thanks go to Helen), and started to use their room together. After two months our first demo - Slay the close of yours - was recorded. It took12 hours to finish with that. There were only two recording studios in Yerevan that time, and we decided to choose "Ardzagank". Some of head staff was famous to us in "Ardzagank". Though, the other studio - "Asparez" had better equipment. The demo consist of three songs - Slay the close of yours, Psychosis/Paroxysm and With God's help. Our friend- Vgo helped us with the lyrics for the last one. 

After that we were invited to the "Barev" TV program. Some pictures you can find on the pictures page. It was our first appearance on the TV. Rumors were saying (after that TV program) that the demo "Slay the close of yours" was not made by Beerdigungs Lauten. It's some other unknown band, who's recordings BL staff pretends to be as their own. Later, those rumors have disappeared after some live shows. But another one came up - Doom have lost his voice because of his growling. Just like Dave Ingram from Benediction. But as I have said, all that were just rumors. Our live program started on July 30, 2004 from the "Music 5" Festival. We invited Dramber from Dumbarton Oaks to play guitar, because Doom decided to concentrate only on vocals. And that decision was right. Besides our program we have introduced some new songs, which were written by Dramber, but his band Dumbarton Oaks rejected the offer to play them. As that songs didn't match the Dumbarton Oaks music criteria. The opinions about our band after the first performance were very positive. By the way, the pic on the left was made after that, when the was interviewed.


Discography:

Slay the close of yours EP, 1994
Self-released

1. Slay the close of yours
2. Psychosis/Paroxism
3. With God's help
4. Unchallenged Hate (Napalm Death cover)
5. Sabre Dance

AYAS

Heavy Metal


Areg Nazaryan - Bass
Harout Keshishian - Drums
Hovak - Guitars
Arthur Mitinyan - Keyboards, Vocals




From Wikipedia:

Ayas was a heavy metal band established in 1987. Led by the Yerevan State Komitas Conservatory graduate Artur Mitinian, the band was the first in the history of Armenian heavy-music to play its works using also the scores. The result of their first-year efforts was so impressive that they were mentioned among ten best rock bands from the USSR in the popular GDR magazines Melodie und Rhythmus and Neues Leben in 1988 together with Asparez, another popular band of Armenian rock. In 1991 they would play a show with Megadeth, but as the vocalist Artur Areskin became piously Christian they did not make it. Oriental rock is their input into heavy-metal, which was developed towards successful commercial standards by the System of a Down.
In 2007 interview Mitinyan stated that he would most likely reunite Ayas and play a concert.

On April 18, 2008 Ayas officially reunited at the Metal Attack festival. Being a professional composer, Artur Mitinyan, created a score for the band and a symphonic orchestra planning to appear with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra in summer 2010.

Discography:

Yerkink u Yerkir (Earth and the Sky), 1988
Self-released
1. AYAS  
2. XX Dar  
3. Dareri Sahmanagitz
4. Gechspanuzyun  
5. Aryunot Gazan  
6. Yerkink u Yerkir  
7. Ches Karogh Erbek  


The Cruel Fate EP, 1991
Self-released
1.  Dareri hetkov gna
3. Растерзанные трупы  
4. Arevi schocheri tak...  
5. Vaedemna  
7. Etyud







Friday 24 August 2012

HEAVY CROSS

Heavy Metal
http://www.myspace.com/heavycrossmzimejvari
http://www.heavycross.ge


Levan Kapanadze - Bass, Vocal
Giorgi Ioramashvili - Vocal
Dimitri Oganesian - Drums
Guja Mchedlishvili - Guitar
Rezi Abesadze - Guitar



From the band's Myspace:



HEAVY CROSS was established in 1988. From the very first day of its existence the group has been taking a most active part in the Georgian rock movvement through numerous perfor-mances, concerts, tours and festivals. In 1990 the group won the prize of the international rock festival in Liepaja (Latvia). Since 1988 the lineup of the group has changed several times. In 2001 the group suffered the death of its drummer David Zibzibadze. Despite the fact that over the thirty years of its existence the group has been constantly creating its own music the first studio album was released only in 2002. It was a collection of songs created between 1997 and 2002, and was dedicated to the memory of David Zibzibadze. The songs were performed by Mamuka Chikhladze (guitar), Levan Kapanadze (bas, back vocal), Levan Beitrishvili (vocal), David Zibibadze (drums, records of 1997) and Dimitri Oganesyan (drums, records of 2002). 


Levan Kapanazde and yours truly, Tbilisi, summer 2012
In 2005 the second guitarist, Giorgi Chubinidze joined the group, and soon after that “Heavy Cross” won the contest “Patrinote” with the song “A Georgian’s Duty” (Five Cross Flag). In the same year, Levan Kapanadze and Levan Beitrishvili were invited to participate in the project “We Remember”. Together with other participants they created and recorded the song “We Remember”. In 2007 the group released a new album “FanX” with Goga Ioramashvili as a vocalist ("HEAVY CROSS" 1995-1997) . The songs in this album – all being rather diverse stylistically - have a much heavier sound than previous ones.


In 2008 Giorgi Chubinidze left “Heavy Cross”. At the same time one of the founders and lead guitarist Mamuka Chikhladze, who decided to focus on his own solo project, temporarily left the group too. The group invited a young talented guitarist, Guja Mchedlishvili, and on June 1, 2008 performed at Tbilisi Blietzkreig Metal Fest 2008. The same summer “Heavy Cross” was invited to Turkey to participate in the annual International Rock Festival BarisaRock – Rock for Peace 2008. Before the departure for Turkey “Heavy Cross” conducted its farewell concert with its friends Rezi Abesadze and Nika Leshchenko. Right after that Rezi Abesadze accepted an offer to join the group. On August 9, 2008 “Heavy Cross”, with Guja Mchedlishvili & Rezi Abesadze on guitars, performed as a headliner in front of 80.000 audience of BarisaRock – Rock for Peace 2008. It was a great success, which grew even further due to the fact that during those very days Georgia was invaded by Russian troops, and, of course, the presence at the anti-war festival of the group from a country suffering war and aggression acquired special importance. Upon arrival in Georgia the group was re-joined by Mamuka Chikhladze, who now plans to work with Levan Kapanadze and Dimitri Oganesian on his own new project. As a result the group is currently working on two parallel projects.


Discography:


Fan X 
2007
self-released


1. Anti-Dominant 
2. Ours 
3. Road Full Of Uncertainty  
4. Mother, What If I Have Been An Angel 
5. Castles In The Air  
6. Die-Hard  
7. Candle  
8. Life Is More Than A Game 
9. Walking In Reality (Hangover)
10. Paranoid
11. Heavy Cross

Thursday 23 August 2012

DOGMA


Ethnic Prog Rock
dogma.am
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ethnic-methnic/id388845833



From the band's website dogma.am:

"Dogma’s music is an extremely unique and a compound fusion of Armenian ethnic melody and progressive metal elements, which can transfer the listener from a powerful mountainous landscape to a serene apricot garden in the blazing sun. The Classic Rock Presents Prog Magazine describes it as: “Aggressive riffs, ethnic vibes and psychedelic soundscapes all wrapped up with stunning delicate female vocals”.
The band was created in 2008 in Yerevan....It was found by two Armenian very famous musicians – bassist Vardan Grigoryan and guitarist Heno Grigoryan, who both played in the legendary in Transcaucasia MDP band from 1994 to 2007.
In December 2007 a young and charming vocalist Zara, who was totally unknown to the music sphere, joined Vardan and Heno. Soon after that, on January 3, 2008, Derik Vardumyan, who is a famous musician and drummer in the metal sphere of Armenia, teamed up with them.


The first private concert of the band took place on January 5, 2008, in the small hall of the Yerevan State Puppet Theatre in front of an audience of just friends, musicians and journalists. It turned out to be something impressive indeed, something rather unexpected. And this was Dogma's triumphal start.
After two sold-out concerts, private concerts in their studio and 7 well-received festival appearances (also as organizators) and active public engagement during a year, in the beginning of 2009 the band celebrated its 1st anniversary and started the studio work on the debut album, which was unleashed in December 2009 with the unordinary title "Ethnic-Methnic" to more closely depict what is inside.
In the beginning of 2010 Zara was invited by Ian Anderson, from the legendary British band “Jethro Tull”, to do the guest act for his show in Yerevan on September 24. During this fantastic concert Zara performed together with Ian, presenting two songs of Jethro Tull and two Dogma songs. In Ian's words, Dogma is...."The best musical metal band this side of Mars. Amazing bass player. Brilliant vocals. Searing guitar. Thundering neutron drums. This band feature instruments which are weapons of mass destruction.... Oh, to be so young."
In May 2012 Dogma was invited by the German well-known «Wave Gotik Treffen» Festival and played a concert at the Leipzig Central Theatre on May 28.
On February 25, 2012, Dogma made part of the musical project “A to A: The World in Harmony”. The project was a synergy between the Luys Foundation, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the United States Embassy in Armenia, the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra and Dogma band. Dogma presented four musical pieces composed with “Hyperscore” by the children from the United States and Armenia, led by renowned Composer and Inventor Tod Machover.
It was October, if I'm not mistaken, I was in the studio working on one of the «masterpieces» of the Armenian rock, when a charming, original, a bit strange and tiny girl appeared on the threshold. She wanted to present her pieces and get recorded... She sang a song... read her lyrics... and everything was clear to me... I found what I'd been searching for many years... beautiul voice, pure Armenian way of thinking, healthy logic... in a word – she was our type... Zara became the treasure of our band...
During the same period one of the best metal bands in Armenia breaks down. I knew their drummer Derik for a long time, and liked him both as a musician and as a human, who has an immense sense of humor, and, something more improtant for us, has a good command of Armenian spiritual and folk music. As a matter of fact, I offered Derik to join our newly created band. The offer was accepted.
Heno... A guitarist who doesn’t resemble anyone... we’ve been playing, thinking, creating together for over 15 years... I guess it says everything...
Vardan Grigoryan
We consider Dogma's birth rather fatalistic, or God's Will in favor of music, which is the most important and unexplainable thing ever been created and being created by the humanity.
Music is ahead of everything – DOGMA"


3,14...

Gothic/Funeral Doom
http://www.facebook.com/3.14group



Max Kochetov - bass / vocals
Emin Kerimov - guitar
Tahir Mammadov - guitar
Emin Hasanov - keys
Ilyas Ahmadzadeh - drums


Can you tell me a little bit about the history of Heavy Metal in Azerbaidjan? When did it start? Who were the pioneers? Who were the first bands from Azerbaidjan who played Metal? How did the scene evolve until today?
It was the end of the 80s. There was a group called 'Black Town'. They played a mixture of trash and heavy metal. But it is not kept any records. Azerbaijan has always been a soft rock, many bands were playing blues and just rock. In the late 90s there was a group Fatal Nation, they played hardcore. Then appearedone Black metal band. Metal scene then and now is represented by just a couple of groups, not more.

How did the independence from the Soviet Union affect the Metal scene in Azerbaidjan? Was it easier to buy / get in touch with Heavy Metal after the independence?
I would not say that at that time was very difficult. But now we are good enough. During Soviet times it was very hard to get good equipment, but now all that is available. It only requires money. But basically you can buy any instrument and any equipment.


How would you rate the importance of the internet for the Metal scene in Azerbaidjan?
The role of the Internet is very high. All communication and dialogue with other countries, we are online, find out the world news metal music. Through him, we start dating communicating with other groups from different countries. Thanks to the Internet, we found your magazine.

What is the live situation in Azerbaidjan like? Is it easy to organize shows for Metal bands? Do the bands play a lot of shows? Are there meeting points for the scene (for example Rock Pubs ...)?
Yes, to organize a concert of the metal's not very difficult. But you need a lot of money. To rent space, equipment, printed tickets. Rock pubs we have not. There are the usual pubs where sounds live music. The musicians play old hits and rock 'n' roll.

What are the biggest problems for Metal in Azerbaidjan at the moment? (e.g. equipment, not enough fans, politicians, religion, not enough shows ...)
The problem is that musicians lose their incentive to engage in metal music. Earn money for this is not possible, the equipment is very difficult to buy because there is no choice. almost all that is needed - bought via ebay. Metal concerts held very little. In the year once or twice, not more.

Are there any problems with the government/police when it comes to playing Metal?
No, the government is not interested in metal music. The main thing in the songs do not blame him.

How does the fact that Azerbaidjan is an Islamic nation affect the Metal scene?
Azerbaijan is a democratic country and religion has nothing to do with power. Yes, the official religion of Islam in our country, but this has no effect on our music.



Who are the most influential international bands for the Azerbaidjan scene? Who are your idols?
Each group has its own guidelines and values ​​in music. It all depends on what kind of music the band plays. As for ourselves, then we do not have idols, because we all listen to different music, from classic rock and roll to death metal. And each of us finds something in his favorite music.

What are your thoughts on the Metal scenes in Armenia and Georgia, compared to Azerbaidjan?
We have no information about what's going on in Armenia, but we know that in Georgia the case better. There's metal music is more in demand, although, of course, there is also a very strong tradition of old 70's music

Do you work together with bands/organizers from Georgia or Armenia?
No, our group did not connected with them, but we have musicians who have close links with the Georgian musicians, and often drive them to concerts together.

What are the most important markets for selling CDs at the moment? Russia?
No. Our CDs are not sold anywhere else. We distribute them at our shows send out to everyone for free. Now everything is downloaded from the Internet.

What is your wish for the Metal scene in Azerbaidjan?
I would like to, of course, that was conducted more concerts to be good, because now we can not trust anyone it is. We play only for our own concerts, because only then can we be sure that everything goes well and efficiently.

What are you doing in your real life?
Our lead singer / bass guitarist is working in the store of expensive watches and jewelery, I work security guard. Our second guitar player works at a music store. All of us than what we earn. But I hope that time will come when we can all focus only on the music and it will bring us a profit.

Can you please tell us something about the history of 3,14 ... When did you start? Who are the members?
The group was formed in 2002, the year, then we sang the girl. We were called differently. Lasted about a year. Then two years there was a break. In 2005, we gathered again and were called "3.14 ...". Play doom metal, as we all enjoy the music. We listen to different styles, but doom is what unites us all. At the moment, our composition is as follows:

What is your definition of "Doom Metal"?
This is the music, through which we express our thoughts. The gloomy, depressive, creating an atmosphere of hopelessness and cycling all that is happening. Pressing on you reality, from which there is only one way out. Although the doom metal as a style is very diverse, we just play what my heart feel.

Is it difficult to get proper equipment in Azerbaidjan?
It is difficult, because the stores do not sell musical equipment necessary goods. All we need - we have to buy through Ebay. Although, if you have enough money, any equipment can be purchased via the Internet.

What is your inspiration for your lyrics?
The texts are written at once. Sometimes just watching the life, you see what's going on around you. Sometimes inspiration can serve as a movie or read a book.

What is the live situation for 3,14... ? Do you play live often? Where?
We give concerts rarely. Once or twice a year, not more. A platform for performances are hard to find, but you can rent a small theater and a concert to take place in it. We are doing so.

DAERON

Progressive Black Metal
http://www.facebook.com/Daeronband/info
daeroninfo@gmail.com

Extensive Interview with Daeron on Shreddernet



Vladimir - Vocals, Guitars, Composition & Lyrics
Rouben - Guitars, Live Back Vocals
Michael - Cello
Vardan - Keyboard
Harout - Drums & Percussion






Consisting of the ex members of Armenian extreme metal masters Sworn (led by its visionary songwriter Vladimir) and a short lived sympho black metal band Flegethon, Daeron assaulted the Armenian metal scene with a mission to play an intelligent and sincere extreme metal rooted in european academic traditions. A landmark festival apprearance in Georgia and a gig with Saturnus behind their backs, Daeron are currently in the studio recording their debut album.








BOHEMA

Death Metal
http://www.myspace.com/bohemaofficial

Current Members:
George Zautashvili   -   Bass
Paata Baramidze   -   Drums
George Gelashvili   -   Vocals, Guitars



BOHEMA was created in 2001 by drummer Paata Baramidze (aka BONEM). The band’s often changing staff periodically united on the drummer’s initiative to prepare live performances, which basically  consisted of cover versions of compositions of GRIND, DEATH and BLACK metal famous and legendary bands. So the band played a couple of live concerts and performances, but after that band as usual was dismissing. 
This tendency in their biography continued until 2005. With the band's new guitarist and vocalist George Gelashvili in 2006 began the new age and a new level in the band’s evolution. Now there are two musicians - Paata Baramidze and George Gelashvili, united around the band’s title BOHEMA. These are two musicians with same appearances, same opinions about kind of music, they have to play and show us. These guys are BOHEMA’s permanent members from 2006. After years of hard work and hundreds of rehearsals bassist George Zautashvili has joined them. He is also the bass player in Georgian DEATH METAL band ANGEL OF DISEASE. And after that BOHEMA’s line-up was finally completed. 

On the foundation of extreme rhythms, brutal and hard Asian riffs BOHEMA worked out its conception and ideology, which is also represented in their lyrics. Firstly their lyrics narrate about the ancient mythology of Sumer. That was on initiative of BOHEMA’s ‘spiritual confessor’ Ernest Khabaian (aka DemarieL). The other and more extensive part of the lyrics consists of philosophical issues. 

BOHEMA - Endless Greatness (2010)



Discography:

Eternal Slaves (2008)
Self-released/Private Press

1. Majagan                                        01:32
2. Silhouette                                04:22  
3. Inner World                                04:48  
4. Eternal Slaves                        04:13  
5. Ishtar                                                04:23  
6. Allah Gehrec Sini Cihan           03:12  
7. Bhuh Svar Prajapaty                01:41  
8. Renounce                                        03:46  
9. Sleep In Emptiness                04:50  
10. Dilmun                                        04:54


Endless Greatness (2008)

1. Endless Greatness                04:32  
2. The World is Full of Gods 05:16  
3. Serpents of Paradise                04:51  
4. Moochagir                                03:54  
5. Shriveled Fields                         04:02  
6. Ordered Chaos                        05:05  
7. Polar Nights                                09:45  



IM NEBEL

Avantgarde / Symphonic Black Metal
http://us.myspace.com/imnebelband



Sergiy Ermolaev - Bass
Glixxx - Drums
Michael Lenz - Guitars, Vocals
Vasil Doiashvili - Vocals


"Im Nebel" was formed at the beginning of the year 2006 by three individuals, who decided to combine their views, ideas and perception of music. The idea of this project, which at first tended to be just an experiment, later transformed into a more definite conception - a "band". The original line-up of the band was: Michael (guitars), Sergey (bass) and Dima (drums). It was challenging for them, since they have already played together before, but their efforts failed to produce any result because of a number of disagreements. But inspite of the discrepancies they saw the right track to set their efforts on and eventually came down to a creation of something common. Initially the band lacked tunefulness since the three instruments could not create the desired sound. The joining of Helen (keyboards) and Vaso (vocals) set the final style, sound and more importantly the line-up of the band. In August 2006 the band began recording their album at "Zibo Studio".









Wednesday 22 August 2012

THE NAILS

Dark Metal
http://www.myspace.com/thenailsband



Dinara Izmaylova --- Keyboards
Bahtiyar Aliyev --- Vocals, Bass
Ziyad Gasanov --- Vocals, Guitars



The metal movement in Azerbaidjan is probably the youngest of the scenes in the three nations of the Caucasus. It's very hard to find information on the internet and it seems that it only started like 5 or 10 years ago. Nevertheless the scene has been on the rise for quite a while now. Especially the booming capital Baku is a motor for the expansion of the Azeri metal scene. One of the most established acts in the country are THE NAILS, who already started out in 2007. We're glad to have them an for an exclusive interview for this blog.

Let's start with something basic: Can you please tell us something about the history of THE NAILS?

The story of THE NAILS started in 2007. There were only two guys in the beginning: Ziyad Gasanov (guitar/growl) and Bakhtiyar Aliev (bass guitar and scream). They also had their friend Yagub Kuliev as their drummer in their line-up, but he didn’t take part in the band's live shows until he was prepared enough. The first concert they took part in was Dark Line Festival II, in Baku in summer 2008. It was very successful. In December 2008 Dinara Izmaylova (keyboards) joined the boys. At that moment the style the band was playing was something like dark/folk metal.
In 2010 we released our debut album ‘Стремление к жизни’ [Quest for life] but soon after that our guitar player Ziyaf Gasanov left for New York and we had to find someone else again. It wasn’t easy, every month or even week we had to find new band members, but in the end Emin Bayramov joined us. We played only a few concerts with this line-up: Bakhtiyar Aliev (bass/vocals), Dinara Izmaylova (keyboards), Yagub Kuliev (drums) and Emin Bayramov (guitar). Then Bakhtiyar Aliev also left us. From that moment we, already for the second time, had difficulties to find a stable line-up, but we could somehow manage it. Now the members are: Yagub Kuliev (drums), Dinara Izmaylova (keyboards/ vocals), Emin Bayramov (guitar), Bob Suleymanov (guitar), Bashir Kitachaev (bass) and Seymur Khalilov (vocals growl).


How did you get the idea to start a Black Metal band? Who are your idols and influences?

Actually we have never played real Black Metal, maybe in the beginning our music had some shades of it. As for me black metal is not only music but also ideology, and we have nothing to do with it. With our first line-up we played dark metal with elements of folk metal. We played covers of black metal bands because some of us were really fond of this style, but we never had it as our music style proper. On our next stage the presence of folk metal in our music had become more dominant and it became more folk than dark. 
Now we decided to move on with our dark/folk metal but also try to play something new. From the beginning we had the idea of mixing metal and classical music and now we are doing that. We play neoclassic metal as well as dark/folk. Also we can mix a few styles in one song. You know each of our members has his individuality, his own character and preferences. We all listen to very different styles of music. But we are creating our music all together, so everyone may add something to a song from the style that he likes.


Are there any problems when it comes to playing Black Metal in an islamic country like Azerbaidjan?


You know our metal world is underground. Not many people even know about our activities or existence.  So playing black metal is quite OK for the group of people who understand such kind of music. For example our friends "Vozmezdie" black/pagan metal are quite popular here.
Of course as in all countries there are people who stand against Black metal. Though in Iran and in Pakistan or wherever else Black metal can be prohibited or somehow punished but here in Azerbaijan we don’t live within Muslim law (sharia) we are a secular state. Of course if the black metal would reach TV or radio it will come across with disapprobation that can be stronger than in Europe, but not as radical as in Iran.


What are your thoughts on religion?

Everyone has a choice to believe or not to believe. Most of us are atheists but we are quite tolerant. The only thing that we stand against is a religion fanaticism which is a real sickness of mind.


Why are your lyrics and songs in Russian? 

Our lyrics used to be in Russian because it is our mother-tongue and the language of our thoughts and feelings. Now we write our lyrics in other languages as well. In most cases it’s English but it can be again Russian or even Spanish it depends on mood and thoughts. We have a belief that every language has its emotional and mental spectrum. If we know the language well enough to be able to think and verbally imagine in it we can correspond our emotional state to a particular language which matches better.



Live in Baku, 30th of January 2011


Live in Baku, 30th of January 2011


ASPAREZ

Heavy Metal




Vocals: Garik Martisrosyan
Guitar: May Lian (Yuri Milyan)
Bass Guitar: Gagik Toroyan
Keyboard: Artur Mitinyan
Drums: David Ohan (David Ohanyan)
Solo Guitar: Vitali Demurjyan




Asparez was an Armenian heavy metal band from Yerevan, considered as the pioneers of Armenian heavy metal. Recorded their only ultra rare LP in 1988 and released it in 1991.

A collector's item nowdays, 'Anathema' fails to meet musically the high standards put together by bands of the ex-Soviet union like Magnit/Credo, Aria, Master and a few others. Even so, there are many listeners who give this LP a 10 out of 10 grading, naming it as one of the top 10 Russian Heavy Metal albums. Listen and judge by yourself! I would be interested in listening to other recordings of theirs sung in English. If anyone has, please share with the forum.

"Anathema"

Full-length, Release date: 1990
Label: Мелодия

1. Clearing 03:52
2. Fire and Metal 04:10
3. Sorrow 05:37
4. Crazy Age 03:25
5. Tell Me 04:05
6. White as Black 03:25
7. Untruthful Game 03:35
8. Black Garden 06:08

Thursday 16 August 2012

Caucasus Metal

Your site for all things Metal on the Caucasus.