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
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
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. Clearing03:52 2.Fire and Metal04:10 3. Sorrow05:37 4. Crazy Age03:25 5. Tell Me04:05 6. White as Black03:25 7. Untruthful Game03:35 8. Black Garden06:08
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./Yerkink%20u%20Yerkir%20(Earth%20%20%20Sky).jpg)
Yerkink u Yerkir (Earth and the Sky), 1988
