“ Azazello ” is a Russian rock band from the city of Tynda, Amur Region, formed on January 15, 1995 [1] and recorded several albums in the genres of progressive rock and progressive metal [2] .
| Azazello | |
|---|---|
| Genres | progressive rock progressive metal rock |
| Years | 1995 - 2015 |
| A country |  Russia |
| City | Tynda |
| Song languages | Russian English |
| Labels | Melodic Revolution Records Metalism records Mals records Musea records |
| Composition | Alexander Kulak Jan Zhenchak Vladimir Kulak |
| Former the participants | Vladimir Demakov |
| official site | |
Content
History
1990s
The beginning of the history of the Azazello group is considered to be January 15, 1995, when former musicians from the group M.O.R.G. decided to record accumulated material that did not fit into the framework of the thrash metal genre, which they performed at concerts as part of this group.
2000s
In 2000, the album Steps Up was recorded, which was already a year later, in 2001 was released on the French label Musea Records under the English name Upstairs (FGBG 4382) [3] .
In 2004, the group recorded the next Russian-language progressive rock album Seventh Sky, which was released on the small Russian label Starless Records. The distribution of the album abroad under the English name Seventh Heaven was still done by the same French Musea Records. Work by right is considered one of the best Azazello records in the discography of the group.
2010s
Already in 2011 in the updated composition was recorded a new album Transfiguration, released on the label Mals Records (MALS 375) [4] . The music of the group has undergone another change, as a result of which on this album you can hear a few less ornate than on previous albums, but no less beautiful compositions. In addition to heavy tracks on the album there are undoubted lyrical hits such as Phoenix and Vorozheya.
About a year and a half after the Transfiguration was released, information appeared on the network about the ongoing recording of the band's next album. Unfortunately, the news was preceded by bad news about the tragic death of Azazello drummer Vladimir Demakov, who died in a car accident in October 2011. One way or another, visual hints gradually appeared on the network about changing the group’s image (graphics of the new logo) and even interpretation of the name, the spelling on the logo changed to AzaZello, then some futuristic landscapes began to appear - conceptual paintings that accompany the future album, and then how a logical continuation of all these visual metamorphoses, a computer video clip appeared for one of the songs on the upcoming album - Carnal Caravan. Ed Unitsky , a well-known artist from Belarus and author of album covers of famous musical projects in Europe and the USA, worked on the visual series of the new album and on the new Azazello logo. In general, judging by a fairly active advertising campaign, the new album was to become no less than a masterpiece of prog-rock. Somewhere over the next year and a half, the group actively “pickled” fans with a variety of news, paintings by Unitsky, lists of eminent session musicians lit up on the recordings and cuts of tracks from the album, until in mid-November 2013 in a special section of the Bandcamp website appeared for purchase and download Megadream mp3 version of the album.
A month later, Alexander Kulak announced the publication of a batch of glossy digi-packs, some of which were to remain in the vastness of Russia and go on sale in the country's stores, and some - to go abroad for sale in music boutiques in the USA and Europe. The distribution of the album abroad, both via the Internet and the publication in the form of a CD, is carried out by the American company Melodic Revolution Records [5] .
The new conceptual disc in English (author of English texts Dmitry Epstein) really turned out to be diverse in genre and his music in all seriousness is an interesting mixture of heavy guitar riffs, slow songs, elements of Russian folk music, blues and fusion solos, high-speed drums (which V. Demakov managed to record) and Zhenchak's vocals.
In February 2015, Alexander Kulak announced the completion of the creative project Azazello [6] .
Composition
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| Former members: |
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| Session musicians: |
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Discography
- 1995 - Too Late
- 1996 - Wind in the Head
- 1998 - Black Day
- 2000 - Steps Up
- 2002 - Wings
- 2004 - Seventh Sky
- 2006 - Doors of Paradise
- 2011 - Transfiguration
- 2013 - Megadream
Links
- Official site of Azazello group
- Azazello Myspace.com Page
- Azazello page on the Prog Archives portal
- Azazello page at last.fm
- Interview with Alexander Kulak Amur.info
- Announcement of a new Megadream album on the website of DV-Ross
- Interview with Alexander Kulak to the online edition of Headbanger (03/05/2014)
- Review of the album "Megadream" on the site KM.RU (09/01/2014)
Notes
- ↑ On the official website of Azazello , the date and place of foundation of the team are indicated.
- ↑ Azazello discography on Prog Archives .
- ↑ Azazello: Upstairs in the Musea Records release catalog.
- ↑ Azazello: Transformation in the MALS Records release catalog.
- ↑ Azazello band on Melodic Revolution Records.
- ↑ A concert dedicated to the memory of the eldest son of Alexander Kulak was held in Tynd