Behind the iron curtain in CCCP, the metal scene started to brew as well in the early 80’s. Out of it came Aria (Ария), also called Russias Iron Maiden among western fans. Their debut is 40 years later still a masterpiece like so many of their other albums.
The album "Megalomania" was released on October 31, 1985. This is the debut recording of the legends of Russian heavy metal - the group Aria (Ария). The release date of the album is also considered the day the band was created. "Vechernyaya Moskva" talked to the participants of the recording, music reviewers about the album and its role. After all, the collection became the door for Russian performers to the world of heavy metal.
"It's Rock (Это рок)"
It was 1984. Metal was thundering in the West. Giants of the genre, such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, had long been churning out jaw-dropping albums. By this time, Ozzy Osbourne had managed to break away from Black Sabbath and release three solo albums, and start partying on tour with Motley Crue. Judas Priest released nine records, and the more recent Iron Maiden, being in the locomotive of an unstoppable, whistling, killer train, gave the world their fifth studio album - "Powerslave".
The genre lived, evolved, changed. Thrash metal suddenly burst out of the underground, baring its teeth at glam. The fans' heads shook more and more, their hair grew longer, and the music became more aggressive and angry. After the success of "Kill'em All" by Metallica, "Ride the Lighting" was released, which made even more noise. A year earlier, the fastest of the Big Four, Slayer, had already announced to the world: “No Mercy” with their “Show No Mercy,” Anthrax were punching their fists to “Fistful of Metal,” and Dave Mustaine, kicked out of Metallica, was preparing bloody revenge on his former colleagues in the form of “Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!” And in Russia…
”Torero (Topepo)"
In the USSR. There was nothing...
— 1984-1985? Metal in the USSR? What are you talking about?! I can remember "Legion", a couple more bands that can be counted on the fingers of one hand, but there was no talk of any performances, recordings or any fame at all. There was a blacklist of musicians (a list of foreign musical groups and performers whose repertoire contains ideologically harmful works - editor's note). You couldn't just take and listen to them, because they were foreign. There were simply no domestic groups, and where would they come from? Total control. You can't release a record - censorship. They kept a good eye on everyone, especially if a domestic group imitates Western fashion. What are they going to do, with hair, in all black, in chains or leggings? - says music reviewer Denis Stupnikov.
Underground, but only in the head — this is how you can describe metal in the USSR. There couldn’t even be groups, or, in other words, bands, back then, but… This is where the history of “Aria” begins. The starting point was participation in the vocal and instrumental ensemble “Singing Hearts (Поющие сердца)”.
— Yes, “Singing Hearts (Поющие сердца)”, we played there, — says former bassist of “Aria” Alexander (Alik) Granovsky. — It was led by Viktor Vekshtein (director of the ensemble and the group “Aria” — editor’s note). My good friend Sergey Potemkin performed with me, Nikolay Noskov was on vocals. There were plans, we wanted to play rock. So we started communicating with Vekshtein. He shifted the direction of “Singing Hearts (Поющие сердца)” a little, and we started putting together a group.
A vocal and instrumental ensemble is a state-owned thing after all. It won't be possible to play just anything there for ideological reasons, but the means are excellent.
— The members of "Aria" are former musicians of the VIA "Singing Hearts (Поющие сердца)". In other words, they are professionals. Naturally, they knew how to play, they are not garage teenagers who took guitars and started jamming little by little and learning that way, — explains music critic Alexey Pevchev.
Gradually, Potemkin and Noskov left "Singing Hearts (Поющие сердца)". The guitarist's place became vacant.
”Volunteer (Волонтёр)"
— Then Vladimir Kholstinin (Kholst is a permanent member, one of the founders and driving forces of "Aria" — editor's note) calls me and asks if a guitarist is needed. We had already worked together in "Alpha (Альфе)" (a Soviet rock band — editor's note). Well, there was a place, we agreed that he would play, - says Alik.
The musicians get down to business. Vekshtein sees the group as a product that he wants to sell in the West. Naturally, Kholstinin and Granovsky have ambitions to play abroad, but they constantly argue with Vekshtein about creativity.
- I can say for sure that the album "Megalomania (Мания величия)" was essentially recorded without Vekshtein's knowledge and, accordingly, without his participation, - says music reviewer Denis Stupnikov.
And then there's censorship...
- We had to ask some academic songwriters, musicians, to allow us to put their names as co-authors of the lyrics. They say that if there is one, there is a better chance that they will let it through, it will pass censorship and the album will be released, - adds Stupnikov.
Moreover, the lyrics were checked, changed, approved, re-checked, changed again and re-approved.
— We fought for every line. I'm not kidding. During the creation of the album "Megalomania (Мания величия)" there were many arguments about the lyrics. We were making heavy metal, we had to be "true", but on the other hand, we had to get the song through. We had to find a way out, — says the author of the lyrics for the album "Megalomania (Мания величия)", poet and songwriter Alexander Elin.
"Dreams (Мечты)"
A conversation with reviewers and critics immediately brings to mind the question: is "Aria" a commercial project?
- I would call it a boy band. True, Vekshtein put together a boy band. In the sense that it was a commercial project from the very beginning, - says music critic Alexey Pevchev.
- Yes and no. Of course, you can't deny it: the musicians are professionals, they tried to do everything well, with an A+. The lyrics were written for them by Elin (Alexander Elin is listed as the author of seven out of eight compositions on the album "Megalomania (Мания величия)", the lyrics to "Torero" were written by poetess Margarita Pushkina - editor's note). The musicians themselves were not eager to work on the lyrics. They even said that they could, but first they would write some crap, then they would get the hang of it and create normal compositions, but they wanted to do it right away and with quality, - says music reviewer Denis Stupnikov.
"Aria" was eager to become popular. Of course, people in the USSR wanted heavy metal, their own, domestic. The band was able to give it to them. The album "Megalomania (Мания величия)" turned everything upside down. Its release can be considered the beginning of the history of heavy metal in Russia. And it was released, by the way, on magnetic tape - samizdat.
- They released it. And no one understood anything. I mean, no one understood what happened. It sounds harsh, severe, like there (in the West - editor's note). There were no concerts before that. And the band, in fact, did not exist - they did not come up with a name. And so Holst leafed through the dictionary, found the word "aria" there. It was necessary that it sounded the same in English as in Russian. It fit perfectly: an aria is an aria, - says music reviewer Denis Stupnikov.
"Behind America (Позади Америка)
"Aria" took the genre from the West. Heavy metal is a British-American creation. Does it mean that what domestic musicians played is a carbon copy?
- "Aria" was playing heavy metal. Western, but their own. Look at the lyrics - everything is clear right away. The lyrics are about their own. This is not a transliteration of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. "Aria" took the style, gave it shelter in our country and began to play according to their culture, - says music critic Denis Stupnikov.
- Of course. The similarity with Western bands is maximum. The guitar riffs are very similar. You can even say, a carbon copy. But this is at first glance. "Aria" still brought originality to our heavy metal, - explains music critic Alexey Pevchev.
"Megalomania (Мания величия)"
However, unlike the Gorky Park group, which was initially assembled to catch a Western listener, this did not happen with "Aria". There was no goal to create Russian kitsch.
- But "Gorky Park" is a great example, by the way. Their drummer (Alexander Lvov - editor's note) came from "Aria". One of the founders of "Gorky Park". The guys toured America, successfully. But "Aria" did not pursue such a goal. It rushed to the CIS, - says Denis Stupnikov.
"Megalomania (Мания величия)" was released in 1985. The album was a success. The sequel was not long in coming: in 1986, the second recording of “Who are you with? (С кем ты?)” was released, but also on tape (only “Hero of Asphalt (Герой асфальта)” in 1987 was released by the state-owned company VFG Melodiya — editor’s note).
"Tusks of Black Rocks (Бивни чёрных скал)"After the album "With Whom Are You? (Герой асфальта)" Alik Granovsky and keyboardist, backing vocalist from the first lineup Kirill Pokrovsky left the group.
- Kholstinin and Granovsky definitely had a disagreement about something: creativity, - music reviewer Denis Stupnikov is sure. Guitarist Andrey Bolshakov also left the group. Granovsky created the fantastic group "Master (Мастер)" with them. That's how it all worked out.
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The band is still going to this day, but only Vladimir Kholstinin is still in the band of the original members. If you never heard of them, check them out immediately.Above article is translated from the Russian online magazine VM.RU