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BIOGRAPHY |
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Once upon a time in a land far, far
away ...
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Azazello ... |
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history of Azazello is going far back, but
we are not going to recreate it all, as
a lot of events and people from the past
are not any longer of an importance. So,
in 1992 Alexandr Kulak brought together
a team, which was devoted to trash metal.
In 1993 the group was called MORG (morgue).
The group invited an experienced drummer
Andrey Kupryakov, a guitar player Alexandr
Kuleshov and a beginner bass-guitar Dmitriy
Bakay. The team recorded 5 demos and made
2 video clips for the local TV. Periodical
concerts shocked the local audience, which
get used to the usual pop shows. Soon the
"Death" became boring for everybody and
this dark music appeared to bring down the
listener's emotions. It was even decided
to decode the name of the group, so it wouldn't
sound so deathly - the abbreviation from
Russian sound MORG now could be translated
into English as My Lonely Happy Voice. To
the year 1994 Alexandr Kulak accumulated
a lot of material which wasn't exactly within
style of the MORG and the group decided
to run an additional project. |
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long time there was no idea for a new name
until the group remembered the favourite
Bulgakov's novel "Master & Margarita"
and one of it's heroes Azazello who personifies
a justified retribution. The name Azazello
was more than appropriate. Later they have
found from a dictionary of Madam Blavatskaya,
that Azazel was an ancient Hebrew God of
Victory. The birthday of the group officially
considered to be on 15 January 1995, when
the material, basis, name and the group
were finally formed and also when Azazello
made their first appearance on stage of
a local festival. |
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were: a drummer Vladimir Ostanin, the bass-guitar
from MORG Dmitriy Bakay and the guitar Sergey
Bujin, who had wrote a lot of songs for
the first album. The recording of their
first album was carried out in very primitive
conditions, "alive" (only vocal and guitar
were added), using two old tape-recorders
called "Soyuz". The album "Too Late" was
following a hard rock line with a taste
of fashionable these days grange and, of
course, a lot of ballads, which they have
written a grate number, but didn't take
all of them into the album. Now the MORG
was totally neglected and, unfortunately,
"died", despite that they were still writing
a lot of material in this style. The drummer
Andrey Kupryakov bought an absolutely crazy
instrument Kord Trinity Pro and started
creating even more crazy music, which cannot
be described, but it definitely was interesting.
Alexandr Kuleshov fulfilled a project "Regress",
which had successfully regressed and few
months later was forgotten. To this moment
Azazello accumulated a lot of complicated
and technical material, but they still could
not make a qualitative (from the recording
point of view) record of their music. In
the end of 95, as a result of difference
of opinions, Ostaning leaves the group.
For the same reason and as a result of an
usual thoughtless, Bujin following him.
Kuleshov become a drummer and instead of
a second guitar player was taken a session
piano player Vytos Afanasiev. |
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| Later,
after he accumulated enough of experience,
he become a full member of the group. The
style already was formed and it was without
any doubts - metal. During 1996 the group
accepted a new member - Idris Faridonov
- a crazy professional drummer, who came
from a military band. Kuleshov again become
a guitar player. There was enough material
to record an album, but not the technical
facilities to fulfill this dream. Meantime
was decided to record accumulated beautiful
acoustic songs written by Kulak and Bujin.
The group gave a lot of concerts with a
programm called "Unplugged". Now there was
a chance to make a record. |
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They both four channel studio Yamaha and
work started. In 1996 was recorded long
time ago prepared an acoustic album "Veter
v golove" (Thoughtless mind) and together
with that were made experiments with new
equipment. When they collect enough experience
in recording and producing they begin real
recording. In the same time the group was
taking participation in different festivals
and concerts in their own town and beyond.
At the beginning of their recording Kuleshov
suddenly decided to leave the group. For
long time they were trying to find a replacement
but in the end the decision was stay as
they are - 4 members. |
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In the recording studio Kulak made all the
guitar parts and on the concerts guitar's
sound was even clearer and better. At the
beginning of 1998 the work was finished
and the result was an album "Cherniy den"
(Black day). The album was recorded on CD
at their own studio Volos Records. By the
way, the previous records were made there
as well, but in different format. The album
has good reception - a lot of critics and
some independent labels liked it. In April
1999 was signed a contract with a Californian
company "Moonchild Records" for distribution
of the album. In the end of 1998 the musicians
began an experiment with Russian folklore
and collaborated with a folklore group "Divo"
(Wonder/Marvel). As result was recorded
a composition Divo, which was very much
liked by many people. The work in this direction
is continuing and may be soon there will
be an album. At the present time Azazello
creating a new album, which is planned to
be recorded during year 2000. New music
has a jazz and a psycho elements, but the
main core is still hard and together with
that very melodious progressive metal. |
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