Black Obelisk

BIOGRAPHY

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Black Obelisk (1986-1988, 1990-1997, 1999-present): a Thrash Metal band from Moscow, Russia.

ussian heavy metal band Black Obelisk was founded in 1986 by bassist Anatoly Krupnov (R.I.P. 1997). Although they started as Russia's first thrash metal band during the era of the Soviet Union, over time the different works and eras of the band wavered their style between thrash metal, progressive metal and hard rock, even drifting into more classic standard heavy metal for their more recent releases. With few exceptions, their song lyrics and album titles are in the Russian language. The original lineup consisted of Anatoly Krupnov (bass/vocals), Yuri Anisimov (guitar), Mikhail Svetlov (guitar) and Nikolay Agafoshkin (drums). Sometime soon after their first performance Svetlov was soon replaced with Yuri Alexeyev. With Alexeyev, the band released three cassette tape live albums Apocalypsis (1987), The Flowers of Evil (1987) and Last Concert in Chisinau (1988), but the continual alcohol abuse of Krupnov led the band to collapse in 1988, after a fighting incident in Chisinau that inspired the release of the third live set.

Black Obelisk reunited on August 1, 1990. The experienced Sergey Komarov became the new drummer, but the recording of new album was suddenly halted after Komarov was shot to death by criminals. The resulting first studio album saw Vasily Biloshitsky (guitars) and Vladimir Ermakov (drums) step in for The Wall (1991).

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The next year, the album One More Day, the first with English lyrics, came out featuring Igor Zhirnov now on lead guitars. The Russian lyric version of the album was released in 1992.

After two more live albums in the form of Memory of the past, Part I (1993) and Memory of the past, Part II (1993); the second featuring Sergey Komarov (R.I.P. 1990; drums: tracks 1-4) and Dmitry Borisenkov (guitars: tracks 5-8), with Ermakov playing drums on tracks 5-8.

With the membership of Vladimir Ermakov (drums), Dmitry Borisenkov (guitars/vocals), Anatoly Krupnov (R.I.P. 1997; bass/vocals) and Yury Alexeev (guitars) on their usual roles, I Will Stay (1994) and 1986 - 1988 (1995) would follow as the last albums featuring the classic lineup. Krupnov's alcohol and drug addiction again triggered a crisis within the band. In 1996 Alexeyev left to E.S.T. forcing Black Obelisk into hiatus. Krupnov tried to reunite the band once again, but died on February 27, 1997, in the studio from a heroin overdose during a recording session.

Black Obelisk resumed activity in 1999, when Borisenkov, Yermakov and Svetlov reunited. Borisenkov became the vocalist and main songwriter. Daniil Zakharenkov became the band's new bass player. The Ashes (2002) album resulted. A box set (In Memoriam) and several compilations followed before the release of the next albums, Nerves (2004), Green Album (2006), the Some Day EP (2006), Off-Season (2012) and My World (2013), the last featuring Maxim Oleynik on drums.

After the EP Up (2013), Revolution (2015), Acoustics? (2017; re-released in 2018 with a different cover), X (2018), Disco 2020 (2019; the only other release thus far with an English title; the other being the other being the In Memoriam box set compilation of 2003 previous), and the EP Shadows (2020) followed.

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