Гость из царства теней

Bands whose songs are inspired by movies or works of literature are often inspired to do theatrical concerts at some point. Aria did this already with ‘Plyaska Ada’ back in 2007, but ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ has them armed with a more consistent set of songs and a better singer. As a result of this set-up, ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ focuses on Aria’s more theatrical songs, but those tend to be their best anyway. It even has a very pleasant flow if you just listen to the audio portion, however, which makes this a must-have for fans of traditional heavy metal.

‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ is Aria’s third live release in three years, which may seem like too much, but all of these were special occasions. ‘Klassicheskaya Aria’ had the band playing with an orchestra and ’30 Let! Yubileyniy Kontsert’ was an anniversary show. Despite the theatrical themes, ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ is the most “normal” of the three in the sense that it’s just the band playing some of their best material without having to take orchestral arrangements or appearances from former members into account. Combine that with the band’s tight, yet energetic playing and you’ve got one of Aria’s best live sets to date.

As good as the band’s compositions and musicianship are, an important part of why this set-up works is current singer Mikhail Zhitnyakov. He is easily the best Aria singer to date. His dramatic vocals really fit the material on this record and his visual performance makes me wonder if he has a background in musical theater. From the moment the band blasts out of the gate with the incredible ‘Gonka Za Slavoy’, he grabs the audience by the throat and while I’m not necessarily a fan of singers changing clothes a lot, he really embodies the characters he acts out. Hear him sing ‘Antichrist’ – a song I thought no one could do better than Valery Kipelov, but I’ve been proven wrong – and you’ll hear what I mean. His fantastic entrance helps, but his amazing vocal performance gives it lasting value.

Sonically, there is very little to complain about. All the instruments are crisp, clear and lively and I have the idea there hasn’t been a lot of post-productional polishing going on, especially since the concert was recorded in late April and is out already. Vitaly Dubinin really proves the value of having a bassist who does more than blindly following the guitars, as his playing is melodically richer than that of Steve Harris, who appears to be his main influence. Sergey Popov and Vladimir Holstinin are an incredible guitar duo, with Popov being the slightly more aggressive player, sounding as an unshakable guitar wall when playing in unison. Maxim Udalov is the ultimate serviceable drummer who knows what the music needs at all times.

Of course, the visual appeal of the show will be the major talking point for the DVD portion of ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’. Some of it is a really nice addition too and certainly better executed than Iron Maiden’s half-assed attempts on ‘Death On The Road’. A good thing is that the theatrical elements are sometimes quite subtle, such as the denim jackets for ‘Geroy Asfalta’ or the red muleta in Zhitnyakov’s pocket during ‘Torero’, which allows the bands to play these classics without them feeling like too much of a departure from the rest of the show. It’s even better because this is probably the best version of ‘Torero’ that is currently available on any Aria live recording. The breastplate on Zhitnyakov’s armor saying “ARIA” instead of “SPQR” during the incredible ‘Kolizey’ is a nice touch.

However, even without the DVD portion, ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ is worth hearing. Ultimately, that is what makes it a successful release. Aria managed to put on what looks like a music theater show without it getting in the way of their fantastic songs. There are six songs from last year’s ‘Proklyatiye Morey’ on the release, but it isn’t as focused on that record as one might think. Also, with excellent performances of classics like ‘Shtil’, ‘Kreshcheniye Ognëm’, ‘Noch Koroche Dnya’, ‘Obman’ and the anthemic ‘Ulitsa Roz’ in addition to all the aforementioned tracks, it would be a great introductory release for anyone who wants to get acquainted with the band. If you aren’t sure whether you want to order the album or not, make sure you check it out on one of the bigger streaming platforms, as it is internationally available.

Recommended tracks: ‘Gonka Za Slavoy’, ‘Antichrist’, ‘Kolizey’, ‘Torero’

Originally written for my Kevy Metal weblog

In the thirty-fouth year of its career, Russian heavy metal veterans Ария continue to deliver the goods with this excellent new live record that features eighteen songs and a running time of two hours.

Гость из царства теней, which translates to Guest from the Kingdom of Shadows, convinces for multiple reasons. First of all, the sound is raw, energetic and direct and nothing seems to have been polished at all which makes for a vibrant atmosphere.

Secondly, the Moscovian crowd participates enthusiastically which can especially be heard in the rhythmic heavy metal gallop of ''Герой асфальта'' and the melodic anthem ''Улица роз''.

Thirdly, the band performed on a very high level on that night in late April of this year. The drumming is precise and tight. The bass guitar is domineering and vibrant and the stylistics are obviously inspired by legendary genre bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. The guitar work is equally outstanding both regarding the energetic riffs and the soulful solos recalling the likes of Accept and Saxon. The band member that really stands out however is the singer. Most metal bands that have parted ways with their most popular singer and brought in a younger replacement have failed miserably. This isn't the case here at all. Even though I admire the two former singers, the third singer to have recorded full length efforts with Aria might be the most versatile singer in band history. He doesn't only perform the new songs in his epic melodic style but also pulls off the classics so vibrantly that they are as good or even better than the original versions. In addition to this, his interactions with the crowd are pleasant and never get redundant. It's not a surprise that this new singer has even been welcomed very well by more traditionalist fans. It's difficult to imagine a better front man for a heavy metal band.

Fourthly, the set list of this concert is an excellent mixture of more recent material, obscure tunes from the middle years and classics from the early years. Instead of playing fan favourites like ''Игра с огнём'', ''Дай жару!'' or ''Кровь за кровь'', the band has introduced a few changes to the set list. The band offers the fast and gritty ''Тореро'' from its underrated debut album for example. The middle years are represented with the atmospheric ''Обман''. The new era also shines with songs like the brilliant heavy metal epic ''Проклятье морей'' which clocks in with twelve and a half minutes but never ever loses steam.

The only reason why this release didn't get a higher rating is that Ария has already released even more energetic live shows with set lists including even more songs that I admire. I can highly recommend В жёлтом круге арены which was recorded and released seven years ago. Instead of only releasing this new record in digital format for the supporters of a crowdfunding campaign, it would have also been amazing to offer a physical version in form of a double-disc to fans from all around the world.

In the end, Гость из царства теней shows a heavy metal band that has never slowed down and is still as convincing today as it was in its early years. Fans of old date and newcomers should like this release alike. It's also an excellent introduction to Russia's most important heavy metal band that should please fans of Accept, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon and Scorpions to only give five excellent references. Pick this vibrant live album up and let's cross our fingers that the band will come back to Canada one day to play more excellent concerts.