Aria is the oldest and most successful heavy metal band in Russia. She started as a student team, changed more than one composition of musicians and spawned a whole family of similar projects of former participants.
Group history and composition change
"Aria" is rooted in the youth of its future members when they were students of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute. The trial team created by the future musicians of "Aria" did not live long and soon disintegrated. When, finally, Vladimir Kholstinin and Alik Granovsky, under the strict guidance of Viktor Vekshtein, formed their own team, luring Kipelov, Lvov and Pokrovsky to themselves, and recorded their first studio album "Mania of Greatness" in 1985, then the legendary group was born.
A little later Bolshakov came to Aria, and Molchanov replaced Lvov with drums. At first, the group led a somewhat clandestine lifestyle, but since 1986, they began active touring and recording a new album, "Who are you with?" in the current composition. The group is gaining popularity, conquering the press and radio.
By next year, the composition is changing again. The ranks of the “Aryans” are replenished by Vitaly Dubinin and Maxim Udalov - the new drummer of the group. Mavrin also comes. The group records the vinyl record "Hero of the Asphalt".
In 1988, the first video of "Aria" was shot for the song "Streets of Roses". Before recording the next album, the team goes on a large-scale overseas tour in Germany and Bulgaria. Inside the collective, the conflict escalates due to the dissatisfaction of musicians with Viktor Vekshtein’s policies. As a result, the group is forced to part with its manager. Transformations are also taking place in Aria, and the team records its fourth album with a new drummer, Alexander Manyakin.
Dubinin and Mavrin leave for Germany for several months, and at this time the group successfully tours with session musicians. Later, the painstaking work of the “Aryans” resulted in the famous albums: “Blood for Blood” of 1991, then - “The Night is Shorter than the Day” of 1993.
The year 1994 was marked for Aria by a major contract with Moroz Records. The old albums of the group are reissued. In 1996, the first live album "Arias" was released.
The following year, musicians are engaged in solo projects. In 1998, the group reunited to record another album, Evil Generator. In 1999, the band recorded the best ballads and covers in a single collection, 2000 and One Night.
The beginning of the new century, "Aria" meets the new album "Chimera" in 2001, as well as its first performance at the festival "Invasion". Valery Kipelov leaves the group with Mavrin and Manyakin. Further work takes place in the following composition: Dubinin, Holstinin, Golden Eagle, Udalov and Popov.
By 2006, "Aria" is gaining more and more popularity, releasing singles and giving numerous concerts. The band’s next album is Armageddon.
In 2008, for a large-scale tour dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the album "Hero of the Asphalt", the team unites with Kipelov and Mavrin. It was a landmark event for both groups. In 2010, "Aria" gives a lot of major concerts in various cities of Russia.
In 2011, a new vocalist joined the group, which became Mikhail Zhitnyakov. With this composition, the group writes its eleventh album - "Phoenix", continuing to exist to this day, delighting its fans.
