Moscow-based Aria have been synonymous with premiere melodic heavy metal made in Russia since 1985. Megastars in their home country and in Eastern Europe, the band did not receive much attention in the western world. Until recently. The release of the band’s 13th full-length studio album “Proklyatiye morey (Curse of the Seas)” in 2018 changed that completely. The album, produced by Roy Z and mastered by Maor Appelbaum, was given enthusiastic reviews from all around the world and appearances at the 2019 Keep It True in Germany and the Pyrenean Warriors Open Air in France demonstrated the band’s stellar live qualities.
The band have now announced the release of “Guest from the Shadow Kingdom,” an impressive live DVD + 2 CD album, filmed and recorded at Aria’s colossal stadium show in the arena of the VTB Ice Statium in Moscow, Russia in April 2019. The DVD + 2CD set will be released on Friday, 27 September. Aria have many huge and extravagant live shows under their belt but this time their took the idea of what you can do on stage to an entirely new level. The show was designed and directed by the band’s old friend Yuriy Sokolov, with whom Aria have collaborated on many of their landmark shows in the past. For this show a unique three-level stage with high-resolution LED screens with a height of 9 meters was erected. The stage backdrop was decorated with a large screen measuring 600 square meters and a unique flying system over the crowd, which was especially designed for this show. The staged part of the concert involved four trucks of voluminous scenery, a huge amount of lighting and acoustic technology, as well as many pyrotechnic devices to imitate the four elements of the Earth.
Aria’s bandleader and co-songwriter, bass player Vitaly Dubinin explains the background of the show:
“We were tired of squeezing our bubbling music into the Procrustean bed of the sitting rooms. We really wanted freedom. The name of the album “Curse of the Seas” itself required space and air. Therefore, we decided to play a stadium show. Yes, it was not easy. We even had to postpone the concert. For the first time in our history, we rehearsed a concert in a hangar on a completely constructed concert stage for a week. And Mikhail [Zhitnyakov, our lead vocalist] had to spend three more days flying with circus instructors. Yes, it was difficult to find financial support, to convince people that this was necessary. Yes, we had to play almost without a fee. But I assure you, it was worth it… Life is getting much interesting and exciting with shows like these.”
“Guest from the Shadow Kingdom” will be released on Friday, September 27, 2019, through M2BA. The digital audio version of the concert will be available in all music services – Apple Music, Yandex Music, Boom, Google Play and others. The DVD + 2CD format of the release can also be ordered through band’s online store, Aria Shop. – ARIA SHOP.
Line-up
Mikhail Zhtnyakov – Vocals
Vladimir Holstinin – Guitar
Sergey Popov – Guitar
Vitaly Dubinin – Bass
Maxim Udalov – Drums
Links
Click here for Aria Shop.
“Guest from the Shadow Kingdom” on Apple Music.
