The band was influenced by: Hypocricy, Deicide, Death, Dark Tranquility, Sepultura, Cannibal Corpse, Samael, …
In 1996 The work on the first demo “Lustration” has begun. This material was presented on the “Adversery 3” Metal festival together with the bands: Septic Schizo(BY), Apraxia(BY), V.I.P.S.(BY), Evthanazia(BY), Autodafe(BY), Frodmortell(BY).
In march 1997 Apocryphal has organised their first experimental metal festival “No Aids”. The following bands were present: Gods Tower(BY), Avalon House(BY), Headcleaner(BY), Evthanazia(BY), Insania Trivium(BY).
During that period the Apocryphal has finished their second demo “Bacchanalia”. The distinctive melodic taste of the second demo clearly makes it more different than the first one. The music has got a huge positive response from the crowd on the festival “No Aids 2” where Apocryphal were joined by Vicious Crusade(BY), Artefacted Irreligion (Ukr), Avalon House(BY), Evthanazia(BY), La Carte(BY), Fireball(BY).
In November 1997 a new member has joined the band. Her name was Kurash Kristina ( Keyboards ). Before Apocryphal she was a wel know session musitian for many metal bands. The full keyboard work on “Bacchanalia” is completely her work.
In the end of 1998 A promotional tape has been released by the band containing 2 tracks of the new release “The Aggression Against Of Mind”. The material from the tape was used for a split with Hargidden.
In the end of 1998, beginning of 1999 the band has continued touring around Belarus and Ukraine together with: TT-34(ex-Headcleaner)(BY), Evthanazia(BY), Sabotage(BY), Fat Not Dead(BY), Astral(BY), Flying (Ukr), Danger(BY), Vicious Crusade(BY), Znich(BY), Mental Eclipse(BY), Dieland(BY), Gods Tower(BY), Gateward(BY), Vae Solis (Ukr), Blast (Ukr), Sauron(Ukr), Disclaimer(Ukr).
During the tours and concerts the band is also working on new material. In August 1999 Apocryphal goes into the studio to record their new full album “The Mask”. In September 1999 the full album was released by “The Flaming Arts’ production”. This year Apocryphal has given a 5 year jubilee concert together with: Flying (Ukr), V.E.L.D.(BY), Diathra(BY), Cataracta(BY). The main event was of course the release of the new full album. Together with all the obligations, the band manages to continue touring through Belarus and Ukraine together with: Hate(PL), Mental Demise(Ukr), Barracuda(BY), Flying(Ukr), Apraxia(BY), Knuckleduster(BY), Asguard(BY), Deadmarsh(BY), Mangled(BY), Screaming From The Oblivion(BY), Rasta(BY), TT-34(BY), V.E.L.D.(BY), Znich(BY), Natural Spirit(Ukr), Ricoshet(BY), Third Stone(HL), Behemoth(PL), Shitfun(BY), Necromant(BY), Heretic(BY), Vis Essentialis(BY), Monfocon(BY), Atsetilen(BY), M.L.A.(BY).
In the end of 2002 Apocryphal goes back in the studio for the recording of their latest album “In Labyrinth Of Time”. This album contains new tracks and the reworked versions of the loved songs “The Ar-ma-ged’don Day” and “The Mask”. In the process of recording, the band presents the new material on the traditional metal festivals such as: “Day Of Darkness”(Gomel), “The Great Commandment”(Kiev), “Hard Life-Heavy Music 2”(Minsk), and also on regular concerts with the bands: Flying(Ukr), Te Deum(Ukr), V.E.L.D.(BY), Sanatena(BY), The Regent(BY), Rasta(BY), Conquest(Ukr), Unerase(Ukr), Evthanazia(BY), Visitor(BY), Homoferus(BY), Eternal War(BY), Natural Spirit(Ukr), Infected(Ukr), Visious Crusade(BY), Znich(BY), Soncavarot(BY), Imprudence(BY), Tryada(BY), Straight Land(BY), Tvar(BY), Mental Demise (Ukr), Burial Crape(BY), Serpens (RUS), S.K.D.(BY), Tonatos(BY), Kontur(BY).
In 2003 the band records a special track remix of the song “Proud Race” (In Labyrinth Of Time), named “Pahonia” ( With lyrics of one of most respected writers in Belarus’ history: Mr. M.Bagdanovich ).
In August 2003 Apocryphal has visited « Metal Heads Mission -4» Open Air Festival on the shores of the black sea in the city of Evpatoria. The following bands were present: Mental Demise (Ukr) , Vestibulum (BY), Agressor(Ukr) , Pagan Reign(RUS), Hyperion(Ukr), Necropsy(PL).
2004 was a difficult period for Apocryphal. Andrey Chevelenko ( guitars ) has left the band. His place was filled by Alexander Korotkin ( who was allredy working with the band on various projects and activities in the past ).
In the end of 2004 a radical dessision was made by the band: to organise one and only International metal festivals in Belarus. The name: METAL CROWD.
In the beginning of 2005 the band lost their bassplayer: Atamanchuk Vitaly. His place was taken by Andrey Potapovich.
In 2005 the very first open air festival took place in Apocryphal’s hometown Rechica. The following bands were present: Grenouer, Al’virius, Burden Excess, Ambrazura, Sinful, Little Dead Bertha (all Russia), Asguard, Dialectic Soul, Kamaedzica, Partyzone, Faithless Mind (all Belarus), Datura(Ukraine), Acrimonia(Poland), Disentomb(Moldova).
After the succesfull festival the bands visits the studio again. This time for the recording of their lates album “Hear my call”. This process lasted until August 2006. During this period the band found free time to tour around Ukraine in the cities of: Vinnitsa, Odessa, Cherkassi, Rovno, Khmelnitskiy, Lvov, Ternopol, Chernigov, Kiev. There the following bands joined the shows: Sinful, Lettle Dead Bertha (all Russia), Freedom, Undina, Hraniteli, Awoken, Witch Hunter, Unrestrained, Teni Zabitih Predcov, Lamia Culta, Mordor, Tremor, Smash, Fleshgore, Natural Spirit, Inferno, Grimfaith, F.A.I.T.H (all Ukraine), Inner Resistance ( Belarus).
The second METAL CROWD festival in 2006 gave the band hope to continue this annual tradition. The international interest that the festival has earned, was proven by the presence of the following bands: : Dark Side, Black Warrior, Stalingrad, Morrah, Shatter, Necrosis, I.N.F (all Russia), Dragonflame, Deranger, Dark Deception, Straight Land (all Belarus), Freedom, Scorn Age (all Ukraine), Adultery (Czech Rep.), Fatal Nation (Azerbaijan).
Untill this day Apocryphal continues their metal existence. Many concerts were played in different countries of Western and Eastern Europe and also Russia. Apocryphal has shared the stage with the following artists: Nocturnal Breed (Norway), Primal Dawn (Ireland), Atakhama (Finland), Huldrefolk (Flemmish part of Belgium), Leptotrichia, Demonizer (all Belgium), Devilyn (Poland), Cordewa, Neuromist, Dakon (all Moldova), I.N.F, Shatter, Dr. Faust, MGB, Manifest, Dark Devil, Plank Tone, Korroziya Metalla, Victim4, Balfor, Al’ virius, Mfnhunt, Murk Exorbitance, Septicopyemia, Dirtychildren, Anatomy, Drama, Illidiance, Septory, Grom, Act Of Gods, Formaline, Sinful, Morrah, Rossomahaar, Rogdenie Vetra, Little Dead Berta, Serpens, Radigost, Sinful, Crystal Abyss, Black Shadow, Mind Eclipse, Vivid X, (all Russia), Unlucky Buried, Akvilon, Grosad, Desecrate, Iratus Dominus, Amenti, Faithless Mind, Dragonflame, VELD, Asguard, Imprudence, Partyzone, Dialectic Soul, Warcraft, Prophetic Dream, Interior Wrath, Faithles Mind, Raven Thron, Dark Deception, Intercourse, Dloins, Mulen Rug, Anal Grind, Straight Land, Vestibulum (all Belarus), Semargl, Khors, Witch Hunter, Hyperion, Mental Demise, Castrum, Conquest, Holy Blood, Natural Spirit, Temporary Sufferings, Datura, Natural Spirit, Fire Lake (all Ukraine)…

PRESS RELIASE of METAL CROWD fest.

METAL CROWD Festival is the name of the biggest International Festival of extreme music in BELARUS, which gather on one stage more than twenty groups from different countries of Europe. This Festival is held every year. There are no analogies to the Festival METAL CROWD in the country nowdays. All this takes place in RECHITSA, the town on the DNIEPER river. It is in the centre of BELARUS.
As a basis of the organization of the Festival the world practice of organization of large – scale Festivals in the countries of Europe was taken. And our ten – million country proves on egual conditions that the movement of extreme music is very developed. The Festival was greatly supported by the amateurs of extreme music as well as by the sources of mass media (printed editions, the editions in Internet, Radio show, etc.) which cooperate with the organizers of the Festival fruitfully.
At the end of 2004 the group APOCRYPHAL (Sympho Death Metal), one of the oldest representatives of extreme music decided to appear in the role of the organizers of the unique in BELARUS world Festival of extreme music which took place in their native town and to which the name METAL CROWD Festival was given.
The first festival of METAL CROWD 2005 took place within the limits of Open Air.
On the 16th of July of 2005 many groups took part in the Festival. They are: Apocryphal (Rechitsa-Belarus), Grenouer (St.Peterburg-Russia), Al’virius (Yaroslavl-Russia), Burden Excess (Ust-Ilimsk-Russia), Ambrazura (Ekaterenburg-Russia), Sinful (Moskow-Russia), Little Dead Bertha (Voroneg-Russia), Asguard (Mogilev-Belarus), Dialectic Soul (Rechitsa-Belarus), Kamaedzica (Minsk-Belarus), Partyzon (Minsk-Belarus), Faithless Mind (Bobruisk-Belarus), Datura (Donetsk-Ukraine), Acrimonia (Warszawa-Poland), Disentomb (Kishinev-Moldova).
On the 15th of July of 2006 – in METAL CROWD 2006 housed such groups as Apocryphal (Rechitsa-Belarus), Dark Side (St.Peterburg-Russia), Black Warrior (Perm-Russia), Stalingrad (Volgograd-Russia), Morrah (St.Peterburg-Russia), Shatter (Tula-Russia), Necrosis (Sarov-Russia), I.N.F (Tula-Russia), Dragonflame (Gomel-Belarus), Deranger (Grodno-Belarus), Dark Deception (Polotsk-Belarus), Straight Land (Bobruisk-Belarus), Freedom (Vinitsa-Ukraine), Scorn Age (Kiev-Ukraine), Adultery (Havirov-Sumbark-Czech Rep.), Fatal Nation (Baku-Azerbaijan).
On the 3d of November of 2007 - METAL CROWD 2007: Apocryphal (Rechitsa-Belarus), Goddamned X (Vienna-Austria), Arcane Grail (Moscow-Russia), Solerrain (St.Petersburg-Russia), Shadow Storm (Ryazan-Russia), Grosad (Kalinkovichi-Belarus), Demoral (Smolensk-Russia), Skydive (Gomel-Belarus), Straight Land (Bobruisk-Belarus), Simbioz (Pervomaisk-Ukraine), Dying Rose (Orsha-Belarus), Mudslinger (Krasnodar-Russia), Akvilon (Rechitsa-Belarus).
The organizers of Festival invite to cooperation all people who are interested in extreme music, who are connected with extreme music (musical groups, magazines, television and radio shows, producers, records, promotions, concert agencies, musical shops, shops which sell musical instruments). In 2008 the organizers decided to prolong the time of the festival and as a result it lasted 2 days.
August 23-24 - METAL CROWD 2008: TT – 34 (Gomel-Belarus), Evthanazia A.D. (Rechitsa-Belarus), The Pant (Rymarov-Czech Republic), Synergism Of Humanity (Aramil-Russia), Scrim (Gomel-Belarus), Moritury (Kiev-Ukraine), Lebensraum (Berdichev-Ukraine), Orcrist (Petrikov-Belarus), Absenth (Voroneg-Russia), Baalberith (Iochkar Ola-Russia), Mysterya (Kiev-Ukraine), Artania (Kremenchug-Ukraine), Tweed (Lida-Belarus), Al’virius(Yaroslavl-Russia), Grosad (Kalinkovichi-Belarus), Kain (Rechitsa-Belarus).
August 22-23 - METAL CROWD 2009:APOCRYPHAL (Belarus-Rechitsa), DUOBETIC HOMUNKULUS (Czech Republic-Stara Boleslav), DRACO HYPNALIS (Czech Republic-Zlín), INTERZONE (Poland-Warsaw), DISEASE (Latvia-Daugavpils), VxPxOxAxAxWxAxMxC (Austria-Linz), INSANE Belarus-Gomel, INNER MISSING (Russia-St.Peterburg),ALEX SIGMER (Russia-Smolensk), WEREWOLF DIVISION (Russia-St.Peterburg), FOREST STREAM (Russia-Moscow), MINAS MORGUL (Belarus-Vitebsk), DEVIANT SYNDROME (Russia-Moscow), BRADI CEREBRI ECTOMIA (Belarus-Gomel), IN[SOUL]TЪ (Russia-Smolensk), UNITED MIND CLUB (Russia-Tver), TERRA IMPRESSIONUM (Ukraine-Novofedorovka), SHTURM (Russia-Krasnodar), EPATAG (Russia-St.Peterburg), VEDMAK Russia-Izhevsk, VELIAR (Russia-Taganrog).

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