Moscow band Shadow Host was founded by guitarist Alexey Arzamazov in autumn 1993. At first the music played by The Band was pretty common power/thrash-metal. The Band line-up gets stable only by August 1994 when Sergey Kayumov appears as a singer. He also plays rhythm guitar at first, switching to bass in autumn 1995. In December 1994 the very first demo "Nothing Left Behind" containing 8 tracks was recorded. Shortly Shadow Host appears live on stage for the first time on 28th of January 1995. By this time The Band's style is completely configured as melodic power-metal. In January 1996 The Band goes to the studio TEF to record "Beyond the Line" - the song is planned to appear on "Melodic Metal in Russia" compilation. Unfortunately, the compilation has never been released. At the time Shadow Host line-up was the following:
In the summer of the same year radical reorganization happens - only Sergey and Alexey remain from the former line-up. Alexey from the band Nifelheim is taken as the second guitarist and Sergey Kutaev from Snakes becomes the drummer. The Band starts to play in many Moscow clubs. Simultaneously the work on the material for the upcoming album goes on. In May 1997 Shadow Host went to the studio to record their debut album. A little before thas the second guitarist left and Alexey Martynov from Warcloud was taken to replace him. He joined The Band in studio. So the line-up became:
The debut album named "Twilight Legend" included 9 tracks written from 1993 to 1996. In November 1997 a contract with Hobgoblin Records was signed. The album presentation takes place on February 22nd in Camelot club. In spite of the low quality of the record and mixing mistakes the album achieves appreciation in music press and positive reaction of the audience as well. Owing to this The Band becomes one of the most popular Russian bands in the appropriate style. The series of the shows followed the release, and not only in Moscow but also in Saint-Petersburg, Tula and Moscow Region towns. The Band takes part in most of the large concerts in Moscow, including Apocalypses and Death Rider fests. From spring 1999 until the summer next year 5th band member Ludmila Gerasko plays keyboards on live shows. In July Shadow Host are in the studio again to record a mini-CD "Downfall" containing 6 songs. The new material seems to be more diverse with folk and progressive influences. The presentation of the CD takes place in Art-2000 club on December 12th. There The Band plays 1.5 hrs set with the material from both releases, the demo and cover versions.
In spring 2000 the decision was made to re-release the debut album "Twilight Legend" with Valiant Music Productions adding "Beyond the Line" video as a multimedia bonus track. But after the remastering it got clear that the quality of the recorded material is not good enough to be released on a CD. That's why it was decided to record the whole album again with the new arrangements and adding a few new songs. Unfortunately the beginning of autumn brought dissentions between band members and as the result on October 20th Sergey Kayumov announced that he leaves The Band... The replacement was found in two musicians: Sergey Sergeev (Gulf Stream) as a singer and Sergey Lobanov (ex-Amon, T.H.R.O.N.) on bass. They've got ready with the set shortly and on October 29th Shadow Host already plays at Musica.Mustdie.Fest introducing the brand new line-up. From now on Shadow Host can be considered to be a quintet:
During the next few months preparations for the recording were proceeding. The title "Twilight Legend" was changed to "Neverland" since a lot of remakes were made; one more new track "Dragonfire's Burning" - composed by the new line up, one song from "Downfall" and Helloween cover "Twilight Of The Gods" as a bonus track were added. At the end of February 2001 Shadow Host started working in the studio. By the beginning of April nearly everything was recorded, but at that very moment they had to interrupt for 2 months. At the end of June The Band goes back to studio to finish their works.
However, musicians made a conclusion that the quality of the earlier recorded stuff is far below the desired level. Seeing no sense in releasing what was already recorded as it was Shadow Host make a hard decision to start recording again - this time in their own studio.
More than half a year passed while Alexey Martynov assembled essential equipment and prepared studio for the recording. Thus the recording sessions weren't started until spring 2002. During the recording it revealed that Shadow Host bass player Sergey Lobanov ceased to suit the rest of The Band as a musician so he was discharged. Bass parts for the 6 remaining tracks were recorded by Alexey Arzamazov and Alexey Martynov. Mixing was finished by May 23rd after that the record was sent out for mastering. At the same moment search for a new bass player started. A quantity of candidatures was considered and vacancy was taken by Alexey Zavolokin (ex-Chronica, Galgen).
The new album "Neverland" was released on September 12th 2002. Afterwards The Band played a number of concerts to support the new release, including opening for Blind Guardian in Luzhniki on October 27th and in MDM with Grave Digger 8th of February 2003. At the end of February 2003 line-up was renewed - as Alexey Martynov left Shadow Host deciding to concentrate on sound engineer career, the young guitar maniac Andrey Smirnov (who is the frontman and mastermind of melodic-death metal formation Everlost as well) joined The Band. He opened the new horizons for The Band creative work - henceforth guitar parts became by far more compound and intricate.
Later a number of large-scale concerts followed; performances with monsters like Stratovarius and Nightwish. In autumn 2003 The Band tackled the new material in real earnest. Despite that Shadow Host went on giving concerts and proved themselves as splendid live performers. Some significant gigs confirmed that: shows with Austrians Edenbridge in Roxy Club on April 3rd 2004, with Grave Digger in "Tochka" on June 27th and with Edguy in "DK Gorbunova" on October 31st. Shadow Host finished working on the 9-song demo "Prophecy" containing the most part of the new material right on the eve of the last mentioned gig. Sergey Sergeev left The Band shortly after the demo was recorded. His vocal style has actually ceased to suit the general conception of Shadow Host sound.
New material sounded heavier and more aggressive but there's no decline in tunefulness. 10 songs were unified into a general concept - some somber fantasy saga with a dismal end. Quest for a singer lasted for more than a month and finally the frontman position passed to an old friend of Shadow Host - Victor (aka "Anger", ex-Piligrim) who took part in various jams and cover-parties along with The Band. Thus replenishing the line-up The Band goes to the studio to record a new album on March 11th this year. The new creation including 10 songs (not to mention bonus tracks) was entitled "Curse Of The Angeleye".
Alexey Zavolokin was busy in many other projects. Time after time Vasiliy Rumyantsev (The Neverland, ex-Seducer's Embrace, Sermon, Piligrim) replaced him for live shows. Zavolokin left The Band after recording was finished. Ilya Egorychev (Symbol, Chronica) took his place. Live presentation of the new line-up happened in "DK Gorbunova" on October 23rd (Stratovarius support). Finally the new album was released by the Russian label CD-Maximum on the 1st of December 2005.
Band members took part in various side projects. Sergey Kutaev played in Gulf Stream with Sergey Sergeev and Ludmila Gerasko, now he's involved in Icewind Blast. Alexey Arzamazov was a member of Moscow melodic death-metal band Seducer's Embrace from December 1999 to December 2000 and took part in the recording of their debut release "Sinnocence". Andrey Smirnov with his band Everlost has released the first album "Bitterness Of The Triumph" via well known Russian label "Soyuz".
Great thanks for helping Department of Virtuosity with spread the Virtuosity worldwide!
The 10th issue of Department of Virtuosity has been published!
There you will find 13 reviews most of whom are virtuoso-oriented albums: Epidemia (6 reviews of CDs and 2 of DVDs; melodic fantasy power metal from Russia), Lua Hadar (2 reviews; jazz with female vocalist from the USA) and Zonata (3 reviews; neoclassical power metal from Sweden).
The effects are available on: www.hmpmag.pl (please click the golden banner of DoV)
Hey Shadow Host, It ROCKS to have you as a new friend! You have a very cool page, I’ll be sure to check it out again soon! Stop by my page and feel free to leave a comment anytime! I’m always open to new friend requests so if anyone wants to add me just hit me up!! KEEP ROCKIN’
Отличная музыка!! молодцы парни!! Спасибо за добавление в друзья. Мы разместили две наши новые песни в аккаунте на MySpace, так что добро пожаловать послушать! Rock on! Удачи и всего наилучшего, LADY PROWLER
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