Master (Russian band)

Мастер
Alik Granovsky at a signing session in 2006
Background information
Origin	Russia
Genres	Thrash metal, speed metal, heavy metal
Years active	1987–present
Labels	CD Maximum
Associated acts	Aria, Epidemia, Sepultura
Members
Alik Granovsky Lexx Andrey Smirnov Leonid Fomin Oleg Khovrin

This article is about the Russian thrash metal band. For the American death metal band, see Master (American band).

Master (Russian: Мастер) is a thrash metal band from Russia, founded in 1987 by former members of Aria.

Biography

In 1987, Alik Granovsky, Andrey Bolshakov, Kirill Pokrovsky and Igor Molchanov left heavy metal band Aria due to their conflict with producer Victor Vekshtein. Vocalist Mikhail Seryshev and guitarist Sergey Popov joined them to play live concerts. Their first self-titled release was half-completed by Aria's songs written by Granovsky and Bolshakov, but the rest of the songs were completely different in style. Master turned away from Aria's NWOBHM-like style to Speed/Thrash metal. Master released two albums with English lyrics, but the majority of their albums are in Russian.

In 1991 Seryshev assumed the role of Jesus in the Russian version of the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The next year, Master toured Russia with Sepultura. In 1993 Andrey Bolshakov left the band.

In 1997 Seryshev dismissed the French tour. Master toured with Arthur Berkut on vocals, but after the tour Popov, Tony Shender (drums) and he left Master and started a new band called Zooom. Because of his opera career and singing in a church choir, Seryshev was unable to work with Master and left the band; soon after Lexx (Alexey Kravchenko) took his place on vocals. Also, the famous Alexey Strike joined the band. Alexander Karpuhin took over the drums.

In 2004 Alik Granovsky released solo album Bolshaya progulka. In 2004 Lexx participated in the metal opera Elven Manuscript by Epidemia.

In January 2008 Alexey Strike and Alexander Karpuhin left the band. Leonid Fomin, Andrey Smirnov and Oleg Khovrin became band's new members. Since then Master is making new studio album to release it in 2009.

Discography

Albums

• Мастер (Master) — 1987 (more than 1 million copies)
• С Петлёй На шее (S Petlyoy Na Sheye - With a Lee on the Neck) —1989 (more than 2 million copies)
• Talk of the Devil — 1992
• Maniac Party — 1994
• Песни Мёртвых (Pesni Myortvih - Songs of The Dead) — 1996
• Лабиринт (Labirint - Labyrinth) — 2000
• 33 Жизни (33 Zhizni - 33 lives) — 2004
• По Ту Сторону Сна (Po Tu Storonu Sna - The Other Side Of a Dream) — 2006
• VIII - 2010

Other releases

• Live —1995
• The Best. Kontsert V Moskve '97 (The Best. Concert in Moscow '97) (also released as Live 97) —1997
• Klassika 1987-2002 (Classics of 1987-2002) —2001
• Tribute to Harley-Davidson —2001
• Akustika (Acoustics) —2005
• XX let (XX years) —2008

External links

• Мастер на Encyclopaedia Metallum
• Сайт группы Мастер