Band Biographies: Deva Obida

DEVA ОBIDA formed in the winter of 1998, deep in the Russian North, in the city of Murmansk, when several like-minded friends found each other, all of them wishing to express themselves through hard, melodic music with deep meaning. They aimed to be something more than a simple underground band, like all the others scattered on the local stages. The group was quickly fully formed. The first concerts took place, and the first album «V Poiskakh Mira, Chto Yaviu Zovetsya» («Looking For The World Called Reality») was released in a limited edition in 2000, using the private funds of the members themselves. Playing in a doom/pagan metal style, influenced by death and black metal, the driving forces behind DEVA ОBIDA’s music became the spirit of pantheism, nature-worship, and Russian history and traditions. The group continued to see and express itself through these notions. After a short break, during which members were occupied with other projects, DEVA ОBIDA’s renewed lineup recorded and released the internet-single «Stanu Bogom» («I Will Become God»), which was praised by the public and received positive reviews in the local media. A new album was created, but due to reasons out of the group’s control, it was never officially released, even though some tracks have leaked on the internet. In 2009 DEVA ОBIDA began a new tour, making the rounds at the most prominent music festivals in Murmansk and the region, sharing the stage with the leaders of Russian alternative music - Amatory. The group became even better known on the local level, manifesting itself as one of the brightest, the most interesting and professional bands in the Polar region. The end of 2012 marked an important event in the group’s history, the release of their first official album «Stainyi Instinkt» («Gregarious Instinct»). Online listeners soon declared the album a hit. When the unofficial rehearsal video for the first track, «Kola 12 262» was released, it topped the regional video chart… twice. For months DEVA ОBIDA toured to promote the new album, making the documentary «ROAD MOVIE: Live INSTINCT Tour» and recording a live video for the track «Aurora Borealis». In summer 2013 the group’s first professional music video appeared, it was done for the track «Moya Metel» («My Blizzard»). The shooting was carried out on the edge of continental Russia, in the beautiful wilderness of the Kola Peninsula. On August 25, 2013, DEVA ОBIDA took part in the huge international festival «Metal Crowd Open Air fest» (in Rechitsa, Belarus), performing at the stage along with such legends of European metal as Illdisposed, Sybreed, Suidakra, and Gods Tower. The track «Kola – 12 262» and the video «Moya Metal» were included in the CD and DVD compilation of the festival, together with tracks by the aforementioned headliners. In autumn 2013 the group was honored to open the St. Petersburg concert of the Swiss band Eluveitie, one of the key figures of the world folk metal. In less than a month the group performed in Moscow, supporting the legendary Amorphis, whose influence at the creative work of DEVA ОBIDA can’t be underestimated. The group was performing in its native Murmansk again on February 9, 2014, celebrating its fifteenth birthday and playing together with the leaders of Russian pagan metal, the band Arkona. Their setlist was long and varied, giving an overview of their music, from the earliest tracks to brand new ones, which were played for the first time. Afterward, the group devoted itself to studio work, recording the music for a new album, which will be no less melodic and no less sincere than the previous album «Stainyi Instinkt». The newly written material has strong folk elements, and the sound retains DEVA ОBIDA’s characteristic heaviness. Some time elapsed before the group was performing in its native Murmansk again on February 9, 2014, celebrating its fifteenth birthday and playing together with the leaders of Russian pagan metal, the band called Arkona. The playlist of DEVA ОBIDA was long and various, giving a whole picture of their music, from the first tracks to brand new ones, which were played for the first time. Later on, the group devoted itself to studio work, recording the music for a new album, which will be no less melodic and no less sincere than the previous album «Stainyi Instinkt» («Gregarious instinct»). The newly written material has strong folk elements, and the sound retains its heaviness, which is very characteristic of DEVA ОBIDA. 01.06.2014 - strictly a year after their first official video "My Blizzard", the band presented their second one, "Kola 12 262", which had been shot 21.12.13, exactly a year after the releasing of the first LP, finishing a period of "Gregarious Instinct". On the 21st of June, 2014, in a day and a moment of Summer Solstice, Deva Obida published their another single "Varaka" over WWW. That release is a final point in cooperation with Vitaly Polyakov who had to leave a band in April 2014 right during the record session, but otherwise, it's become a start for their new member Vitaly Tselobenok, the folk instruments player, the master of bagpipes, flutes, thin-wistles etc... who's brought a fresh ethnic stream in band's sound. A style of single has convincingly demonstrated the ways of evolution and formation of band's unique sound; the bounce from Modern Metal in direction of Progressive Melodic Metal and Folk while saving their traditional sound's roughness and hardness. The single was warmly met by various listeners and editions all over the world, eg. the famous Terrorizer magazine (UK) who supported Deva Obida by placing their stream on the official website and including "Varaka" in Fear Candy compilation, an audio application to the 250st Anniversary issue in June 2014. In August 2014 Deva Obida headed to Alta, Norway to take part in huge yearly festival Aronnesrocken. Il'ya Dyuzhin (TOWN TUNDRA) helped the band as a drummer on session. Her story is going on...