Ария

For the first time ARIA established itself as a band by releasing their first album in autumn of 1985. The album sounded very professional and looked like nothing performed in the USSR before. The title of the masterpiece was modest but pretentious - "Megalomania".

The story began in 1984 when lead guitarist Vladimir Holstinin left a band called Alpha, which music was not tough enough for him. Wishing to form his on band he was soon followed by bass player Alik Granovsky and in the beginning of 1985 they meet Victor Vekshtein - the manager of VIA "Poyushiye Serdtsa" (VIA - the USSR-stage specific abbreviation standing for Vocal & Instrumental Ensemble; Poyushie Serdtsa can be translated as "Singing Hearts"). When Vekshtein heard first "metal" riffs he decided to became manager of the new band. Search for a vocalist didn't take much time. The first candidate was found suitable in all aspects. His name was Valery Kipelov. Shortly after that Vladimir Holstinin offers a name ARIA for the band. The name carried a kind of "hidden sense" cause all musicians and their fans began being called as "Arians" (aria nation people).