Stalwart - Biography
This band's profile is 'invisible', meaning that it's much less prominent on the site - either because it's incomplete, or maybe doesn't entirely fit MS format.
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Biography
The band was formed in Autumn 1999 with the following line-up: Jacques (vocals), Demian (bass), Leonid (guitar, keyboards), Kirill (guitar), Vladimir (drums). The members had played previously in different St. Petersburg local metal bands.
Toward the summer 2000 Stalwart prepared material for debut album "Jerk", which was recorded in July-August at Neva Studio and released early 2001 on the cassettes by Russian label Fono Productions. The album laid down the foundation for original Stalwart style, combining massive thrashcore rhythmic groove with atmospheric fragments and acoustic inserts.
In summer 2002 Stalwart started to record the second album. Drum tracks were recorded in Astia Studio, Finland, under the supervision of Anssi Kippo (Children Of Bodom, Impaled Nazarene, To/Die/For, Norther), the rest was executed in St. Petersburg. The work demonstrated the significant progress in the band's style in comparison with the debut by virtue of an unusual consortium of angry riffs and symphonic keyboards. Stalwart signed a deal with the MetalAgen/Soyz Music label and in October 2003 the album "Dive To Nowhere" was released. The album received very positive reviews in Russian metal press, some of zines characterized it as one of the best Russian metal releases 2003.
In the summer of 2004 MetalAgen/Soyuz re-released Stalwart's first album "Jerk" on CD format. In early 2007 Stalwart started to record the third album "Abyss Ahead". For the recording the famous Hertz Studio, Poland, was booked with producers Slawek and Wojtek Wieslawski (Vader, Decapitated, Hate). This album became a debut for new guitar player Antuan. The work was completed in May, mixing and mastering was also done in Hertz Studio. "Abyss Ahead" was released on May 4, 2008 by CD-Maximum label, showed the more powerful and solid work in comparison with the previous one. Soon after "Abyss Ahead" recording sessions the band suffered serious line-up changes. Vocalist Jacques and drummer Vladimir left the band. Nevertheless, the newcomers Oleg Sobolevsky (vocals - ex-Zindan, Frosted Glass) and Tim Ismag (drums) raised the band to the new scale, importing much more drive and energy. The result was a much faster and more aggressive sound, which played into the recording of "Annihilation Begins", which was also recorded, mixed and mastered in Hertz Studio during 2008.
Over their career Stalwart played with the following bands: Destruction (Germany), Nightwish (Finland), Amon Amarth (Sweden), Primal Fear (Germany), Hatesphere (Denmark), Fintroll (Finland), Norther (Finland), In-Quest (Belgium), Kivimetsan Druidi (Finland), among others. The band began recording in Hertz Studio, which was booked for early 2010 dates for new CD recording.
Toward the summer 2000 Stalwart prepared material for debut album "Jerk", which was recorded in July-August at Neva Studio and released early 2001 on the cassettes by Russian label Fono Productions. The album laid down the foundation for original Stalwart style, combining massive thrashcore rhythmic groove with atmospheric fragments and acoustic inserts.
In summer 2002 Stalwart started to record the second album. Drum tracks were recorded in Astia Studio, Finland, under the supervision of Anssi Kippo (Children Of Bodom, Impaled Nazarene, To/Die/For, Norther), the rest was executed in St. Petersburg. The work demonstrated the significant progress in the band's style in comparison with the debut by virtue of an unusual consortium of angry riffs and symphonic keyboards. Stalwart signed a deal with the MetalAgen/Soyz Music label and in October 2003 the album "Dive To Nowhere" was released. The album received very positive reviews in Russian metal press, some of zines characterized it as one of the best Russian metal releases 2003.
In the summer of 2004 MetalAgen/Soyuz re-released Stalwart's first album "Jerk" on CD format. In early 2007 Stalwart started to record the third album "Abyss Ahead". For the recording the famous Hertz Studio, Poland, was booked with producers Slawek and Wojtek Wieslawski (Vader, Decapitated, Hate). This album became a debut for new guitar player Antuan. The work was completed in May, mixing and mastering was also done in Hertz Studio. "Abyss Ahead" was released on May 4, 2008 by CD-Maximum label, showed the more powerful and solid work in comparison with the previous one. Soon after "Abyss Ahead" recording sessions the band suffered serious line-up changes. Vocalist Jacques and drummer Vladimir left the band. Nevertheless, the newcomers Oleg Sobolevsky (vocals - ex-Zindan, Frosted Glass) and Tim Ismag (drums) raised the band to the new scale, importing much more drive and energy. The result was a much faster and more aggressive sound, which played into the recording of "Annihilation Begins", which was also recorded, mixed and mastered in Hertz Studio during 2008.
Over their career Stalwart played with the following bands: Destruction (Germany), Nightwish (Finland), Amon Amarth (Sweden), Primal Fear (Germany), Hatesphere (Denmark), Fintroll (Finland), Norther (Finland), In-Quest (Belgium), Kivimetsan Druidi (Finland), among others. The band began recording in Hertz Studio, which was booked for early 2010 dates for new CD recording.