BIOGRAPHY
Kauan is an atmospheric doom metal/post-rock band from Chelyabinsk, Russia formed in 2005. Kauan's name stems from the Finnish language, and many of the band's lyrics are in Finnish.
Kauan was started by Anton Belov in February 2005. They started out as a folk metal, black metal, doom metal band, later moving on to more of an ambient and post-rock sound with doom and folk metal elements with their second album, and now could even be considered a folk rock band.
In September 2006, Lubov Mushnikova joined the band as a violin player. The band has worked with other people as well but none of them eventually fit the band’s conception. During the recording of their first album, some session members were invited to play cello and saxophone.
After the release of the first album, Lumikuuro (BadMoodMan Music, 2007), Alexander Borovich left the band. By then, Kauan have recorded their second album Tietäjän Laulu, which was released by BMM Music in the late 2008.
In late 2009, Kauan released their third album, Aava Tuulen Maaon on Firebox Records/BadMoodMan Music . At that point, the band changed their genre to atmospheric folk music, post-rock with sad and melancholic variations which has always been a distinctive mark of Kauan.
In 2010, Belov and his wife, vocalist Alina "Witch_A" Roberts (formerly of Inferno and Semargl), released a full-length album on Firebox Records with his other project Helengard.
On 26 June 2011, Kauan's fourth album, Kuu.., was released by Avantgarde Music. The album featured a strong post-rock/ambient sound with elements of doom metal. Mushnikova left the band later in 2011.
Belov assembled a full band lineup in 2013, including Roberts as keyboardist as well as bassist Alex Vynogradoff (also of Vin De Mia Trix), viola player Anatoly Gavrylov and drummer Anton Skrynnik (ex-Dimicandum). This lineup performed on Kauan's fifth album, Pirut, released by Blood Music on 15 December 2013.
The prolific Russian/Ukrainian post rock/doom outfit returns with their brilliant seventh album! "Sorni Nai" - the band's most mature work to date - is a concept album that references and expands upon territory explored in their previous work ("Pirut"), showcasing a single 52-minute long track, twisting through lush string orchestrations into sinister and operatic doom metal.
The album's concept focuses on the infamous Djatlov Pass Incident. In 1959, nine Soviet hikers went on a trip to reach Mt. Ortorten in the Ural Mountains. None of the hikers were seen alive again. Their bodies were found a mile from their campsite, missing their skis, shoes, and coats while braving -30°F weather. Two of them had fractured skulls, two had major chest fractures, and one was missing her tongue. Investigators listed the cause of death as "a compelling natural force," and the case was immediately closed.
The artwork by Sonia Melnik is a panorama displaying known imagery of the hikers skiing towards their destination.
The album's title references the golden goddess of the Ural Mountains' Mansi region. The band otherwise continues in its tradition of singing exclusively in poetic Finnish, the only known non-native-speaking band outside of Finland to attempt lyrics in the unique Nordic language, one of the most complex in the world.
Even though the album is intended to be one single track, the band has split it up into chapters for the CD release, which are titled in the native Mansi language.
The band makes an intelligent music based on viola, choirs, slow piano melodies with post doom metal influence, ambient vibes and neo-classic taste.
Status: Active
Years Active: 2005-Presemt
LINE UP
Anton Belov - Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards, Programming
Alex Vynogradoff - Bass, Vocals (backing)
Anton Skrynnik - Drums
Alina Belova - Keyboards, Vocals (backing)
Anatoly Gavrilov - Viola
Country of Origin: Russia
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Genre: Atmospheric Doom Metal|Post-Rock
Current Label: Blood Music
Press Contact: kauan.info@gmail.com
Booking: info@eld-events.eu
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kauanmusic
Last FM: http://www.last.fm/music/kauan
Miskeri: http://www.mikseri.net/artists/?id=56273
Soundloud: https://soundcloud.com/kauan
VK: http://vk.com/kauan
Merch: http://www.discogs.com/Kauan-Sorni-Nai/release/7628679
Sorni Nai (Full-Length Album - 2015)
Released October 20, 2015
