Artist: RUSSKAJA
Album: ENERGIA! (CD)

Year: 2013
Media type: CD

A metal-head dancing the Kazatchok with a polka fan might be an unusual sight, but high-speed musical sensation Russkaja offers the perfect soundtrack to just such an event. Serving up a mixture of wicked polka beats, trash metal, world jazz and Zappa-Rock, Russkaja are probably the most successful innovators in what they call “Russian Turbo Polka Metal”. Russkaja are very Russian, but always with a wink. That’s what happens when a group of Russians, Ukrainians and Austrians decide to start a band in the world capital of classicism, Vienna. After more than 300 concerts since 2006 all over Europe and great success in their adopted countries of Austria and Germany, their first major breakthrough came in Germany with 4 concerts at the world’s greatest Metal festival “Wacken Open Air”. These appearances were swiftly followed by shows at Chiemsee Reggae Festival, Nova Rock, World music and Jazz festivals and more than 30 festivals across the continent only last year. Sounds like a contradiction? No, it’s a statement! The band’s third album “Energia!” is an explosive mix: Thrash Metal, Funk, Worldmusic - all combining to create songs which make you want to dance. Made up of skilled and charismatic musicians with varied cultural backgrounds, Russkaja spread their postmodern version of Russian folklore – a version that screams into your ear: “dance, dance, dance!” Band founder Georgij A. Makazaria was born and raised in Moscow. According to the band, whose tongues are frequently lodged firmly in their cheeks, he brings the hammer, and the rest of them bring the sickle, the star and the colour red. Georgij’s voice, mixed with a rock band setup, plus a violinist and an incredible brass section including an instrument called “Potete” (a unique hybrid of trumpet and trombone) already suggests the lunatic nature of Russkaja’s sound. The Sojusrocket is launching! With Russkaja, Kasatchok dancing becomes a brawl: the brass section is a Kalashnikov and the stage outfits a mixture of Genghis Khan and the Red Army…..with compliments of the Tzar, of course. With two successful albums, 300 concerts on both sides of the Iron Curtain, the band has more than deserved the title of "Working Class Hero" including a golden badge of honour. The first five-year-plan has finally been fulfilled, some comrades would be proud indeed! The next one starts with "Energia!"! 

TRACKLIST:

01. Energia
02. Barada
03. Radost Moja (feat. Wladimir Kaminer + Yuriy Gurzhy)
04. Autodrom
05. Istanbul feat. Ozden Цksьz
06. Violina Mia
07. Kartuli Vino
08. Surrealnaja
09. Dikije Deti
10. Ajajaj feat. Mizgebonez
11. Tanzi Tanzi
12. Sorry

LINE-UP:

Georgij Makazaria - vocals
Dimitro Miller - bass
Engel Mayr - guitar
Ulrike Mullner -violin
Rainer Gutternigg - trumpet
H-G. Gutternigg - potete
Mario Stubler - drums