Master (Russian band)
Master () is a Russian thrash metal band, founded in 1987 by former members of Aria. Biography. In 1987, Alik Granovsky, Andrey Bolshakov, Kirill Pokrovsky, and Igor Molchanov left the heavy metal band Aria, due to their conflict with the producer Victor Vekshtein. Vocalist Mikhail Seryshev and guitarist Sergey Popov joined them to play live concerts. Their first self-titled release was half-completed by Aria's songs written by Granovsky and Bolshakov, but the rest of the songs were completely different in style. Master turned away from Aria's NWOBHM-like style to speed/thrash metal. The  second album showcased this change, featuring hard aggressive riffs and fast tempos. In 1991, Seryshev assumed the role of Jesus in the Russian version of the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The next year, Master toured Russia with Sepultura. The next two albums with English lyrics continued in a traditional thrash metal style. In 1993, Andrey Bolshakov left the band. The following album "Songs of the Dead" turned out to have a more modern, groove metal sound, and the band returned to Russian as the language of their lyrics. Since then, Master has gone away from  the thrash metal of their earlier works, and their new albums bear more heavy/power spirit. In 1997, Seryshev dismissed the French tour. Master toured with Arthur Berkut on vocals, but after the tour Popov, Tony Shender (drums) and he left Master and started a new band called Zooom. Because of his opera career and singing in a church choir, Seryshev was unable to work with Master and left the band; soon after Lexx (Alexey Kravchenko) took his place on vocals. Also, Alexey Strike, a famous Russian guitarist, joined the band. Alexander Karpuhin took over the drums. In 2004, Alik  Granovsky released a solo album, "Bolshaya progulka". In 2004, Lexx participated in the metal opera "Elven Manuscript" by Epidemia. In January 2008, Alexey Strike and Alexander Karpuhin left the band. Leonid Fomin, Andrey Smirnov, and Oleg Khovrin became the band's new members. The studio album "VIII" was released in 2010. In 2011, Andrey Smirnov and Oleg Khovrin left the band. Alexander "Gips" took over the drums and Leo Fomin remained the only guitarist. Smirnov later played in the band Everlost, before joining former Accept singer Udo Dirkschneider's band U.D.O. in 2013.