Vladimir Gustov's Radio Rock: The Anthology

Religion

(1989)
1. Religion
2. Цветной поезд
3. The Jump of the Lioness
4. Я не верю
5. Nuclear War
6. Do You Still Love Me?
7. Favourite
8. Чёрно-белый мир
9. Не предавай

Bonus tracks:
10. Новый день
11. Не предавай (вокал - Шкутов)

The Russian Eagle

(1991)
12. Can You Live in Madland
13. When the Blindmen Rule the World
14. I`m Lonely (When the Sun Meets the Moon)
15. Waiting for the Bridge to Come Down
16. Crazy Game
17. Passenger in an Empty Train
18. The Russian Eagle
19. The Great City Anthem

Bonus tracks:
20. Птица-тройка (Россия)
21. Ночь
22. Crazy Game (video)

The Crime & The Punishment

(1995)
23. Blind Me By Your Sight
24. The Big Wall of Stone
25. Revolution
26. Do You Still Love Me?
27. Raging Heart
28. The Crime & The Punishment
29. Open Your Eyes
30. If You Wanna Go Away
31. Help Me Lord
32. Religion
33. The Civil War
34. Try It Once

Издано:
2016 3CD Sublimity Records SR 035-15

Just say “radio rock”, and what do you imagine? Yes, loud and proud music with big guitar sound, highly impressive vocals and larger-than-life melodies and harmonies. And if musicians called their band Radio Rock, don’t hesitate: they really play radio rock of highest quality.

Radio Rock, the band from St. Petersburg, Russia, was brainchild of guitar player, songwriter and producer Vladimir Gustov, who started work in semi-professional bands being just 11-years-old and playing virtually every kind of music, from straight pop to progressive instrumental blues. Being a keen Queen and Brian May fan, Vladimir always loved loud distorted guitar sound and English-singing songs, but in the Communist Era he simply hadn’t any chances to play such material. But that chance finally came in 1988, when Mr. Gustov started to work with young vocalist Vladimir Kharitonov, first as studio duo. And from the day one Radio Rock was a highly professional band due to highest bandleader’s skills as guitar player and songwriter, so within a year since its formation band did massive Russian and Ukrainian tours, recorded quite successful debut album Religion and did great live show at St. Petersburg’s SKK Arena with UK bands Passion and Gipsy Queen.

Although band always kept revolving doors policy in its line-up department, it didn’t shake quality of the songs at all. Both albums The Russian Eagle (1991, recorded with vocalist Vyacheslav Shkutov) and The Crime & The Punishment (1995) demonstrated quite unique combination of ‘80s arena hard rock and truly Russian melodies. It’s always a striking hit combination, and not only for domestic listeners… The Crime & The Punishment presented immaculate talents of singer Igor Balakirev, who worked at Russian version of Queen’s stage musical We Will Rock You as Galileo later at 2004. But after recording its third album Radio Rock was disbanded as Vladimir Gustov decided that band’s material started to repeat itself. And, anyway, melodic hard rock wasn’t in vogue in mid-‘90s Russia.

So Radio Rock became a great secret of Russian rock stage. And, quite paradoxically, The Anthology came as serious CD Box reissue with highly informative booklet in the era of digital downloads only. But this is an important release for any keen ‘80s melodic hard rock and AOR fan and maybe your very first foray into the secret world of Russian ‘80s and ‘90s professional rock music. Listen and wonder!