Mental Home "Black Art"

Mental Home were formed in November 1993 by brothers Sergey Dmitriev and Igor Dmitriev, along with guitarist Roman Povarov and bassist Denis Samusev. Taking an atmospheric doom/death approach the band recorded their demo, Funeral Service, in January 1994, and later in July their debut album on Metal Agen Records, Mirrorland, which eventually sold-out of its initial 5,000 copies. Due to an accident, guitarist Roman Povarov was left with an impairment to his left hand which forced him to devote his time and efforts to keyboards. The band chose Sergey Kalachyov as their new lead guitarist and headed back into the studio to record the highly-acclaimed Vale, which was released in the Spring of 1996 by Metal Agen/Morbid Noizz Records. 

The album sold-out in Moscow and hit #1 on the Russian Metal Charts in July of the same year. Shortly after, Roman Povarov abandoned Mental Home, and the band invited Michael "Maiden" Smirnoff to join (not only replacing the departed Povarov on keyboards, but also taking over as the band"s manager). The band attracted the attention of new US-based independent label, The End Records, who immediately licensed Vale and signed the group for four more albums. 

In March of "97 Mental Home returned to the studio and began recording their fourth album, Black Art, which was completed by June. The critically-acclaimed Black Art album was released that fall worldwide and established Mental Home as one of the most respected bands in the progressive and dark metal genres.

Track list: 

1. Under the Wing (of Gamayun) 07:13
2. The Plague Omen 06:28
3. Into the Realms of Marena 05:55
4. Silent Remembrance 05:31
5. In the Shades of Inspiration 02:56
6. Pagan Freedom 05:23
7. Winter Art 04:30
8. On a Hand of the Universe 08:13
9. Tides of Time 07:01

Total Time: 53:10 

Cover concept by Maiden.

Design by Dennis Gerasimenko & Sergey Makhotkin.

Front cover illustration "Hale-Bopp Comet" by Shigemi Numazawa/Atlas Photo Bank.

Note: CD includes a bonus of multimedia animated clip of "Pagan Freedom".

Recording information:

Recorded & mixed at Vnukovo Studio between March, 17 and June, 7 '97 under the sign of Hale-Bopp Comet (The Plague Omen).

Engineered by Sergey Blinov & Sergey Alekseenko.

Mastered at SBI Records.

Produced & arranged by Mental Home.