208 Talks of Angels

208 Talks of angels
Background information
Origin	Izhevsk, Russia
Genres	Alternative rock, Electronic rock, Experimental rock
Years active	2006–present
Labels	LGMI Records, Unable Records, 208 Talks of angels
Website	Official Website
Members	Anthony Fadeyev Vladimir Romanchenko Vilena Karklinya

208 Talks of Angels is a Russian band, formed in 2006 in Izhevsk, performing soundtracks, alternative rock, experimental rock and electronic rock in English.

The name

The word "angel" in the band's name has no religious implication, but is just a reference to the Greek word "aggelos" - herald, messenger. The number «208» often generates interest in musical sections of society, but it's meaning is still not revealed by musicians.

History and development

In the beginning "208 Talks of Angels" was a typical rock-band, whose sound did not contain any unusual instruments, electronic inclusions or samples, but impetuous bloom of alternative and industrial rock in the middle of 2000 encouraged the musicians to bold sound experiments which became a determinative factor in the supervening of the band's progress. Starting with the full replacement of live drums with sampled drums, the band starts to gradually include more virtual instruments such as pads, leads, strings with simultaneously widening the global creativity of conception, discarding previous courses and trying the forces in new uncommon styles. Today "208 Talks of Angels" includes both heavy industrial compositions, and calm ballads, fully written in a neo-classical style type of genre (e.g. «Compliment»).

Working with film directors

Wide variety of musical styles and a strong taste of soundtrack leads to an increasing interest from foreign movie directors. At present, the original songs of "208 Talks of Angels" can be heard in the scientific horror called "Gilgamesh" ^[1] and a dramatic thriller "Man In A Box" ^[2][3] which won "Best Full Feature Film" award within Pocono Mountains Film Festival» in 2014. The band's music can be noticed in a number of movies from Russian film director Andrew Iskanov,^[4] known for his fearful film "Nails".

Collaborations

Since 2013 the band's work attracts more and more attention from international musicians and producers. Presently, the arsenal of band's songs includes following compositions, recorded with musical masters:

• Drum section for song "The Spiral of Silence" was performed and recorded ^[5] by drummer Matt Letley from the British rock band Status Quo;
• Tony Cook, who has performed with Michael Jackson, James Brown and Prince, played the drums ^[6] on the melodic-industrial song "Robo-friend";
• The cello section for the song "The Curve" was performed ^[7] by one of today's most productive ^[8] cellists, Grammy award nominee - Dave Eggar, also known for his works with the band Coldplay (in the song called Viva La Vida) and Amy Lee;
• Marty Grebb, known for his performances with Eric Clapton, played the Hammond organ ^[9][10] for the song "Blooming in night". Chris Moore, a drummer from glam-metal band Cry Wolf, performed on that track as well. Chris Moore also performed on other songs - "Hero of the Past", "Disengage", "Twisted Mind" and "No Sorry".
• Drum section for "Harangue" was recorded by Timothy DiDuro - former drummer for Slaughter and Skid Row;
• Drums for retro hard-rock song "Angle of View" ^[11] were played and recorded by Dave Abbruzzese known by his work with Pearl Jam on their first albums, hammond organ and piano were performed and recorded by John Bundrick, best known for his work with rock-band The Who.

Radio stations

In June 2014, the band was honored to take part in a radio program ^[12] of widely known in Russia, permanent presenter of the BBC Russian Service - Seva Novgorodsev. The band maintains close contact with shock-rocker Alice Cooper, who includes ^[13] new songs in playlists for his regular radio-show "Nights With Alice Cooper" and the bassist for Iggy and the Stooges Mike Watt also pays an attention to the new songs of "208 Talks of Angels", including them ^[14][15] in his radio broadcasts within his personal «The Watt from Pedro Show». The songs by "208 Talks of Angels" can also be heard on radio stations Indie 103.1,^[16] Felixstowe Radio, Air3 Radio, Free Radio Santa Cruz, KKFI, Radio Caroline.^[17][18] Music by 208 Talks of angels can be periodically heard within large-audience radio-shows like United Stations Radio Networks morning program Lex and Terry,^[19] radio-shows of English rock music journalist, television presenter, and political activist Garry Bushell,^[20] and radio-programs of American deejay - Jonathan L.

Notes

• A review on the band was published ^[21] in The Guardian, a well-known British national daily newspaper.
• A note about the band was published ^[22] in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, a regarded German newspaper. Note was written by columnist and lead singer and keyboardist of German industrial band Das Ich – Bruno Kramm.
• The Christmas song was shared by music critic Alan Cross on the threshold of Christmas on his website.
• An article ^[23] in independent musical magazine – JammerZine. Note in Skope Magazine.^[24]
• Tweet by English actor, writer, presenter with 10 million audience — Stephen Fry.^[25]
• Tweet by American writer, media theorist, columnist, lecturer, and documentarian — Douglas Rushkoff.^[26] Mr. Rushkoff also permitted 208 Talks of angels to use his texts in the band's lyrics.
• An article in popular Russian tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda.^[27]
• Plenty of comments by musicians from all over the world.^[28]

Albums

Today "208 Talks of Angels" have released 2 full albums – Captured (2013) and Dead Mail (2014) which are being distributed by LGMI Records and Unable Records ^[29] correspondingly. Musicians are actively working on third album, which is being planned to be released in March 2016.

Members

• Anthony Fadeyev: - Composing, guitars, vocals, programming, mixing, recording
• Vladimir Romanchenko: - Bass, arrangement
• Vilena Karklinya: - Vocals, percussion

Interesting facts

• The band performed a full concert with Udmurt National symphonic orchestra in autumn of 09’.
• Vocalist Anthony Fadeyev masters the technique of overtone singing.
• Bass guitarist Vladimir Romanchenko is a descended from ancient noble kin.
• Guitar on some of band's songs is played in an alternate tuning for a 7 string guitar - Dropped A tuning.

References

External links

• Official website
• Soundcloud page
• Reverbnation page
• Facebook group
• Vkontakte (Russian social network) page