30 Years Ago: Чёрный Обелиск (Black Obelisk) release Цветы зла (Flowers of Evil) (СССР Thrash)

Daily Noise - / 2017

30 Years Ago: Чёрный Обелиск (Black Obelisk) release Цветы зла (Flowers of Evil) (СССР Thrash)

Early Russian heavy / speed / thrash metal from Moscow. Чёрный Обелиск officially formed in August 1986 and began recording the following year.
Цветы зла (Flowers of Evil) was released on this day in 1987 and collects several live recordings from earlier in the year.

The lyrics to "Литании Сатане" and several others are by Charles Baudelaire. Les Litanies de Satan for the song above.

These recordings come from a period in Moscow when metal and rock gigs were beginning to become normal and legal. Prior to 84/85 rock clubs in Moscow could not exist, any gigs were very underground and would usually draw state attention.

A growing metal scene and some clever organisers using new policies from the Ministry of Culture led to the formation of the Московская рок-лаборатория. With KGB assistance this organisation was able to hold regular, sanctioned, events like those Чёрный Обелиск would perform at and record for their early tapes. You can read more about this here.