Bands whose songs are inspired by movies or works of literature are often inspired to do theatrical concerts at some point. Aria did this already with ‘Plyaska Ada’ back in 2007, but ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ has them armed with a more consistent set of songs and a better singer. As a result of this set-up, ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ focuses on Aria’s more theatrical songs, but those tend to be their best anyway. It even has a very pleasant flow if you just listen to the audio portion, however, which makes this a must-have for fans of traditional heavy metal.

‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ is Aria’s third live release in three years, which may seem like too much, but all of these were special occasions. ‘Klassicheskaya Aria’ had the band playing with an orchestra and ’30 Let! Yubileyniy Kontsert’ was an anniversary show. Despite the theatrical themes, ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ is the most “normal” of the three in the sense that it’s just the band playing some of their best material without having to take orchestral arrangements or appearances from former members into account. Combine that with the band’s tight, yet energetic playing and you’ve got one of Aria’s best live sets to date.

As good as the band’s compositions and musicianship are, an important part of why this set-up works is current singer Mikhail Zhitnyakov. He is easily the best Aria singer to date. His dramatic vocals really fit the material on this record and his visual performance makes me wonder if he has a background in musical theater. From the moment the band blasts out of the gate with the incredible ‘Gonka Za Slavoy’, he grabs the audience by the throat and while I’m not necessarily a fan of singers changing clothes a lot, he really embodies the characters he acts out. Hear him sing ‘Antichrist’ – a song I thought no one could do better than Valery Kipelov, but I’ve been proven wrong – and you’ll hear what I mean. His fantastic entrance helps, but his amazing vocal performance gives it lasting value.

Sonically, there is very little to complain about. All the instruments are crisp, clear and lively and I have the idea there hasn’t been a lot of post-productional polishing going on, especially since the concert was recorded in late April and is out already. Vitaly Dubinin really proves the value of having a bassist who does more than blindly following the guitars, as his playing is melodically richer than that of Steve Harris, who appears to be his main influence. Sergey Popov and Vladimir Holstinin are an incredible guitar duo, with Popov being the slightly more aggressive player, sounding as an unshakable guitar wall when playing in unison. Maxim Udalov is the ultimate serviceable drummer who knows what the music needs at all times.

Of course, the visual appeal of the show will be the major talking point for the DVD portion of ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’. Some of it is a really nice addition too and certainly better executed than Iron Maiden’s half-assed attempts on ‘Death On The Road’. A good thing is that the theatrical elements are sometimes quite subtle, such as the denim jackets for ‘Geroy Asfalta’ or the red muleta in Zhitnyakov’s pocket during ‘Torero’, which allows the bands to play these classics without them feeling like too much of a departure from the rest of the show. It’s even better because this is probably the best version of ‘Torero’ that is currently available on any Aria live recording. The breastplate on Zhitnyakov’s armor saying “ARIA” instead of “SPQR” during the incredible ‘Kolizey’ is a nice touch.

However, even without the DVD portion, ‘Gost’ Iz Tsarstva Teney’ is worth hearing. Ultimately, that is what makes it a successful release. Aria managed to put on what looks like a music theater show without it getting in the way of their fantastic songs. There are six songs from last year’s ‘Proklyatiye Morey’ on the release, but it isn’t as focused on that record as one might think. Also, with excellent performances of classics like ‘Shtil’, ‘Kreshcheniye Ognëm’, ‘Noch Koroche Dnya’, ‘Obman’ and the anthemic ‘Ulitsa Roz’ in addition to all the aforementioned tracks, it would be a great introductory release for anyone who wants to get acquainted with the band. If you aren’t sure whether you want to order the album or not, make sure you check it out on one of the bigger streaming platforms, as it is internationally available.

Recommended tracks: ‘Gonka Za Slavoy’, ‘Antichrist’, ‘Kolizey’, ‘Torero’