Biography (English translation)
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From "Latgales Laiks", "Vremya Molodykh", June 1995: Among the participants of the June rock gathering will be the quartet "Phobia", for whom this performance marks their public debut. A great deal can be expected from this crew, as 75% of its members are "hereditary Dvinskers". Gennady Kuzmin, Ruslan Kondrus, and Vadim Neminushchy, while remaining in the lineup of "Dvinsk", formed their own band named "Phobia" last December as a parallel project to the main group that is already well known to our city's rock fans. This does not imply the breakup of "Dvinsk"—by no means! Both bands get along splendidly, rehearse in the same space, democratically sharing time. Both will perform at the upcoming festival. The emergence of this new lineup followed certain differences among the "Dvinsk" musicians regarding their future musical direction. Drummer Sergei Ermolaev preferred more traditional 70s hard rock along the lines of Gary Moore, Scorpions, AC/DC, while the remaining trio wanted to play a more modern and, crucially, heavier "metal" sound. Usually in such cases things lead to a breakup, but credit must be given to our young compatriots: without severing friendships or destroying what was hard-won, they decided to organize a parallel project. Thus "Phobia" gave the musicians an outlet for maximum musical self-expression. Valentin Vasilyev joined as vocalist. He lacks a long pedigree of former bands, but he has long been a close friend of the "Dvinsk" guys. It was he who conceived the name "Phobia", and he writes the lyrics. While "Dvinsk"'s lyrics revolved around topical everyday issues of the present, "Phobia" attempts to look at life with detachment through philosophical contemplation. It is no accident that the band's first tape album is titled "Vechnost" (Eternity). (Songs from it will make up most of their festival repertoire.) The quartet plans to perform in Russian for the last time, singing exclusively in English going forward. There is good reason for this: it brings the band closer to the sound of 90s metal masters, and the band feels that today it makes sense to sing only in Latvian or English, choosing the latter. A slight regrouping of forces took place among the members: Gennady Kuzmin (known in local rock circles as "Kuzya") moved from guitar to the drum kit. Ruslan Kondrus became the sole guitarist, while Vadim Neminushchy retained his bass guitar role. Compared to "Dvinsk", the music became even heavier. All members participate in songwriting. From the outset, the band firmly resolved not to imitate any single famous group, aiming to carve their own path in the metal world. They describe their style as a blend of death and doom metal. To give a clearer picture of what "Phobia" will serve on June 30th, the band names among their favorites: Pantera, Paradise Lost, Metallica, Sepultura, Machine Head, Biohazard, Candlemass, and Death. In short, this music is tailored for lovers of "heavy industry" who will gather in the hall of DK 2. It will be intriguing to see which of the two sister bands commands more attention—the veteran "Dvinsk" or the debuting "Phobia"?! P.S. Both bands broke up after this concert. The album "Vechnost" (Eternity, 1995) was recorded with: Valek Vasilyev (vocals, drum programming) Gennady "Kuzya" Kuzmin (guitar, vocals, bass, keyboards, drum programming)