Amazing New Rock Discovery!

Amazing new rock discovery.

I came across a band named SELENA on YouTube, with a sound unlike anything I had heard.

They’re from Ukraine and sing in Russian. Anyone who doesn’t speak the language might dismiss them, but don’t be too hasty. If you like Rock, Metal, or Symphonic Metal they’re well worth a listen.

I listen to unfamiliar bands on a regular basis searching for music that lights my senses on fire. Good rock bands are not hard to find. I can’t recall the last time I came across a band that wasn’t good. But being technically proficient musicians, and having a good singer is not enough.

A band needs an artistic vision, and the musical ability to craft a unique sound that grabs hold never letting go of the listener. All the best rock bands throughout the history of the genre, have played music that set them apart from their peers.

That’s why I’m so excited about SELENA. They’ve created a sound like no other. The bass and guitar chords and riffs come together to form a solid foundation, with the drums providing perfect punctuation for Selena’s memorable music.

Sergey is an accomplished guitarist, playing kick-ass riffs and solos in each song.

Arkadiy jams on bass! That deep thrumming builds an ominous heavy undertone, ratcheting up the intensity of Selena’s music.

Yevgeniy pounds out a driving beat rocking their killer sound.

Yana playing keyboard is a crucial factor in Selena’s uniqueness. This song called INSOMNIA is a perfect example. Her lyrics are heartfelt and poetic. Her vocals are what captured my attention and drew me in. As soon as I heard her singing LUNA I was hooked for life. She has an operatic voice with a big range, the kind that gets inside you evoking the emotions of the words she’s singing. I can listen to her for hours on end, never growing tired of her voice.

The lyrics for most SELENA songs are posted on YouTube. Google Translate will give you a good idea what each song is about. The translations are not perfect. Because of the differences in languages, going from Russian to English is not seamless. Some lines read slightly backward. Google translates some lyrics referring to inanimate objects, as masculine or feminine personal pronouns, where English speakers would expect the word it. With a little thought, it’s possible to reason out what the lyrics mean.

For me it’s not necessary to fully understand every bit of meaning in a song. How many English language Rock songs does anyone fully understand? Most have some lines the artists leave to the interpretation of each individual listener. Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven is a perfect example.

SELENA has mentioned an EP is in the works, but until the release, they have bunches of videos to enjoy on YouTube. The audio quality varies as most were recorded live. Yana has numerous SELENA songs on her channel. In these versions she recorded the vocals after the instrumentals, giving many of them a more studio-like quality.

So if you’re open minded enough, and up for some completely unique kick-ass Rock, take time out of your day and give SELENA a listen. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Keyboard & vocals – Яна Сабада. (Yana Sabada)
Guitar – Сергей Егоров. (Sergey Yegorov)
Bass – Аркадий Павлов. (Arkadiy Pavlov)
Drums – Евгений Бакатин. (Yevgeniy Bakatin)