Chase the Comet

My friends let me be the first to welcome you to Unfriendly Studios. It is a hidden musical gem in the heart of Los Angeles. Started by legendary metal promoter Metal Sanaz, Unfriendly Studios is a music venue that operates as a lounge for band meets, music video shoots, birthday parties, and of course, live music. Believe it or not, it is located just behind a truck depot. It is like I said, “a hidden gem.” I have I heard of this place, but yet have to visit it myself. Fortunately, my boy Matt got us that opportunity when Chase the Comet booked a show there. This is an alternative rock group from Moscow, that is looking to leave their footprint upon the music scene in the U.S.A. They decided to perform at Unfriendly Studios, because it was an album release event for their latest LP, Rush ‘N’ Rule. Matt shot them a few weeks ago in Long Beach and was invited to shoot the event, and brought me along.



Chase the Comet charmed me right away, as soon as they went into their opening number, “Hollywood.” Nika Comet is real sharp on the microphone. She has a sweet, melodic voice that would give Paramore’s Hayley Williams a run for her money. By the way she was singing and dancing up there, I could tell that the stage is where she feels free. Along with guitarist Alexander Mishustov and drummer Elliott Samson, they have the means and talent to bring back alternative rock to its former glory, that it originally achieved in the 1990s. Mishustov has some of real skills with his riffs, giving some of the songs like “Rage Inside” and “Burned Again” a heavy metal texture. Samson is steady and swift on the drums; he relies on simplicity to make to songs sound superb.



The band adds different elements to their alternative sound. With “Happy Baby,” it has a sort of punk rock makeover, while “Enjoy This Rock ‘n’ Roll” has a crunchy blues riff. Nika pens the words to the music, which usually comes from personal experiences she went through in life. For example, in “Happy Baby,” she explains about the days where she was into weed and alcohol, but is blessed to be sober for one year. A milestone she should be proud of. She also had the opportunity to do a solo number with “Isn’t It Time.” The piano was performed by Vasily Pinchuk on Rush ‘N’ Rule, but it was programmed on the laptop. Nika brings emotion and sorrow to her voice, which is very beautiful. Then they went into happy mode with “The Dream Team,” one of Nika’s favorite tunes, and a testament to the band’s chemistry. My favorite was the eerie ode to the legendary musicians who passed on at the age of 27 (Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, etc.), called “The 27 Club.” They ended the night with the alternative anthem, “In Music We Trust.”

Full Chase the Comet slide show below:




Unfriendly Studios was feeling friendly with Chase the Comet. They brought alternative joy to the fans that came to hear their new tunes. After hearing the songs that are featured off the album, I feel that Rush ‘N’ Rules elevates them to new heights. Sanaz has one fine venue to help promote artists/bands like these guys. When I entered, I was thrown by its gothic atmosphere that metal fans can come to appreciate. Nika and her Russian comrades were smart to bring their sound here. They have made Mother Russia very proud. I look forward to seeing what their future brings. To Chase the Comet, I salute you. Horns up!!! - Uncivil Revolt

Remember t.A.T.u? The early-aughts Russian girl group exploded onto the scene with their cover of "All the Things She Said" – and now Infected Rain vocalist Lena Scissorhands is hoping to recreate some of that success with her cover of the famous song. She gets help from Chase The Comet, and their video features them having a pillow fight in bed. So, uhh, happy Valentine's Day.

Lena on the single:
“To the constantly stressed and thoughtful world, we decided to give some love. This song was very powerful when released by t.A.T.u. in 2002 and still is till this day. We had so much fun recording and filming for this cover song but, more so, we wanted to remind the world to remember to love. Love is the solution to so many problems. Make love, be loved and love with all your heart.”


Nika on the duet:
“When Alex suggested to do a cover on the most world-renowned song by a Russian artist, I knew right away it should be a collab with no one else but my friend Lena from INFECTED RAIN. We are both coming from the USSR and speak Russian, so it seems very symbolic. With its message nowadays, this song is as current as ever and we wanted to proclaim the right of every human being to love and be loved cause love is love.” - Metal Injection

‘Chase the Comet’ is an Alternative Rock female-fronted 3-piece band based out of Los Angeles. Nika Comet and Alexander Mishustov came to Los Angeles from Moscow, Russia 2 years ago leaving behind a successful band with the intention to deliver their music to the whole world. After releasing an EP ‘This is MyRockBand’ and after having found a local drummer Elliott Samson they recorded their debut full-length album ‘Rush’N’Rule’ in their home studio and are now getting on their second West Coast tour.
More about the band – https://www.chasethecomet.com/about - Rock'N'Load

Material: The story of Chase the Comet is an interesting one. According to legend (or, in fact, their own online bio), Nika Comet and Alex Mishustov had a band in Moscow called MyRockBand, but they decided to relocate to Los Angeles in search of glitz and glamor, fame and fortune. For now, they’re having to settle with regular gigs at The Pike, the Long Beach bar and restaurant owned by Social Distortion’s Chris Reece, but it’s as good a place to learn your chops and earn your stripes as anywhere. Chase the Comet has a sound that sits somewhere between radio-friendly hard rock and contemporary pop-punk, so on the surface it’s certainly marketable. The big issue is that there are few tunes here that are easy to remember after the set.

Musicianship: Mishustov is a skilled guitarist, able to do the simple things very well when the punkier songs require, but he’s also well capable of a bit of intricate riff-work, or some metal power chords. He also seems to be the guy responsible for the not inconsiderable programming, constantly fiddling with the laptop that sits on stage beside him. Meanwhile, Samson is an impressive powerhouse drummer, generally keeping time (there’s no bass player to complete the rhythm section with him), but allowed a few elaborate flourishes from time to time.

Performance: It’s a strange thing to judge. On one hand, frontwoman Nika Comet (obviously intended to be the center of attention) appears confident and ready to be the rock star that she so clearly wants to be. She’ll writhe and gyrate between lines of lyrics, she’ll engage members of the audience directly, and she’ll move all over the room to distract the attendees who are in fact just there for a beer and some food. On the other, there’s something a little awkward about it all. It’s as if she’s already decided how this whole evening is going to go, and if anything veers off of that path, she’s not sure how to respond. When the sound goes a little wonky (a common occurrence at bar shows), she has a very visible and public fit at Mishustov. Little lesson: nobody needs or wants to see that.

Summary: Chase the Comet is a talented trio and there’s a lot to work with. New single “Hollywood” is probably their best song, and they need a few more that are equally as good. They also need to work on the live show, and bars like The Pike are probably the perfect places to keep learning.

The Players: Nika Comet, vocals; Alex Mishustov, guitar; Elliott Samson, drums. - Music Connection

Four-piece outfit Chase the Comet will be playing its international flavor of grunge and hard rock on Monday at Luckey’s Club, with assistance from local opening band Plushie.

Chase the Comet was formed in 2016 when frontwoman Nika Comet and guitarist Alex Mishustov moved from Moscow to Los Angeles. They play a fast-paced brand of alternative-rock that evokes both Nirvana and late-period Green Day, combined with positive lyricism and hope-filled messages. Their second album ”“Rush N’ Rule” released in 2018.

Plushie are a “grungedelic” rock band from Eugene. The group features a back-to-basics setup that emphasizes the strength of their songwriting and performance chops. Plushie has released a handful of songs online.

The show will start at 10 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 27 at Luckey’s Club, 933 Olive St. Tickets to the 21-and-older show are $5. - The Register-Guard