MAUZER

MAUZER today is the most popular band in Belarus which belongs to the alternative trend in heavy music. The band members themselves define their style as pop-metal. MAUZER means modern low-drive guitar sound, greatly varied vocal styles ranging from whisper to melodic singing, anguished cry and outbreaks of hysteria, straightforward and profound lyrics presented in an expressive and melodious manner at the same time.

The band is stunning, they charm, they make everyone on the dance floor deeply amazed, they reduce the audience to tears and then make everybody feel happy. MAUZER musicians can cheat neither when on the stage nor in life. That is why the band is considered to be a scandal. That is why MAUZER, which has existed for 5 years only, has a status of a cult group in their mother country.

MAUZER was formed in 2002. They played their first concert in September 2003. Until 2005 the band’s life was slack and not at all remarkable — the musicians have sought their style and sound.

Everything changed in the summer of 2005 when the unheard-of MAUZER became the laureate of the main Belarusian rock festival “Basoviszcza”. The prize for that victory was a possibility to record an album in the sound recording studio “Rembrandt” in Poland. Thus they put an end to their being unknown.

In December 2005 MAUZER became the laureate of another Belarusian rock festival — “Rock-kola”(The Rock Wheel). The press called the band “the new HEROES of Belarusian rock", "the leaders of the new wave Belarusian MUSIC". MAUZER was awarded the Belarusian Rock-Crown in the nomination “Debut of the Year - 2005”.

In February 2006 the band had the guitars and the drums recorded for their debut album in the Polish studio "Rembrandt". They continued to work at the album back in Belarus in Mogilev studio "B.S.S.R_recordz". The recording of the bass, vocals, electronic effects, bringing the tracks together and mastering continued till the beginning of October.

In the period from January to June MAUZER gave a number of concerts in music clubs of Belarus, Russia, Poland and Lithuania. In July 2006 MAUZER performed at "Basoviszcza” as one of the guest groups. According to numerous opinions, the band’s performance was the brightest at the festival.

In August 2006 MAUZER took part in an open-air concert in the centre of Minsk. During the band’s performance there were 10 thousand spectators in front of the stage.

In September 2006 MAUZER were invited to play at “The Jeans Fest" in Minsk. But just before the band came out onto the stage, electricity supply was cut off. The band’s leader Jan still advanced on the stage and, using a megaphone, started to recite the first lines of the song "Belarus budze vol’nai" (Belarus will be free), which was joined in a refrain by thousands of spectators.

At the "Rock-Coronation 2006" the band’s leader Jan Mauzer was awarded the rock-crown in the nomination “Performer of the Year”.

The debut album of the band “Ràdast’” (Happiness) was issued on December 25, 2006 under the Belarusian label "BMA". The disc received numerous favourable reviews. Musical critics think that besides sound and composition innovations MAUZER managed to create a conceptual and complete work and to depict the neglectful character of nowadays young people. So far “Radast’” has been one of the five best sold Belarusian albums.

In June 2007 the band performed on the main stage of Russian rock festival “VOZDUH” (The Air), which is one of the biggest in Russia. A month later, in July, MAUZER were honoured to play as the headliner band on the final day at "Basoviszcza” festival.

The songs "Brudnaya vada" (Dirty Water), "Belarus budze vol’nai" (Belarus will be free), "Kalyhanka" (Lullaby) have become the top hits in the only Belarusian Internet hit parade "Diuzhina hitov" (A dozen hits).

This is what the prominent Belarusian critic Vitovt Martynenko said about the two MAUZER’s songs being both on the list of the hit parade at the same time:

"These two positions of MAUZER in the hit parade are utterly logical, for the band have become the total music news in today’s Belarus: you can hear about them in the programs of any independent radio station you tune to in Belarus; you can hear the heroes of the March Belarusian opposition action on “Radio Freedom” call them their idols, you can listen to their interview on “Ratsiya", you can listen to their new song on “Radio Polonia". I must admit - their "Brudnaya vada" on the disc “Pesni Svabody” (Songs of Freedom) ticked me not immediately, but in the course of time. And it was a deep feeling! It was in December at the last festival “Rock-Kola” that I noticed that just listening to the band’s playing is not enough; you should also watch them. Their image is striking. It’s like Picasso’s painting on the stage! And they sound nearly like Bach! Well, and later they created their masterpiece (the song “Belarus will be free”) – just think for yourselves how clear t