Arhangel 1

This article is about the debut album of the Macedonian cult rock group "Arhangel." It was made and released in the years when the Republic of Macedonia was gaining independence, and it was the album that showed the Macedonian language was perfectly suitable for rock’n’roll lyrics (taking in consideration that the Serbian language was dominant in the music industry of the former state of Yugoslavia). Risto Vrtev, Arhangel’s leader, and principal songwriter, instantly became a legend among the alternative and underground audiences. In the years to come, they will become the biggest rock act of the nineties in Macedonia, and manage to have a cult following in other parts of former Yugoslavia (Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, etc.). This album is the model for all Arhangel releases to come: great riffs and bass lines, raw and clean sound, good melodies and excellent lyrics. These, as well as the songs from the other releases, remain legendary, with audiences of thousands singing them regularly at Arhangel concerts.

Arhangel were formed in 1989 with the original line-up of Panta Džambazoski, Risto Vrtev, Dragan Ginovski and Dejan Argirovski. Panta and Dejan were soon replaced by Mite Dimovski on drums and Petar Jankov on bass, completing the lineup that would record ‘Arhangel 1’. The album instantly became popular with its hard-driven riffs, complemented with inventive melodies, and lyrics focusing on the country's political and cultural changes during the 1990s. It reflected the needs and attitudes of the youth at that time, reviving the trust in the quality of the Macedonian alternative scene, which somehow laid hidden in the shadows of the mainstream music forced by the media. Even without understanding the lyrics, which are in Macedonian, one could feel the vibes and energy coming from the band. Enjoy!