Russia, Moscow
Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal, Experimental Metal

Formed in Moscow in 2002, now Mechanical Poet is considered to be the most important Russian post-prog metal act (in the past the band played symphonic progressive metal stuff). They have never tried to follow the trends and the fashion. They have always been breaking the rules mixing the elements of different styles like heavy metal, progressive metal, alternative, punk, hardcore, gothic and symphonic music. The band creates experimental but easy-listening stuff with original orchestral and electronic arrangements. All the albums have their original conception, the lyrics are written in English. The band led by its mastermind Lex Plotnikoff changes its line-up from album to album, always adding the fresh blood and it gives more opportunities to create this outstanding music.

Mechanical Poet was founded in 2002 by the former members of Russian vanguard act Glazemaker Lex Plotnikoff, Tom Tokmakoff and Sebastian Trifonoff and at first it was only a studio project. For a few years the musicians were trying to create their original sound, a mixture between melodic metal with progressive metal riffs and symphonic metal orchestrations using electronic instruments. In 2003 Sebastian Trifonoff left the band and soon he was replaced by EPIDEMIA’s frontman Max Samosvat. With the new singer the band released its first EP, “Handmade Essence” and soon Mechanical Poet received several offers from various companies. Finally the record deal with Italian label Aural Music was signed. The debut album “Woodland Prattlers” was released in 2004 by Aural Music (and later by CD-Maximum in Russia and CIS). Although the album was selling good, the union of Plotnikoff, Tokmakoff and Samosvat split up in 2005 due to artistic disagreements.

The real story of Mechanical Poet as a regular band started when the guitar player Lex Plotnikoff met the drummer Vladimir Ermakoff (also the old cult Russian rock metal band BLACK OBELISK) in 2006. The singer Jerry Lenin (ex-Tarakany, Lady’s Man) and the bass player Sergei Khlebnikoff joined them soon. With this line-up the band ceased to be only a studio project and started to make their live shows. This line-up released the third album “Creepy Tales For Freaky Children” (with Epidemia’s bass player Ivan Izotov). The album became simpler from the arrangements point of view but was more of post-prog sound. After the release of the album, Sergei Khlebnikov left Mechanical Poet.

In 2007 the band released another concept album “Who Did It To Michelle Waters?”. A double album was telling a story about a suicide of a girl and the circumstances that led her to do that. The bass session player on the album was Daniil Zacharenkov (also a member of Black Obelisk).
In 2008 the band presented its new vocalist Vladimir Nasonoff. The next concept album “Eidoline: the Arrakeen Code” based on Frank Herbert’s Dune Universe soon was released. That same year Mechanical Poet released the maxi-single “Ghouls”.