ЦИТАТА(BuckSatanII @ Mar 2 2021, 17:04:47)
I mean, I heard Drudkh's "Blood In Our Wells" a few years ago and thought it was awesome. So at least I can name one former-Soviet band that became very well known in global metal circles ...
Fine! I think you should try other well-known ukrainian bands, first of all, Nokturnal Mortum, Lucifugum, Hate Forest, then Astrofaes, Khors, Thunderkraft, Лютомысл (Lutomysl), Runes Of Dianceht, Anthropolatri, Munruthel, Сокира Перуна (Sokyra Peruna, Perun’s Axe), Anthro Halaust, Dub Buk, Евроклідон (Evroklidon), Лють (Lut'), Gjallarhorn, Ildverden, Kladovest, Moloch, Myrkvids Draumar, Semargl, Vermis Mysteriis, Коса (Kosa).
As for russian black metal, Blazebirth Hall's bands should be mentioned: Forest, Branikald, Nitberg, Vargleide, Велимор (Velimor). Also bands from Murmansk: Old Wainds, Мор (Mor) (don't confuse with other bands with the same title!), Навь (Nav'), Stielas Storhett. And many other known (and not known) black metal bands, e.g.: Ashen Light, Black Countess, Eternal Sin, Grom, Rossomahaar, T.H.R.O.N., Arcane Grail, Azeroth, Bloodrain, Cyber Baphomet, Iratus Dominus, Lunatii, Merknet, Stigmatic Chorus, Subdued, Therm.Eye.Flame, Wackhanalija, Икотка (Ikotka), Чёрные Озёра (Black Lakes), Nebelwerfer.
ЦИТАТА(BuckSatanII @ Mar 2 2021, 17:04:47)
I like most genres, but heavy is best - death, black, blackened death etc. I'm not super picky as long as it is GOOD.
I suppose you have to listen many bands as tastes differ.
But at least you have to start from: Круиз (works of late 80s only!), Ария (better works of 80s), Мастер, Коррозия Металла (first albums only), Железный Поток, Паранойя, Валкирия, Shah, Чёрный Кофе, Скорая Помощь, Аспид.
Also there are (mostly "were", not "are") such outstanding bands as Gods Tower, Vicious Crusade, Scald, Butterfly Temple, Satarial, Alkonost, Во Скорбях, Emerald Night, Necrocannibal, Mental Home, Stonehenge, Saints Everlasting Rest, Rakoth, Ens Cogitans, Вой (funeral doom recorded in 1990), Русская Зима (Russian Winter, musically close to Winter, but recorded in 1989!). Many other titles can also be mentioned.
ЦИТАТА(BuckSatanII @ Mar 2 2021, 17:04:47)
Awesome reply, thanks. This is really my intention, two questions - what are the best Russian metal bands, why haven't I (or anybody I know) heard of them, and are they actually great bands that never came into the public metal consciousness of the West because they're Russian, or are they just nothing special compared to the thousands of existing bands that the "decadent West" has coughed up for decades.
Many russian bands are well-known in the "first" world, e.g. Scald, Grenouer, Аркона, Ария, Rakoth, Satarial.
As for less-known, there are many reasons.
First of all, of course, as everywhere in the world, many bands play good music but have nothing outstanding. So most russian bands as well as, say, most brazilian bands are less-known.
Then most russian bands are amateur and thus touring it's just a kind of vacation, but not a kind of job, so foreign tours are complicated and expensive for non-promoted band. But without promotion any band will be relatively unknown. Also crossing borders with musical instruments, CDs and merch is both technically and juridically complicated (this is Russia, yes!).
The third reason are russian labels. Underground labels have no money to make wide promotion sending promos to hundreds of zines worldwide, bloggers, radios, etc. Major russian labels act only on inner market (as officical export of any russian goods for any business except biggest crude companies is extemely complicated).
Anyway, try to find samples (many albums and songs can be found at youtube), listen, perhaps you find something really worth:
https://www.metal-archives.com/lists/RU