Katedra

heavy metal

The history of KATEDRA, one of the long-living Lithuanian Heavy Metal bands nowadays, started in early 1986. The five members act, consisting of Povilas Meškėla (vocals), Ričardas Laginauskas and Romas Rainys (both guitar players), Algis Radavičius (bass) and Marius Giedrys (drums) started with heavy metal that was in some kind of rise then. KATEDRA had a lot of live shows both in local events and abroad from the very beginning. The band performed in such well-known festivals as “Lituanica’88 and ‘89“ (Vilnius), „Rock Panorama“ (Moscow), „Rock Summer“ and „Rock Winter“ (Tallinn), „Liepajas Dzintars’88 and ‘89“ (Latvia), „Sopot“ (Poland), „Ilosaari Pop“ (Finland). The debut vinyl “Mors Ultima Ratio” was recorded at that period. Despite the fact that the product saw the daylight only at the end of 1990, the interest of metalheads was huge – all in all the vinyl was sold during two weeks. The band was not only noticed abroad but also received recognition and acceptance here. “Metal Hammer” (1989, issue 11) proclaimed: “that is pure thrash metal act, strong both musically and technically. In fact the formation is superior in comparison with 90 percent of similar Western acts. So it is evident how far the music in Lithuania made headway”. Edgar Klusener continued: “KATEDRA are the only matadors in Lithuania and maybe stand among the hottest European thrash metal bands”. The peak of the band’s activity was reached when g...