The Soviet and Russian rock band 'Krematoriy' was formed in 1983 in Moscow. The band's long-standing leader, as well as the author of its music and lyrics, is Armen Grigoryan. The band's name came about back in his student years and over time became a symbol of a special, existential kind of poetry that set 'Krematoriy' apart from other bands.

Key albums and contribution to the rock scene

The first acoustic album, 'Wine Memoirs,' was recorded by Grigoryan and Viktor Troegubov in 1983; many of its tracks became hits and were later frequently re-arranged. In 1986, the band switched to an electric sound, released the album 'Illusory World,' and joined the Moscow Rock Laboratory. The real breakthrough came in 1988 with the release of the album 'Coma' ('Garbage Wind,' 'Ugly Elsa,' 'Resuscitation Machine,' 'Kondratiy'), after which 'Krematoriy' took its place among the headliners of Soviet rock. In 1989, the first vinyl compilation 'Alive and Dead' was released, followed in 1991 by the conceptual album 'Zombie'.