LunarWay is a relatively new and excellent, female – fronted metal band! They formed in September 2016, in the second largest city of Ukraine, Kharkiv. They released their first album, Eternal Moments, on released December 27, 2024.
The original band lineup consisted of three members: Alina Yermakova, on lead vocals; Serhii Bezzubenko, on guitars, keyboards and piano, as well as all of the programming and orchestrations; and Dmytro Volokhov, on drums. A few months later, Serhii Balashov joined the band as the bassist. In 2020, Serhii Balashov left the band, and Ernest Dashevskyi took over as bass and lead guitarist.
LunarWay has performed at various gigs in their home city, Kharkiv, as well as in Dnipro. Notably, they also performed as a supporting act for Dero Goi’ s concert in Kharkiv.
Their supreme playing and electric sound begins with the album opener “Eternity” and never lets up until the closer, “After the Sunset”. After a very mysterious and spacey electric keyboard serenade, the electric guitars and drum pounding begins! But not monotonous chaos. No, this is crystal clear music with melody and an ‘excited to be alive’ beat. Then, we hear Alina’s first vocals, “We wake up. To the bird singing. In the rays of the shining sun. Every day. Is given to us. To live and living out a dream to run. All that we see all what we live for. One day will turn into ashes cleared by the wind. As the wandering flow is eternal as the world”.
Imagine this music being developed during wartime, and while their country is being torn apart by Russian bombs overhead each night. All the more powerful to remember and understand, while we hear Alina sing about making the most out of life; while the atrocities we watched on the news, were taking place. She sings, “We’re endlessly in search for our destiny. Touch the eternity, hear this call. Feel this song that nature sings to us all. Exploring this world is so infinitely. It is all worth to feel this eternity. We are the travelers. Our homes are behind. And the world lies beneath our feet. Our way’s so far. Life’s the only one. And we still have a lot to see. All that we love, all that we lose. Pushes us to keep moving forward. All the cherished dreams are eternal as time. We’re wandering in this world not alone. Touch the eternity! It is all worth to feel this eternity Touch the eternity, hear this call, Feel this song that nature sings to us all Exploring this world is so infinitely!” Give them an A, for their ability to see through the fire, and to be capable of writing such stirring music and lyrics, despite all that has happened in the Ukraine. What a powerful people and band!
“Streams of Time”, opens with cool, clock-like keyboard sounds. Then, the guitars, full keyboards and drums fill the soundscape. Alina sings, “Silver way, eternal wanderer. Of moonlight, the dreamy free traveler. Lonely road, the fires near lonely lakes. Warm touch of the evening feels like embrace. Great landscapes that fascinate with a glance”. Makes you want to book a vacation to the Ukraine, when that vicious war ends. Alina’s voice is so clear and she delivers the lyrics with powerful emotion and exhilaration. You don’t really need a lyric sheet. She sings, “Constellations that move in a slow dance. The only thing I still wish is just to see. How this night rejoices my fantasy. Through the streams of time we will find the ways. That will lead us to our brightest days. Magic music will play the childhood’s sound. And the silver moon will guide us around. So dear memories return each summer night. Bringing happiness into our lives!” Imaging being happy again. Oh how this nation wants to celebrate peace so bad. You can feel it in this wonderful music. Over 5 minutes of pure fantasy and persuasion. Alina is singing for a nation that needs to hear about bountiful beauty and endless expanses of inspiration.
“Wandering ‘Cross the Sea”, is another of my favorite songs on the album. It opens with powerful drums, keyboards and excellent guitar. The piano playing is superb, and all of the keyboards on this album give, none other than, Jordan Rudess, a real run for his money for keyboards of the year. This song has a real Eastern vibe to it. Alina, sings, “A stormy sea and a lonely ship. Which was carried by the waves to the shores. Sands sing their songs. Under the cover of night. Eastern sun has gone down. And just the heat of flickering fires. Lifts the flames up to the sky. To Orion and Perseus. Wandering ‘cross the sea in the search of mystery. That’s hiding in uncharted depths. Disappearing in the waves. Breaking against inaccessible cliffs. Of the ancient town ruins. The sea is calling for us to start the long way. Through the lost lands of slumber. Where we will meet the new dawn!” In the middle of the song, Alina gives us beautiful sirens vocals. It is absolutely amazing. The eastern string sounds mixed so well with the electric guitar, drums and orchestration, and it is unforgettable!
“Stellar Way”, opens with ripping electric guitar licks, unlike the first three songs, which opened with keyboards. Alina returns, after the guitar and drum stampede, to sing, “The star fell from the sky. Trying to fly around the globe. The streams of the bright rays. Going upwards and racing along the stellar way. The sleep that shifts you into another world. Where you can touch the stars with your hands. We are in a constant movement in space. We fly through the stardust; we fly through the time. Later she sings more great lyrics, “The last teardrop will fall. While we are in outer space alone. When every single day turns into survival. And when it seems there’s no way out. Just release your soul”. Yeah, I have recently, rethought about all the glamour depicted in sci-fi films of outer space, after Captain Kirk/William Shatner himself, came back from space and delivered the real feel of actually being there.
“The Journey”, is another of my favorite songs on the album. It opens with energetic flute playing, along with wonderful piano. Then, the speed drumming takes off with electric guitar and massive theatrical orchestration. Alina sings, “Liberate yourself from this burden. Unleash your dreams and fly. The whole world is opened for you. Floating on the waves and an endless sky”. Uilleann pipes, flutes and the immense soundscape of orchestration will fuel your imagination, for liftoff. So well performed and enriching. Alina sings the positive lyrics, full of spiritual energy, “Your way lies ahead. No matter where you’ve fled. Receive this world. And your voice will be heard. Feel this freedom fully. And lose yourself in clouds. Let’s meet these endless seas. And meet these passing winds. The silence of lonely mountains. Where time is lost. Here you will find peace in your soul. No matter where you’ve fled. Receive this world. And your voice will be heard. Feel this freedom fully!” Wow, what epic lyrical content.
“Under the Serene Firmament”, may be the best song on the album. An instrumental extravaganza indeed! African drums, keyboard melodies and a soundscape full off cinematic orchestrations, like travelling throughout the world within a song. Absolutely magical. Better than any Disney adventure or film soundtrack.
“The Voice of Universe”, is another great song off this album full of greatest hits. Alina sings, after a powerful drum and electric guitar opening, “The sun goes down behind the fields. And twilight falls on the trees. The soaring silence and calmness. Are luring to escape from loneliness. I hear it in my soul. Through the stars and galaxies. And through the whole world I hear the voice of universe. It’s inside us all. Like an unearthly fantasy. The voice of an endless universe. What hides in the depths of the space”. Such impressive lyrics and thoughts beyond the bounds of our existence. This music is charged with electricity and energy.
“My Home is There Where You Are”, opens with perfectly played soft piano and chimes. Alina’s voice reaches higher notes to accompany the high level of thought in these lyrics. She sings, “The warmth of the evening sun. Within November’s cold and falling leaves. These rays illuminate the walls. That became strange to me. I felt like home only there where you were. I felt lost among the thousands of roads. But I always wanted to be there where you were. Days go by and I still love. I just want to be there where you are”. A wonderful love song full of passion and feeling, and some of the best background music on the album.
“Lost in Memories”, struts out front with powerful drums, electric guitars and icicle like keyboards. The melody builds as the song takes off. Alina sings, “Again I see night city lights, the sunset burns. That time is somewhere far away, it will not return. If only I could return it all back now I would be closer. I would open you for myself more than before. Falling down from own self-deception. Only in you I found my insight. You have become my salvation. As a pure angelic light. Only the heaven sees my redemption. For everything I didn’t take for the truth. Everything that’s before and after. Now’s associated only with you. Years went by, but these walls still remind me about those days. This music, these streets and the way home in the evening”.
“Crossing All Way”, opens with choirs and that speed drumming, coupled with orchestration, keyboards and electric guitar. Alina sings, “One day the walls of time will fall. The cry of all souls will calm the new dawn. And everyone will find their true way. By getting rid of suffering. We’ve lied to ourselves for too long. And the truth was so close. It cried to us and gave us a chance. But we turned away from it. We want to go higher. And reach the stars. Holdin’ in our hearts desire. And hope in our eyes. Right to the life we admire. We broke illusion’s chain. We burnt the past in fire. The mist dispersed in front of our eyes. And it was painful to realize. The key is never to give up. And we will see the hope’s light!” Then, I think she confronts the war that has torn apart her country directly, “We broke illusion’s chain. We burnt the past in fire. But it raised again. Through the storms and waves to the serene oceans. Through the mournful doom we’ll find the way to freedom!” She caps it with these powerful lyrics, “We want to go higher. And reach the stars. Holdin’ in our hearts desire. And hope in our eyes. Right to the life we admire!” Ukrainians are very tough and hopeful people and Alina captures all of it within these lyrics.
“Forever In My Heart”, is the longest and best song on the album. It is an amazing epic song that should fill your heart with empathy and love, if there is any room left, after all of this great album has had to offer. The song starts with wonderful, striking piano notes with soft orchestration supporting. Soft guitar work is added and even more wonderful keyboard sounds to fill every inch of the soundscape with exotic music. Alina sings, “The silent night came down to earth. Winds abated finding their rebirth. There’s loneliness around me. Among these stars which I see. Days by days pass me by again. Making me feel my old pain. Uncovering my lonely dreams. Of the soul that longs for tears. I will never forget how time. Through smiles and tears, ups and downs. Everything’s destined to come true. In the eternal light of cold stars”. Alina sings, for all of us, “The ocean under the serene moonlight. That hears everyone’s cry. Wants to heal the world’s wounds. By turning clouds into stars!” More wonderful and thoughtful piano solo instrumentals with strings and orchestration accompanying. Simply beautiful, beyond belief. You have to hear this to understand. Alina closes this epic with, “Every day I dream that my way. Will once reach eternal stars!” Over 10 minutes of elegant and enchanting symphonic, metal music.
“After the Sunset”, is the album closer. I would have let the last song be the closer. But, this is a good song full of closing lyrics that sum up the feeling of fighting on, past the things that may distract or shield us from what we really desire. This song opens with powerful guitars and drums. Alina sings, “Wandering into the night. Escaping from all the thoughts and bustle. Alone with our dreams. Alone with the silence. Take my hand and don’t let go. Feel the light touch of the wind. Within this reigning calmness. There’s only you and me. After the sunset everything freezes. The earth starts talking with the sky. We’d walk with you around till the dawn. Without looking away from the sky”.
LunarWay’s Eternal Moments, is an amazing album for five very strong reasons:
- Absolutely incredible musical production work – the sound of all instruments and vocals is so crisp and will sound eternally new, each time you play it!
- Alina Yermakova’s lead vocals are so clear and crisp. No need for screaming or growling. She has one of the best voices I have heard this year! Her lyrics are also poignant and well written. No need for a lyrics sheet here.
- The keyboards, piano and symphonic, atmospheric, programming and orchestration, from Serhii Bezzubenko, will probably win and award from me at the end of this year. He really lays down the gauntlet for all albums in this genre.
- The electric lead and bass guitarwork from Ernest Dashevskyi is elite level playing and sounds like some of your favorite metal heroes.
- The drums from Dmytro Volokhov, are well syncopated and deliver a fantastic punch throughout this 12 track album.
In other words, and to keep the long story short…this band is ready for PRIME TIME….NOW!
Please get LunarWay’s “Eternal Moments”, and enjoy every moment of this epic album from the warm people of Ukraine, as a gift for the rest of the world. Please support LunarWay, and at the same time enjoy some eternal moments from one of the best symphonic metal albums I’ve heard this year!
Album Track List:
- Eternity – 4:23
- Streams of Time – 5:06
- Wandering ‘Cross the Sea – 5:36
- Stellar Way – 5:14
- The Journey – 5:23
- Under the Serene Firmament – 4:18
- The Voice of Universe – 4:42
- My Home is There Where You Are 5:40
- Lost in Memories – 5:51
- Crossing All Way – 6:17
- Forever In My Heart – 10:51
- After the Sunset – 4:39
Band Website and Social Media Links:
https://lunarway.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-moments
https://open.spotify.com/album/4mL1AAKLztw64KuTl0fkcr#login
https://www.deezer.com/us/album/684759001
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lunarway