Mechanical Poet

Lore & Background

Mechanical Poet was founded in 2002 as a studio project by ex-members of Russian avantgarde act Glazemaker: Lex Plotnikoff and Tom Tokmakoff. After early lineup changes, including the departure of original singer Sebastian Trifonoff and the arrival of Epidemia frontman Max Samosvat, the band released its first EP, Handmade Essence, in 2003. They signed with Italian label Aural Music and released their debut album Woodland Prattlers in 2005. The original trio split in 2005 due to artistic disagreements.

In 2006, a new lineup formed with singer Jerry Lenin, drummer Vladimir Ermakoff, and bassist Serge Khlebnikoff. This incarnation performed the band's first live show on April 7, 2007, at Plan B Club in Moscow and released Creepy Tales For Freaky Children in 2006, which featured simpler arrangements and Russian-language bonus tracks. Later that year, they released the double concept album Who Did It To Michelle Waters?, followed in 2008 by Eidoline: the Arrakeen Code, based on Frank Herbert's Dune series, with new vocalist Vladimir Nasonoff.

The band played its last show on June 7, 2009, with ex-singers Max Samosvat and Jerry Lenin, then went on indefinite hiatus. Plotnikoff continued releasing music under aliases such as Hattifatteners, Luna Damien, and Woodland Prattlers until his death in 2022. A planned 2017 album, The Midnight Carol That an Imp Has Sought, was delayed indefinitely due to Plotnikoff's health problems.

Reader's Guide

Mechanical Poet occupies a distinctive niche in Russian progressive metal, blending symphonic orchestration with heavy riffs and narrative concept albums. Their work, particularly Eidoline: the Arrakeen Code, earned critical acclaim from Russian media, with Mir Fantastiki rating it 9/10 and naming it the best sci-fi/fantasy concept album of 2008. The band's shift toward a post-prog sound on Creepy Tales For Freaky Children divided their metal fanbase but attracted punk and alternative rock audiences. Despite disbanding in 2009, the band's legacy continued through Plotnikoff's side projects, which explored similar fantastical themes. Their discography remains a reference point for fans of story-driven progressive metal with cinematic influences.

Did You Know?

• Mechanical Poet's album Eidoline: the Arrakeen Code was based on Frank Herbert's Dune series.
• The band's first live show was on April 7, 2007, at Plan B Club in Moscow.
• Lex Plotnikoff continued releasing music under aliases like Hattifatteners and Luna Damien after the band's hiatus.
• The album Creepy Tales For Freaky Children included bonus tracks in Russian, the band's first songs in that language.