History
The name of the metal band ABAX is derived from the Latin word „abaxialis“, meaning, „diverting from the axe, nonconformist, extraordinary“. It makes perfect sense within in the world of Hard'n'Heavy, since the word „abax“ was chosen to name a family of predators from the realm of insects. The beginnings of the band go back to 1986, when first ideas were formed in pubs in Holešovice (Prague 7), namely in the heads of the founding members David Votruba (Libový Tukan band) and Martin Linhart (Wanastovy Vjecy and V3S bands). ABAX saw the light of day in the rehearsing room at the university dorm in Jižní město (Prague 10). The original cast was complemented by Pavel Pechánek and Jiří Pergl. The last member to join was the singer Petr Varhaník.
The band experienced their baptism by fire at the Prague festival „Death Metal Session“. Thanks to not very suitable sound conditions, a review appears in the national daily, describing ABAX as a „sound wall“. However, the whole band is proud of the wording. In order to achieve a more dense, metal sound and since a keyboard doesn't fit into the increasingly sharper metal sound, Jirka Pergl leaves the band in 1988 and ABAX search for a second guitar player. Finally, an old warhorse joins in - Rudolf Rožďalovský, the founding member of ARAKAIN and a long-term guitar player in ORIENT.
ABAX concentrate exclusively on their own songs; in the course of 1989, the material for the first demo, To Tame the Sun, is created. Like in the case of all other future demos, its quality corresponds with the nature of the then home studios. ABAX starts to tour around festivals, concerts and festivities. In 1990, they are offered to take part in recording the sample DEATH METAL SESSION CD, where they present themselves with the song Noční fantazie (Overkill) (Night Phantasy (Overkill)) next to bands like TÖRR, ROOT, MORIORR and BRIAN. The CD is published by Direkt records in 1991.
Shortly after that, the bass player changes: Pavel Pechánek is substituted by another ex-member of Orient, Jindřich Pavlišta. ABAX release their second demo Divadlo vášně (The Theatre of Rage) , and continue giving concerts and playing at festivity shows all over the country.
The end of 1991 looks like a milestone for ABAX, since its two veterans, Pavlišta and Rožďalovský leave the band. ABAX decide to rejuvenate the band, rough up the so far refined metal and spice it up with a healthy dosage of thrash. The young blood is supposed to help that. The new guitar player is now Miroslav Major and Petr Víšek (F.D.K.) plays the bass. The new cast doesn't last very long and after a year, the founding drummer, Martin Linhart, leaves the band for family reasons. He is substituted by Láďa Korenda on the third demo called Noční přízrak (Night Phantom). To complete the changes, Mirek Major leaves the band after the recording session, and shortly after him Petr Varhaník leaves as well, as he doesn't agree with the change in style that ABAX is to pursue in the future. The three-member band now leaves speed and heavy and plays metal influenced by funk and grunge. ABAX gets into the finals of the Marlboro Rock-in contest with their fourth demo. After that, they record their first LP called Bůh je ufoun (God is an ET) with Duna records, but because of the publishers' financial problems it never is finished or published. The band suffers a heavy blow, even though after a new guitar player Aleš Kadeřábek (PROJEKT Parabelum, Anarchuz) joins in, it produces a fairly successful fifth demo called Na jehlách (On Nettles). After its broadcast on Radio 1, the band terminates its activities within a year.
Worth mentioning is also David's successful cooperation with the band Alkehol. He helps with backing vocals on their album S úsměvem se pije líp (Smiling Makes Drinking Easier) (1993), as well as on the next one, Alkeholism (1994). The band Kryptor also appreciate David's abilities by publishing several of his lyrics set to music on their albums.
The new history of ABAX begins only in 2004, when David and Martin realize their first attempt at resurrection, but twelve years is not a fortnight, and so opinions have diverted in the course of time. Ruda Rožďalovský is still an excellent guitar player, but has caught rather a blues and classic hardrock drift and after a few weeks of taking great, but futile pains to make it work, the band falls asleep again.
Repetition is the catalyst of wisdom, and so David and Martin attempt the nearly impossible again in the fall of 2005. They start rehearsing older songs and some newer motives. Petr Varhaník, the band's first singer, who has been a great support to the JUDAS PRIEST REVIVALband for several years, returns to sing again with ABAX. The band is wonderfully complemented by the only new member, the bass player Tomáš Marhold (Areola, Tyfus), undoubtedly the best player of all who came to audition. (The original bass player, Pavel Pechánek, now employed as a high government official, was never asked back, just to make sure.) ABAX starts to rehearse and create at full blast. The new ABAX can now divert from its main heavy metal and speed sound and peep into the melting pot of modern sound as well.
Fate has its say again and the resurrected band must immediately find a new singer. The hunt is successful and David Roubal is at the microphone at the beginning of spring, 2007, and the band completes the new program.
Having been with the band for almost two years, David Roubal suddenly decided to leave. Unfortunately, the precise reasons behind his decision remain unknown to us. He simply failed to show up one day and we haven't heard from him ever since. Luckily, this event didn't break ABAX's back although the end of the band's existence was pretty close.
On recommendation from Randy from Dr. Triceratops, Honza Hlavatý (ex D.N.A. member) has been practicing and singing with the band since November 2008 and our co-operation
seems to be working very well. Let's see whether this formation will finally last...
Keep your fingers crossed for us, we'll keep ours crossed too.
We put our new songs next to the refreshed old ones and look forward to seeing you at our shows!
LET´S MAKE THE METAL
LET´S MAKE THE NOISE
Yours, ABAX
