Accent (band)


Accent is Belarusian heavy metal band from the city of Minsk. The band played an important role in the development of contemporary music in Belarus.

Early years (1986–1988)

Accent was founded in 1986 by Michael Brusovanik, former guitarist of Belarusian hard rock band Отражение, and Andrey Hmelnitsky. Accent's professional career began, when the band was invited to play at one of the first rock festivals in Minsk. Following the festival, the band received a national recognition, a recording deal from the Belarus Radio Recording and an employment contract with Philarmony of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts Minsk Institute of Culture.
Songs of the band were often played on TV and radio. The band participated in hard rock festivals and has been considered de facto leader of the Belarusian rock music. Songs Actor, Fathers and Sons as well as a song by Anna Kozlova 'Спачатку' with vocals recorded by Julia Skorohod, member of Verasy, climbed to the top of the belorussian hit-parade.
In 1988, when the band was on top of success, Sergey Makljak left. Vladimir Kosonogov joined Victor Naumik and Igor Grib in Kvinta, the band of a similar style-a laureate of festivals in Novopolotsk and Minsk; Hmelnitskiy joined band Magistrat. Guitarist Victor Smolsky and drummer were temporarily conscripted to keep Accent alive for a participation in the rock festival in Mogilev.

Orientir period (1988–1989)

After about half a year Kvinta and Accent united under the name of Accent.
The new Accent participated in rock festivals in Russia, France and Czechoslovakia and toured in Belarus and Russia, including concerts with a Finnish group Zero Nine. In 1989 Accent recorded its second album in the recording studio of Alex Gerasimovich.
In 1991 Michael Brusovanik, moved to the United States, Victor Naumik and Gavrilenko joined Anatoly Horback in Ruble Zone and the band ceased its activity.

Hiatus, reunion and the future

Victor Naumik and Gavrila reunited the band in 1997, released its third album in Mozyr, Belarus, in the studio of the band Отражение. Accent toured and participated in rock festivals in Poland, where in 1998 group released its last album 'Rock Ballads'.
2007-2008 saw a short commemorative reunion tour. The final show was held in Minsk, Belarus.
In 2014 the band reunited to work on its fifth album.

Band members

1986–1988
1988
1989–1991
1997, 2007-2008
2017- Now