Lithuanian heavy metal band, formed in 1986, in Vilnius, Lithuania. In the beginning, Iron Maiden was a big influence on the band's playing style
The first composition of the Cathedral consisted of three musicians: Ričardas Laginauskas - guitar, Algimantas Radavičius - bass and Marius Giedrys - drums. Later, the former Foje guitarist Romas Rainys and the still unknown vocalist Povilas Meškėla joined the band. 1986 December became the official date of birth of the group "Katedra".
Since its formation, the collective has performed a lot on Lithuanian stages and was soon invited to many festivals abroad[source required]. 1989 recorded the debut album "Mors Ultima Ratio", which appeared in stores only a year later, but was quickly sold. It soon received recognition from foreign critics as well: a description of the band with a photo appeared in the cult publication Metal Hammer[source required].
Retreating into the shadows
Paul and Rome leave the cathedral. The group is not looking for a replacement: Ričardas takes over the duties of the vocalist. The rest of the lineup recorded the album "Natus in Articulo Mortis", the music became stricter, Richard's vocals moved the Cathedral sound away from standard clichés. The trio performed a lot and played on Lithuanian radio stations.
Later, the concert activity stopped for some time. Although the trio continued to compose and rehearse, the band's name was almost forgotten. The generation was changing, new names appeared in the "metal" scene. In the summer of 2001, the Cathedral was invited to play an acoustic concert on national television. The band relied on their own strength, playing live as a trio without guest musicians.
Since 2003 keyboardist Naglis Patamsis helped the group. Musicians tried to experiment more. 2003 In autumn, long-time member Marius left the "Cathedral". He was replaced by a new drummer, Domas Dėdinas, who played in the bands Inquest, Undertaker, Dahmer, Misopsychia and Heros Gamos.
After a successful performance at the biggest Lithuanian rock festival "Roko naktys 2004" in Plateliai, the group began to be supervised by managers: several concert programs were prepared, which were successfully shown on the stages of Lithuanian music clubs, as well as at several foreign festivals.