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Never the ones to sacrifice credibility for the sake of commercial success, Siela is Lithuania's best known and most respected gothic rock band. Formed in 1990 by singer/songwriter Aurelijus Sirgedas, the band gained cult popularity with two self-released albums but reached wider audience in 1993 due to interest generated by Juodo opiumo žemė record (which featured Lithuania's most famous rock musician Andrius Mamontovas on keyboards). Strongly influenced by Russian band Kino at the beginning of their career, Siela changed their sound gradually, becoming the Lithuanian equivalent to the best gothic band of the Western world. 1996 brought new heights of success – mainstream audience embraced Siela's music, with several songs reaching high positions in airplay charts. Western audiences took notice, as well – since 1996, Siela regularly took part in international goth festivals, including the legendary Wave Gotik Treffen (Germany) and Castle Party (Poland). Capitalizing on the interest of the press and record labels, Siela toured Germany several times, recorded songs in local studios and shared the stage with Love Like Blood, Umbra Et Imago, Legendary Pink Dots etc. In 2000, the band took an unusual (at those times) step of releasing their album Eldorado online. Several well-received albums followed, reflecting the changes in sound and line-up. The only constant member throughout the years remains Aurelijus Sirgedas, heart and soul of the band, who has also made his mark outside the boundaries of the group – as a participant of live project with jazz piano player Rolandas Babraitis and also as a producer, lending his services to the likes of rising star Alina Orlova and rock band Arbata. 2008 brought a new wave of interest in Siela's music – the band's 10th album Euforija received reviews that were wildly enthusiastic about its modern and energetic sound. Surprisingly, even pop radio stations took notice, playlisting Siela's tracks. As the band's 20th anniversary approaches, its fanbase seems to be growing stronger than ever.
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