Arakain, a Czech heavy metal band, was founded in Prague in 1982 by former members of Apad. The original lineup included vocalist Aleš Brichta, guitarist Jiří Urban, and drummer Miroslav Nedvěd. Influenced by British heavy metal bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, Arakain began performing at small events but faced censorship under the communist regime. Their breakthrough came in 1988 with the release of their debut single "Excalibur/Gladiátor" and a sold-out show at Prague's Lucerna hall. The band released several albums, including Thrash The Trash (1990), Schizofrenie (1991), and Black Jack (1992). They achieved significant success with the English version of Thrash The Trash, titled simply Thrash! (1994), as well as Legendy (1995) which garnered a Gold Record for over 30,000 copies sold. Arakain is considered one of the most influential Czech metal bands, known for their enduring presence in the music scene since their inception.
