Příběh
Petra, Niky, Kajda, Domi // genre: heavy rock // links
“Their story is reminiscent of the American Dream." (M. Šotolová, RockSound)
“During their set I constantly felt like I was witnessing something extraordinary." (J. Mimra, Musicweb)
We are the all-female heavy rock band The Agony and we'd love to celebrate our 10th anniversary with a birthday album next April!
We've had a rather long and eventful history (which you can read below in the 10 Years of The Agony section), and last year we went through a big change when two of the four members left the band after eight years. Although we were on the verge of disbanding, we managed to restart The Agony in January 2022 and crowned our return with a support slot for the legendary Scorpions at the largest Czech indoor venue, O2 arena. This was followed by a UK tour in August.
We want to prove our current shape with the new line-up's first album. Financial target of this pledge campaign would cover recording, mixing and mastering, graphics, promo photos and the production of accompanying merchandise.
For us, crowdfunding is the best form of supporting the band as it's the most direct and honest way that you fans and friends can take with us. No middle man, just you and us, together. Over the years, we have completed several campaigns, all of them ended in success and helped us release two albums (our 2015 debut Dirty and Dangerous and 2017 sophomore 689) and one EP (Eclectic in 2020).
And we're confident that, thanks to you, our discography will get its third full-length album addition! :)
What Are We Planning and Why?
It's been two years since our last effort, the Eclectic EP, and the band has moved on a lot. It is this progress that we want to notch on a regular album together with producer Martin Hollandr - the same wonderful talented young man we collaborated with on our three pilot singles recorded this year ('She Said', 'Nothing in the World' and 'Just What I Needed').
These tracks became the foundation for the new album, for which we have written a total of about 9-10 songs in the style of modern hard/heavy rock.
We have asked ourselves several times whether albums still make sense in this age of singles and streaming. However, the positive feedback on this year's singles gave us a proper kick in the butt and we decided that, together with the approaching celebration of our first decade, it was worth a full-length album.
We would also like to step into the next decade with a brand new visual identity: new logo, graphics, merchandise.
All of this should go hand in hand with the concept and sound vibe of the album.
What If We Exceed the Goal?
If we significantly exceed the financial target, it's our huge dream to immortalize our music on vinyl. It would be our first and we would be absolutely happy!
(Almost) 10 Years of the Agony
As you read these lines, know that it has just been 10 years since guitarist and frontwoman Nikola Kandoussi figuratively slammed the table in November 2012 and decided to form her own all-female band. The Agony's first lineup settled on April 27, 2013.
In September 2020, our biography was quite impressive. Since we had started out, we released two albums and two EPs, played countless club gigs and performances at major Czech festivals (including the main stage of Masters of Rock CZ), the tour also took us to Europe. We have also proven ourselves as support band for both domestic and international artists (from those international acts, we can name Girlschool, Loudness, Mike Terrana and Blaze Bayley as a few..)
We had always wanted to achieve success honestly and not take shortcuts, we had put maximum energy into every show and new songs, and fans and reviewers unanimously prophesied bright tomorrows for us, but...
The recording and release of the Eclectic EP was delayed that year due to covid and there were months when we, along with the rest of the culture industry, came to a halt. This period of time, and other aspects, eventually caused our bassist Katie and lead guitarist Terka to leave The Agony a year later, leaving us on the brink of an end.
However, the remaining tandem of Niky and drummer Kajda decided to give it another try, agreeing that only if they couldn't find new members, they would end things gracefully. And we were lucky, because two new wonderful women found us and the band was strengthened by bassist Domi Mrázková and guitarist Petra Pohanková.
Driven by new energy and newfound self-confidence, we got down to work again and were in the middle of rehearsing for the premiere of a new line-up when radio Beat (the best known rock-oriented FM in the country) announced a competition, winner of which would get the chance to open for the Scorpions. 108 bands signed up, us among them. The votes of our fans sent us to the final five, from which the management and the Scorpions themselves would already choose the winner.
And they pointed the finger at us. So on May 26, 2022, this happened:
and this as well:
Immediately after this show of a lifetime, we went into the studio to record the aforementioned pilot singles and in August we toured England.
Now we are focusing on fine-tuning the material for the new album and we hope to successfully enter the second decade next year thanks to you!