Psal se rok 1994 a v sále hospody v severočeských Žalhosticích se chystala na podium kapela Lumen, tehdy psána ještě takhle, bez v místo u. Jejich basák Kolda, přestože měl na ruce sádru, odrnkal pomocí dvou prstů celý koncert a v několika fanzinech se pak objevily recenze, jež hovořili o nové naději pro českou hc scénu. Tu dal pár měsíců před tím dohromady Husar, když už mu nestačilo hrát jen na kráječ na vajíčka v terezínském projektu Zatlač to tam palcem, společně s Mirdou a právě Koldou. Sestava byla brzy doplněna kytaristou Kůrkou a bubeníkem Jirkou Dražanem.
To vše s jasným cílem být nejtvrdší českou kapelou ve stylu Integrity, Ironside a Congress, jejichž logo jsem brzy poté zaregistroval před Sedmičkou vyšité na zádech legendární žluté Kůrovi šusťákovky. To už byl ale v sestavě na postu basáka Tschepitz. Ten vyměnil triko Agnostic Front, jež nosíval v Rat Race za mikinu Neurosis, což se záhy ukázalo v mnohem určující a prorocké. Vytýčení nového směru podtrhly další dvě změny v sestavě, kdy Jirku nahradil Mělník a Kůrku kytarista Exit Only Tomis. Tato inkarnace pak u Kuřete v roce 1998 nahrála i první eponymní desku, jež byla o 2 roky později následována Raison D´Etre. Lvmen v té době odjeli hned několik evropských turné, přestože je mnohdy nechtěli pustit přes hranice, protože jejich účesy nevypadaly tak, jako na fotkách. Nakonec to ale vždycky labelboss a roadie Míra Pátý nějak ukecal a kromě klasických evropských zemí (Od Španělska, Francie po Finsko, Švédsko) se tak podívali poprvé např. i na Balkán. Následovaly alba Mondo a Heron, nahrané už bez Tschepitze, na jehož post nastoupil Hulo (dříve slovenská legenda Testimony). Vedle Tomise se pak objevil nový riffmaker Dáda, který už občas s Lvmen hrával koncerty v době, kdy působil v Ember. Jeho tragická smrt v roce 2011 znamenala několikaletý hiatus a když už se zdálo, že vše směřuje k nahrání nové desky, odešel za Františkem Vláčilem i jeden ze zakládajících členů Mirda.
Na jeho nápadech pak ale přeci jen povstal nový Fénix. Smířeni s faktem, že s kým tě chytnou, s tím tě oběsí nesou Lvmen dál… světlo vaše…
- Banán, Duben 2021
In 1994 in the hall of a local pub in Zalhostice there was a band preparing for their gig. The band was called Lumen (later spelled as Lvmen). Their bass player Kolda had a plaster on his hand and was able to play only with two fingers. Despite of that fact some fanzine reviews were talking about a new hope of Czech HC scene.
The band had been formed several months before that by Kulda, guitarist Mirda and Husar, who had got tired of playing on an egg slicer in a project from Terezin called „Zatlac to tam palcem“ (Press it with your thumb). Shortly after that a drummer Jirka Drazan and the second guitarist Kurka joined the band. They had a clear goal, which was to be the heaviest Czech band such as Integrity, Ironside and Congress. I actually saw the embroidered logo of Congress on Kurka’s wind jacket when I met him in front of the club called Sedmicka.
At that time Kolda had been replaced by Tschepitz who changed his Agnostic Front T-shirt wearing in his previous band Rate Race for a Neurosis sweat shirt, which turned out to be a very defining and prophetic action. Further determination of the band was made by two following changes: drum player Jirka was replaced by Melnik and guitarist Kurka by Tomis, ex-member of the band called Exit Only. This incarnation made their first eponymous album in 1998. It was recorded by the sound engineer Pavel „Kure“ Hejc and two years later it was followed by the second album Raison D´Etre. At that time the band had already gone for several European tours including Spain, France, Finland, Sweden. They often had problems crossing the borders as their haircuts did not correspond with the passport photos much. Luckily their label boss and roadie Mira Paty always solved problems with his great speech skills and thanks to him the band could visit also Balkan for the first time.
The next two albums Mondo and Heron was recorded without Tschepitz who was replaced by Hulo, ex-member of legendary Slovak band Testimony. Tomis also left the band and a great riff maker Dada joined in. Dada had played in a band called Ember previously and already had jumped in for Tomis at that period of time, as well. After his tragic death in 2011 the band went on a hiatus for several years and when it finally seemed they would record a new album the guitarist Mirda passed away to follow his favourite director Frantisek Vlacil into eternity. But from the ashes of Mirda’s last music ideas the new Phoenix rose. Reconciled with the fact that whoever they catch you with they will hang you with they keep on carrying… the light of yours.
- Banán, April 2021