The Band
About
ARAXA formed in 1977 in Protivín, South Bohemia. The early sound was shaped by Deep Purple, Uriah Heep and Rainbow. Between 1987 and 1992 the style hardened and ARAXA became one of the most in-demand heavy metal acts in the region.
Today the band plays as a seven-piece with two vocalists of contrasting voices and a signature twin-guitar dialogue. The set blends original material with covers from the same genre. In 2005 the band released the album Strach.
Members
Luboš Polák
guitar
Luboš Polák jr.
guitar
Roman „Čája" Blahůšek
bass guitar
Milan Brůžek
keyboards
Marek Dušek
drums
David Petrus
vocals
Roman Martinik
vocals
History
ARAXA formed in 1977 in Protivín, South Bohemia. In its early years the band was stylistically shaped by the hard rock icons of the day — Deep Purple, Rainbow, Uriah Heep and others. The repertoire consisted of hard rock covers alongside original material written in the same spirit. As lineup changes followed one after another, each shift pushed the sound further, gradually moving the band from hard rock into classic heavy metal — a genre ARAXA has stayed true to ever since. The 1980s and early 1990s were the most successful period in terms of both gigs played and attendance: ARAXA became one of the most sought-after bands in the region and beyond, which led to their first recording sessions at the České Budějovice radio studio. A distinctive feature of the band at that time was the use of three lead guitars alongside two vocalists with contrasting voices.
Then came the disco wave and declining interest in live music — a grim period the band weathered through further lineup changes. By 2026, some 30 musicians had passed through ARAXA around its founder, guitarist Luboš Polák, each leaving an unforgettable mark on the band's development and sound, both as players and as songwriters. In 2005 the band channelled that legacy into recording the album Strach at Hacienda Studio with Miloš "Dodo" Doležal. To bring that roster of players back together on stage, ARAXA marks each decade with a reunion concert: the first in 1997 for the 20th anniversary at Protivín's Sokol hall, followed by the 30th and 40th at DPČ Písek — where the band will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. Today this seven-piece band can be seen at events across South Bohemia and beyond. The repertoire is built around original material supplemented by covers from the same genre. For many years now, ARAXA's signature sound has been the twin-guitar dialogue and the pairing of two vocalists with distinctly different voices.