The story of VANAKAN.
VANAKAN was founded in 2021 in Yerevan, Armenia, with a simple ambition: to bring a new breath to Armenia's rock scene and build an Armenian presence in the world.
The band began with Van Hovhannisyan on vocals and keyboards and Tigran Sahakyan on drums. After writing their earliest material together, they recruited bassist Artak Ghazaryan through open auditions, and Arthur Harutyunyan soon joined on guitar, rounding out the band's founding lineup.
In October 2022, VANAKAN played its first live concert during the reopening of Babylon Theater, sharing the stage with established Armenian bands Katil and Rozen Tal. It marked the beginning of what would become one of the defining sides of the band — an intense and energetic live presence built around the contrast between heavy rock, atmospheric passages, piano-driven melodies, and Armenian musical influences.
In 2023, the band entered the studio to record its first EP, Magnet, alongside the single Բարի Աստված / Bari Astvats. After months of hesitation, both were finally released in July 2023, introducing VANAKAN's sound to a wider audience.
In 2024, founding bassist Artak Ghazaryan departed the band and was replaced by Levon Abrahamyan, bringing new energy and a new dimension to VANAKAN's evolving sound. That same year, the band began collaborating with Radiotoon Records, releasing Անկանիմ / Ankanim, which became one of the band's audience favorites. It was followed by further releases, including Falling Upward and Արևս Քեզ / Arevs Qez, as the band continued developing a sound that moves between progressive rock, art rock, blues, Armenian ethnic music, and classical influences.
During this period, VANAKAN's work also began moving beyond the traditional rock stage. The band became involved in theatrical projects, including work connected with internationally acclaimed Armenian-French actor, director, and playwright Simon Abkarian. For their music for Penelope, Oh, Penelope at the Sos Sargsyan Hamazgain Theatre, VANAKAN won Best Music Author at the Artavazd Awards 2026, marking an important step in the band's development as composers as well as live musicians.
At the same time, VANAKAN continued performing across Yerevan, gradually moving from club stages toward larger concert spaces and developing increasingly ambitious live productions. Their music became less concerned with fitting into a single genre and more focused on building their own musical language — combining contemporary rock with Armenian identity without treating tradition as something that belongs only to the past.
In 2025 and 2026, that direction evolved into the band's most ambitious project so far: "Eposner". With "Eposner", VANAKAN brings together the different sides of its sound developed over the previous years — progressive and alternative rock, Armenian musical elements, and a strong emphasis on storytelling. The album marks a more mature and experimental period for the band, both musically and conceptually, while remaining rooted in the sound and identity VANAKAN has been building since its formation.
The first chapter of the project has already begun with the release of the title track, "Eposner", with the full-length album to follow.
Looking for who plays what? Check the Artists page.