First things first. Людоед, although often translated as “ogre”, actually means “cannibal”. That seems like a perfectly reasonable name for a Russian metal band. And when you hear the music, it makes even more sense. The story behind the name, however, is rather less sinister.
2014: Людоед’s Early Days
Людоед hails from Kirov, a provincial city on the Vyatka River. According to Tripadvisor, Kirovs Top Attractions are a monastery, a sculpture of a family (“If you touch the baby you will have many children”) and a chocolate museum. This may explain what drove three young local men to start an extreme metal band.
Much of that founding bore the stamp of a joke. The three recorded some black-metal covers, played a show in a local bar, and intended to leave it at that. The name Людоед was chosen simply because it sounded scary.
Church, children, chocolate
2018: Людоед gets Serious
The story, however, didn’t quite end there. After a long break, the project returned with a new line-up and new material. The name, obviously, was too good to abandon. By 2018, Людоед had released two EPs and a live release, and had developed its own peculiar mixture of black metal, punk and hardcore.
Гибель современного мира (2021)
The Horrors of Life
It may come as no surprise that the band’s lyrics aren’t overly cheerful. But they are also less theatrical than you might expect. Small-city boredom, frustration, aggression, the feeling that nothing is going anywhere: Людоед’s songs reflect a world of routine, stupidity, envy, poverty and the hopelessness of provincial cities such as Kirov.
Contrary to what the name might suggest, this isn’t fantasy horror. It is much closer to the horror of ordinary life, and there is no great manifesto behind it. It is angry music about an unpleasant world. Sometimes that is enough, sometimes that is already hard to digest.
Where to Start
The best way to understand Людоед is undoubtedly not through words or a biography, but through the music itself. Here are three great options to start.
Почувствуй Силу (Feel the Power) (2021)
From the album Гибель современного мира (The Death of the Modern World).
На руи́нах поту́хшего ми́ра
В кругу́ враго́в
Я хочу́ почу́вствовать си́лу Разбуди́те меня́ че́рез ты́сячу лет
Отыщи́те в руи́нах мою́ моги́лу
На э́той земле́ где пьют и вору́ют
Я хочу́ почу́вствовать си́лу Почу́вствуй си́лу Восхожде́ние на́ше неизбе́жно как смерть
Челове́чества плоть скрыва́ет чудо́вищ
Боль и потре́бность её причиня́ть
Э́ту пля́ску ты не остано́вишь.
Цель Жизни (The Purpose of Life) (2020)
Stand-alone single (Apple Music, Bandcamp, Spotify), with great video.
За́навес ка́менных стен
Темнота́ за окно́м
Па́мяти плен Цель жи́зни была́ бесконе́чная дра́ка Я мечта́л захлебну́ться
Ре́ками кро́ви враго́в
День за днём в тишине́
Глу́пость как тя́жесть око́в Дра́ма собы́тий
Полуно́чный бред
Захо́чешь верну́ться
Возвраще́ния нет.
Путешествие К Концу (Journey to the End) (2018)
From the album Гимны повседневного кошмара (Hymns of Everyday Nightmare) (2018).
И со́лнца диск прогло́тит горизо́нт
Когда́ протя́нут тени́ свои́ ру́ки
Когда́ в часа́х зако́нчиться песо́к И э́то на́ше путеше́ствие к концу́ Когда́ не бу́дет сил бежа́ть
Пыта́ясь скры́ться от себя́
Когда́ захло́пнется лову́шка жи́зни
Когда́ на кры́шку гро́ба па́дает земля́ И э́то на́ше путеше́ствие к концу́.
Dessert: Людоед Live (На Споте, 2021)
The best way to experience the band (or any band) is live. Courtesy of На Споте, which deserves praise for its diverse programming.
More Людоед
Listen to Людоед on Apple Music, Bandcamp, Musify, Spotify.
Read about Людоед on The Village (2022) and Sadwave (2018).
Follow Людоед on Instagram and VK.
More metal in the playlist Russian Metal on YouTube, and in Russian Metal / Русский Металл on Spotify. Songs covered here can also be found in this YouTube playlist, and in Music in Russian songs on Spotify.
Follow Music in Russian on Telegram, Facebook, X, YouTube.
© Music in Russian, 2026
