Orjuwan

Orjuwan formed in London in the early 2000s with vocalist Anya Volkova, guitarist Darius Behroozi, bassist Ivan Petrov, and drummer Ethan James. They started rehearsing in a small space, working on material that leaned toward the introspective. Their song 'Forgotten' dealt with themes of loss and grief, which drew some criticism at the time for how it handled the subject.

Volkova's vocals had an ethereal quality that floated over the arrangements. Behroozi's guitar work mixed technical playing with more expressive lines, while Petrov and James provided the rhythmic foundation. They built a loyal following despite some early skepticism about their sound from critics.