Butterfly Temple, a Russian pagan metal band, was formed in 1995 by Alexey "Lesyar" Agafonov, Sergei "Aven" Avanesov, and Michael Shmatko. The band's early music combined doom metal with psychedelic rock influences. In 1996, they released their first demo titled Nahaimal in 1996. Notable albums include Велес (1999), named after the Slavic deity Veles, Колесо Чернобога (Wheel Of Chernobog) (2001), and Сны Северного Моря (2002). The band is known for incorporating elements of Russian folklore into their music, often featuring traditional instruments like the balalaika and themes from Slavic mythology.
