Short answers, pulled from the story.
Aria was formed in 1985 in Moscow by guitarist Vladimir Holstinin and bassist Alik Granovsky, both former members of the bands Poyushchie Serdtsa and Alpha. Vocalist Valery Kipelov joined shortly after the band's founding.
Aria earned the nickname 'Russian Iron Maiden' because their sound closely resembled that of New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands. The comparison was widely used in media coverage of the band.
Most of Aria's lyrics were written by professional poets rather than band members. Margarita Pushkina and Alexander Yelin were the most frequent contributors, giving the band's music a distinctive literary quality.
The Aria Family refers to the network of bands formed by former Aria members. Master, formed by four ex-members of Aria, is one of the most influential Russian metal bands. Kipelov is another band formed by Aria's long-serving vocalist Valery Kipelov after he departed in 2002.
Arthur Berkut, formerly of the band Autograph, replaced Kipelov when a new lineup was announced in November 2002. Berkut was later dismissed in 2011 and replaced by Mikhail Zhitnyakov, the band's current vocalist.
Hero of Asphalt, released in 1987, was Aria's first album published by Melodiya, the Soviet state music publishing monopoly. The album, originally developed under the working title Serving the Forces of Evil, is considered one of the band's best.