REVIEW: TERRITORY - Killer Instinct

 

TERRITORY - Killer Instinct (2011)

Sleaszy Rider Records

I have a soft spot for the Uruguayan national team. It was the side I backed in the latest World Cup, and Diego Forlán remains one of my favourite players. So when I found out that TERRITORY come from Uruguay and play thrash metal, I was curious. South American metal has been delivering solid releases for a while now, and I expected to be in good hands.

On paper, the ingredients are promising. Killer Instinct draws mostly from the Bay Area school of thrash and occasionally leans toward the power metal side of ICED EARTH and AGENT STEEL. It’s a combination that usually makes for an enjoyable listen. Here, unfortunately, it doesn’t.

The main problem is the songwriting. The riffs follow the standard thrash template so closely that they blur together, and very few of them stay with you once the record stops. Nothing pulls you back for a second spin, and a thrash album without that kind of staying power has a hard time justifying itself in a crowded scene.

The vocals add to the problem. Jason screams from the first track to the last, with little variation in delivery. He clearly has the lungs for it, but the lack of dynamics wears thin quickly. Aggression works best when it has contrast, and a voice that stays at full volume for the whole album ends up sounding flat instead of fierce. By the second half I was tired of it.

The modern production is clean and powerful, but it can’t hide the weaknesses underneath. Likewise, the aggressiveness feels more like a pose than something the songs earn. A heavy sound is one thing, but without memorable material it doesn’t leave much of an impression.

TERRITORY have the energy and the technical basics, but they need to put much more work into their composition. Stronger structures, more distinctive riffs and a more varied vocal approach would be a good place to start. This is a debut, so there is room to grow, and I’ll be waiting for the follow-up in the hope that it shows real progress.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: ARCH ENEMY, Burning Bridges

 

ARCH ENEMY, Burning Bridges (1999)

Century Media Records

Αποθέωση.

Σε μια εποχή κατά την οποία το μελωδικό Death Metal γνώριζε μεγάλη άνθηση, οι Σουηδοί, έναν χρόνο μετά το Stigmata και με σταθερούς ηγέτες τους αδελφούς Michael και Chris Amott, παρουσιάζουν ένα ακόμη εξαιρετικό άλμπουμ. Στη σύνθεση της μπάντας προστίθεται στο μπάσο ο πολυπράγμων Sharlee D’Angelo (Mercyful Fate, Witchery, King Diamond, Spiritual Beggars και καμιά εικοσαριά ακόμη συγκροτήματα!), σε αυτό που έμελλε να είναι το τελευταίο «αντρικό» άλμπουμ τους, δηλαδή το τρίτο και τελευταίο με τον Johan Liiva πίσω από το μικρόφωνο. Από τον επόμενο δίσκο, η Angela Gossow θα δώσει μια διαφορετική, γυναικεία χροιά στον ήχο τους, με ένα death growl που θα άφηνε πολλούς άφωνους!

Εδώ, όμως, η μεγάλη σουηδική σχολή του Γκέτεμποργκ δείχνει τα δόντια της μέσα από ένα από τα πιο χαρακτηριστικά δημιουργήματά της. Τα κομμάτια που ξεχωρίζουν είναι τα «The Immortal», «Dead Inside», «Pilgrim», «Demonic Science», «Seed of Hate», «Angelclaw» και «Burning Bridges», σε έναν δίσκο που ίσως αποτελεί το αποκορύφωμα της πρώτης περιόδου της μπάντας.

English:

A Masterpiece.

At a time when Melodic Death Metal was enjoying a period of great popularity, the Swedish band returned with another excellent album, one year after Stigmata, with brothers Michael and Chris Amott firmly at the helm. The line-up also welcomed the ever-busy Sharlee D’Angelo on bass (Mercyful Fate, Witchery, King Diamond, Spiritual Beggars and about twenty other bands!), in what would turn out to be their last “all-male” album, namely the third and final release featuring Johan Liiva on vocals. From the following album onwards, Angela Gossow would bring a different, female dimension to their sound, with a death growl capable of leaving many listeners speechless!

Here, however, the mighty Swedish Gothenburg scene shows its teeth through one of its most characteristic releases. Standout tracks include “The Immortal”, “Dead Inside”, “Pilgrim”, “Demonic Science”, “Seed of Hate”, “Angelclaw” and “Burning Bridges”, on an album that arguably represents the pinnacle of the band’s first era.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

Coroner – Principal Club Theatre, Θεσσαλονίκη, 31.10.2026

 

Coroner – Principal Club Theatre, Θεσσαλονίκη, 31.10.2026

Το Σάββατο 31 Οκτωβρίου, οι Coroner έπαιξαν στο Principal Club Theatre της Θεσσαλονίκης. Το σετ κράτησε περίπου μιάμιση ώρα με μία ώρα και 40 λεπτά.

Ήταν στιβαροί και άψογοι ως μουσικοί πάνω στη σκηνή και απέδωσαν τα τραγούδια τους με επαγγελματισμό, ικανοποιώντας τον κόσμο. Άνοιξαν με το “Consequence” και συνέχισαν με τα “Sacrificial Lamb”, “Divine Step (Conspectu Mortis)”, “Serpent Moves”, “Masked Jackal”, “Symmetry”, “Golden Cashmere Sleeper, Part 1”, “Semtex Revolution”, “Tunnel of Pain”, “Metamorphosis” και “Grin (Nails Hurt)”. Το κανονικό πρόγραμμα έκλεισε με το “Renewal”.

Έπαιξαν και παλιά τους τραγούδια, αλλά υπό το πρίσμα του πιο μοντέρνου ήχου που έχουν δημιουργήσει στο τελευταίο τους άλμπουμ. Ο ήχος ήταν καθαρός και δυνατός.

Στο encore επέστρεψαν με τα “Reborn Through Hate” και “Die by My Hand”, κλείνοντας έτσι τη βραδιά.

Μόνο ένα σχόλιο για το εισιτήριο: για τα δεδομένα της Ελλάδας, τα 35 € ήταν κάπως αλμυρό.

TEXT: Nick Parastatidis

PHOTOS/VIDEOS: Theofilos Bachtsevanidis

Fifth Angel / Black Soul Horde / Dark Nightmare – Eightball Club, Θεσσαλονίκη, 30.10.2026

 

Fifth Angel / Black Soul Horde / Dark Nightmare – Eightball Club, Θεσσαλονίκη, 30.10.2026

Παρασκευή βράδυ στο Eightball Club, με τρία συγκροτήματα στη σκηνή: Dark Nightmare, Black Soul Horde και, ως headliners, Fifth Angel.

Dark Nightmare

Το βράδυ άνοιξαν οι Dark Nightmare, με ένα σετ επτά κομματιών. Στο πρόγραμμά τους ακούστηκαν τα “Tears from the Sky”, “Living a Lie”, “Hawks of War”, “Beneath the Veils of Winter”, “Crown of Innocence”, “The Fields of Screaming Souls” και “Dragonlakes”.

Black Soul Horde

Ακολούθησαν οι Black Soul Horde, με οκτώ κομμάτια: “A Scream in the Snow”, “Beware the Deep”, “Beneath the Mountains of Madness”, “Soulships”, “Stone Giants”, “Death’s Parade”, “God of War” και “The Creatures of the Night”.

Fifth Angel

Οι Fifth Angel ανέβηκαν τελευταίοι, ως headliners της βραδιάς, με το πιο εκτεταμένο πρόγραμμα. Έπαιξαν τα “In the Fallout”, “Shout It Out”, “Call Out the Warning”, “Fifth Angel”, “Wings of Destiny”, “The Night”, “Only the Strong Survive”, “Cry Out the Fools”, “Fade to Flames”, “Seven Hours”, “Cathedral”, “Stars Are Falling”, “Midnight Love”, “Time Will Tell” και “We Rule”. Στο encore επέστρεψαν με το “Lights Out”, διασκευή στους UFO, και έκλεισαν έτσι τη βραδιά.

TEXT: Nick Parastatidis

PHOTOS/VIDEOS: Theofilos Bachtsevanidis

REVIEW: ARCH ENEMY, Stigmata

 

ARCH ENEMY, Stigmata (1998)

Century Media

Επιστροφή στο παρελθόν.

Αυτό είναι το άλμπουμ που άνοιξε την πόρτα της επιτυχίας για τους πέντε Σουηδούς, το δεύτερο της καριέρας τους, δύο χρόνια μετά το ντεμπούτο τους, Black Earth. Ο Johan Liiva βρίσκεται ακόμη πίσω από το μικρόφωνο, τα αδέλφια Christopher και Michael Amott αναλαμβάνουν τις κιθάρες, ο Martin Bengtsson το μπάσο και ο Daniel Erlandsson (επίσης μέλος των Carcass) τα ντραμς, συνθέτοντας ένα χαρακτηριστικό δείγμα μελωδικού Death Metal της σουηδικής σχολής.

Άμεσο στον ήχο του και με τη γνωστή αισθητική του είδους, θα μπορούσε εύκολα να χαρακτηριστεί Heavy Metal, αν δεν υπήρχαν τα ακραία φωνητικά. Τα χαρακτηριστικά κιθαριστικά riffs των δύο Amott βρίσκονται στο επίκεντρο, χωρίς την πολυπλοκότητα και την πολυμορφία που θα υιοθετούσε το σχήμα σε μεταγενέστερες κυκλοφορίες. Εννοείται πως η παραγωγή «φυσάει», με τον Michael να αναλαμβάνει και αυτό το κομμάτι της δουλειάς.

Όπως συνέβη συνολικά με τη σουηδική σκηνή μετά το 1994, στην οποία δεσπόζουν ήδη τέσσερα μεγάλα ονόματα, οι Hypocrisy, Entombed, At The Gates και In Flames, έτσι και οι τότε ανερχόμενοι Arch Enemy κινούνται σε ένα ύφος που προσεγγίζει περισσότερο το κλασικό, μοντέρνο Heavy Metal παρά το Thrash. Το ομώνυμο «Black Earth», που περιλαμβάνεται εδώ και όχι στο προηγούμενο άλμπουμ, μαζί με τα «Beast of Man», «Stigmata», «Sinister Mephisto», «Dark of the Sun», «Let the Killing Begin» και «Bridge of Destiny», αποτελούν τα σημαντικότερα σημεία της κυκλοφορίας.

Το αποτέλεσμα είναι ένα από τα καλύτερα άλμπουμ του είδους του και, μαζί με το επερχόμενο Burning Bridges, πιθανότατα μία από τις δύο κορυφαίες στιγμές της πρώτης περιόδου των Arch Enemy.

English:

A Return to the Past.

This is the album that opened the door to success for the five Swedes, their second full-length release, arriving two years after their debut, Black Earth. Johan Liiva is still handling vocal duties, brothers Christopher and Michael Amott take care of the guitars, Martin Bengtsson is on bass, and Daniel Erlandsson (also a member of Carcass) sits behind the drum kit, delivering a characteristic example of the Swedish melodic Death Metal sound.

Direct in its approach and built around the familiar aesthetics of the genre, this could easily be described as Heavy Metal if it were not for the extreme vocals. The distinctive guitar riffs of the two Amott brothers are at the forefront, without the complexity and stylistic diversity that the band would embrace in later releases. Needless to say, the production really packs a punch, with Michael once again taking care of this aspect of the recording.

Much like the broader Swedish scene that emerged after 1994, already dominated by four major names – Hypocrisy, Entombed, At The Gates and In Flames – the then-rising Arch Enemy lean towards a style closer to classic, modern Heavy Metal than Thrash. The self-titled “Black Earth”, which appears on this album rather than the previous one, along with “Beast of Man”, “Stigmata”, “Sinister Mephisto”, “Dark of the Sun”, “Let the Killing Begin” and “Bridge of Destiny”, stand out as the album's strongest moments.

The result is one of the finest albums of its kind and, together with the forthcoming Burning Bridges, arguably one of the two highlights of Arch Enemy's early period.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: STORMWARRIOR - Heathen Warrior

 

STORMWARRIOR - Heathen Warrior (2011)

Massacre Records

For a long time, most of us filed STORMWARRIOR under “good clones”: HELLOWEEN mostly, RUNNING WILD too, and something close to the most recent ENFORCER. The band did little to shake that image, and its own statements and actions over the years pointed the same way. But everything has an end, and “Heathen Warrior” feels like the bridge between the good old STORMWARRIOR and a new, better one.

Don’t worry, this is still traditional heavy metal. The difference is that the guys have finally found a sound of their own. They started that effort on the previous release, and here it comes together. IRON MAIDEN and RUNNING WILD are still in the blood, while the HELLOWEEN side is much quieter, “Ravenhearte” being the one clear exception. Still, nobody is copying anybody here. The band takes what the 80’s legends gave it and runs it through its own playing and its own point of view. If you’ve followed them as long as I have (I’ve been listening since the demo tapes), you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

If you’ve never heard the band, no problem. You get a solid dose of European traditional metal and you don’t need any history to enjoy it. What caught me off guard is the work on the lead guitars and solos. You can hear the care in every detail, and it gives the songs real personality. The production stays clear and gives every instrument its space, as it did before.

This is STORMWARRIOR’s most mature album so far, and one you should check out. My picks are “The Ride of Asgard”, “Bloode to Bloode”, “Ravenhearte” and, my favourite by some distance, “Fyre & Ice”.

Nick Parastatidis

THE SILENT WEDDING Release Acoustic Reinterpretation of Black Sabbath’s “N.I.B.”

 

Greek heavy metal band The Silent Wedding have released “N.I.B. Reimagined”, an atmospheric acoustic reinterpretation of the iconic Black Sabbath song. The arrangement incorporates traditional instruments, including kaval and bagpipes performed by Leonidas Thermos, giving the original composition a darker, more introspective and ritualistic character.

The band's connection with “N.I.B.” dates back to 2014, when the song first became part of their live setlist. Over the years, their interpretation evolved, gradually developing its own identity on stage. The new release also serves as a tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne and an expression of appreciation for Black Sabbath's lasting influence on heavy metal.

“N.I.B. Reimagined” was arranged by Jim Katsaros and The Silent Wedding, recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by Jim Katsaros at Underground Music Studios. The release also features percussion by Marios Karanastasis, George Kritharis and Vassilis Panagiotopoulos, alongside backing vocals by Johnny Thermos, Vassilis Panagiotopoulos and Jim Katsaros.

The single was officially released on October 30, 2026, and is available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music and all major digital streaming platforms.