The Pandemic EP marks the second official release from
Greek progressive metal outfit Until Rain, issued through Steel Gallery
Records. Although labeled as a mini‑CD, its running time reaches an impressive 42 minutes,
offering material substantial enough to stand alongside a full‑length album.
The EP consists of two tracks drawn from the band’s
debut and four new compositions, one of which appears in two different
versions, adding depth and variation to the listening experience. Structurally,
the release functions both as a bridge between their first album and their
future direction, and as a showcase of the band’s evolving identity within the
progressive metal spectrum.
Until Rain demonstrate solid musicianship throughout.
Their performance is confident, technically capable, and stylistically coherent
with the genre’s demands. Even for listeners who may not be deeply invested in
progressive metal, the EP maintains accessibility through clear arrangements
and well‑balanced
dynamics. The production is clean and effective, allowing each instrument to
breathe while supporting the band’s more intricate passages.
Overall, Pandemic is a noteworthy release for
progressive metal fans, offering a substantial amount of material and a clear
indication of the band’s potential. It positions Until Rain as a promising
Greek act within the genre, and it certainly raises anticipation for their next
full‑length
step.
Με
τον άσχημο τρόπο που οι Black Sabbath, για δεύτερη φορά, κόπηκαν στη μέση —
ακριβώς όπως είχε γίνει το 1982 — ο Ronnie James Dio και ο ντράμερ Vinnie
Appice αφήνουν τους Iommi και Butler να περιμένουν τον Ozzy (να τον αφήσει η
αδηφάγα μάνατζερ-σύζυγός του) να αξιωθεί και να επανέλθει, ώστε το συγκρότημα
να επιστρέψει στην αρχική του μορφή, όπως τελικά έγινε τρία χρόνια αργότερα.
Έτσι, κλείνουν τον Jeff Pilson στο μπάσο, από το συγκρότημα Dokken, και στην
κιθάρα έρχεται ο σχετικά άσημος Tracy G. Οπότε, λίγο πριν τελειώσει η χρονιά,
το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ βγαίνει στα καταστήματα παγκοσμίως ως το νέο άλμπουμ
των Dio!
Υποθέτω
ότι το σοκ ήταν σεισμικό, με τον δρόμο που χάραξε αυτό το νέο — κατά το ήμισυ —
σχήμα. Βέβαια, ο σεισμός, πάλι υποθέτω, είχε ως κύριο θύμα τους φανατικούς
φίλους του ήχου τους, που είχαν ξεμείνει στο τελευταίο κλασικό άλμπουμ του
1987, το Dream Evil· άντε, έστω, το Lock Up the Wolves του 1990, αν και εκεί
είχε ήδη χαλάσει άσχημα η συνταγή και η χημεία.
Βαρύ
και αργόσυρτο, μοντέρνο ρυθμικό (groove) metal, με θεματολογία ανάλογη του
Dehumanizer των Sabbath του 1992 — δηλαδή ο σύγχρονος τεχνολογικός κόσμος και
τα θύματά του, οι άνθρωποι. Ναι, εντάξει, καλή σαν σκέψη, αλλά πρώτα απ’ όλα
είναι πολύ μακριά από τη φανταστική θεματολογία και τα επιβλητικά μεσαία και
γρήγορα τέμπο που είχαν επιδείξει έως το ’87. Ύστερα, δεν κολλάει με κανένα από
τα άλμπουμ των Dio.
Εν
κατακλείδι, δεν τολμώ να πω «μάπα το καρπούζι», αλλά σίγουρα δεν είναι το
αγαπημένο μου — και μάλλον ούτε και εκατομμυρίων άλλων από τότε. Συμπαθώτοομότιτλο Strange Highways, τα Firehead, Give Her the Gun, Blood From a Stone, αλλάωςεκεί.
Δυστυχώς,
είπαμε: η δεκαετία του ’90 δεν ξεκίνησε καλά για τη συντριπτική πλειονότητα των
παλιών· τις περισσότερες φορές, όμως, με δική τους ευθύνη.
English:
Where is the magic?
In the same unfortunate way that Black Sabbath were
split in two for a second time — exactly as it had happened back in 1982 —
Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinnie Appice left Iommi and Butler waiting for
Ozzy (for his voracious manager‑wife
to finally let him loose) to feel worthy enough to return, so the band could
reunite in its original form, as it eventually did three years later. So they
brought in Jeff Pilson on bass, from Dokken, and on guitar the relatively
unknown Tracy G. And just before the year came to an end, this particular album
hit record stores worldwide as the new Dio release!
I assume the shock must have been seismic, given the
direction this new — half‑reformed
— lineup took. And of course, that seismic wave, I again assume, hit hardest
among the die‑hard
fans of their classic sound, those who had been left hanging since the last
truly classic album in 1987, Dream Evil — or at best Lock Up the Wolves in
1990, though even there the recipe and the chemistry had already gone awry.
Heavy and slow‑dragging, modern rhythmic (groove) metal, with themes
similar to Sabbath’s Dehumanizer from 1992 — meaning the contemporary
technological world and its victims: human beings. Yes, fine, an interesting
concept, but first of all it strays far from the fantastical themes and the
imposing mid‑tempo
and fast tracks they had showcased up until ’87. And beyond that, it simply
doesn’t fit with any of the Dio albums.
In conclusion, I won’t go as far as saying “a total
dud,” but it’s certainly not my favorite — and probably not the favorite of
millions of others since then. I do like the title track Strange Highways, as
well as Firehead, Give Her the Gun, and Blood From a Stone, but that’s about
it.
Unfortunately, as we’ve said before: the ’90s did not
start well for the overwhelming majority of the old guard — most of the time,
though, through their own fault.
Romanian black metal force NocturN return with a new
single, “Stones and Bones,” a slow‑burn descent into suffocation, vengeance, and
inevitable doom. The track pushes the band’s atmospheric black metal into even
bleaker territory, channeling crushing riffs, ominous melodies, and a
suffocating sense of dread that fits seamlessly into the album’s unfolding
narrative.
At this point in The Conjuring, Malphas’ hatred
reaches its peak. Consumed by vengeance, he condemns the Architect to a
merciless fate—buried alive beneath cold stone and unforgiving earth. “Stones
and Bones” mirrors that grim punishment with dense, oppressive instrumentation
and a cinematic approach to storytelling that heightens every moment of
despair.
Musically, the single stands among the album’s most
emotionally charged offerings. NocturN balance raw aggression with atmospheric
depth, weaving darkness, melody, and ritualistic tension into a track that
feels both punishing and immersive. It’s a chapter that doesn’t just advance
the story—it embodies it.
With The Conjuring, NocturN continue expanding their
bleak universe, and “Stones and Bones” emerges as one of its most unforgettable
moments—a chilling portrayal of hatred, entrapment, and the slow fade into
oblivion.
RITCHIE
BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW, Stranger Ιn Us
All (1995)
RCA
Θα
σέβεστε.
Όταν
τα σπάει με τους Deep Purple, σκαρώνει τους δικούς του Rainbow. Ο άνδρας με τα
μαύρα, δύστροπος και με ιδιαίτερη αίσθηση του χιούμορ — αλλά μάλλον, αν του
κάνεις εσύ πλάκα, θα σε αγριοκοιτάξει. Ο Ritchie δεν χρειάζεται άλλη σύσταση.
Οριστικά
τσακώθηκαν το 1994 με τον Gillan, τον Lord και τους λοιπούς «Μωβ». Λίγο μετά
στρατολογεί τον Doogie White, κάτοχο μιας ιδιαίτερα AOR φωνής αλλά και με μια
ξεχωριστή, βαριά χροιά (κάτι μεταξύ των παλιών Turner και Dio!), τον Paul
Morris στα πλήκτρα, τον Greg Smith στο μπάσο και τον John O'Reilly στα ντραμς.
Μαζί γράφουν το όγδοο άλμπουμ των Rainbow, το πρώτο μετά το Bent Out of Shape,
έντεκα χρόνια αργότερα.
Ένα
άλμπουμ για όλα τα γούστα και για τους οπαδούς κάθε περιόδου της ήδη γνωστής
ιστορίας τους. Στα «Ariel», όπου συμμετέχει και η τότε αρραβωνιαστικιά του,
Candice Night, και στο «Black Masquerade», θυμίζει την επική εποχή με τον Dio.
Από την άλλη, κομμάτια όπως τα «Cold Hearted Woman», «Hunting Humans» και «Too
Late for Tears» κινούνται σε πιο AOR ύφος.
Ροκιές
όπως τα «Wolf to the Moon» και «Hall of the Mountain King» συμπληρώνουν το
παζλ, ενώ στο τέλος υπάρχει η επανηχογραφημένη διασκευή του «Still I'm Sad»,
που υπήρχε ως ορχηστρικό στο πρώτο άλμπουμ των Rainbow, το 1975.
Ένα
δισκάκι που αξίζει την προσοχή μας και εξακολουθεί να τη διατηρεί έκτοτε.
English:
Show Some Respect.
When he breaks away from Deep Purple, he goes and
creates his own Rainbow. The man in black — difficult, with a very particular
sense of humor — but if you try to make fun of him, chances are he’ll just give
you that infamous icy stare. Ritchie needs no further introduction.
The final fallout with Gillan, Lord, and the rest of
the “Purples” came in 1994. Shortly after, he recruits Doogie White, a singer
with a distinctive AOR voice but also a unique, heavy edge to his delivery
(somewhere between the classic Turner and Dio eras!), along with Paul Morris on
keyboards, Greg Smith on bass, and John O’Reilly on drums. Together, they
create Rainbow’s eighth album, the first one after Bent Out of Shape, released
eleven years earlier.
An album that has something for every taste and for
fans of every era of Rainbow’s already legendary history. Tracks like “Ariel,”
featuring his then-fiancée Candice Night, and “Black Masquerade” recall the
epic Dio years. On the other hand, songs such as “Cold Hearted Woman,” “Hunting
Humans,” and “Too Late for Tears” move into a more AOR-oriented direction.
Rockers like “Wolf to the Moon” and “Hall of the
Mountain King” complete the picture, while the album closes with a re-recorded
version of “Still I’m Sad,” the instrumental cover that originally appeared on
Rainbow’s debut album back in 1975.
A little record that deserves our attention — and has
continued to hold it ever since.
A concise, historically significant hard‑rock document that expands the legacy of Granicus with
archival material from their 1973–74 creative peak. It may sit a notch below
their legendary debut, yet it remains one of the strongest modern‑day windows into authentic ’70s hard rock.
Granicus are one of those rare cases where a band’s
discography is defined as much by absence as by presence. Their self‑titled debut from 1973—now considered a cult
cornerstone of underground American hard rock—was reintroduced to the world in
2009 through a CD reissue. After that, silence. No follow‑up, no archival releases, nothing to suggest a second
chapter.
“Thieves, Liars & Traitors” breaks that silence.
Built from recordings captured between 1973 and 1974, it restores the voice of Woody
Leffel, who had left the band immediately after the debut. His return gives
these tracks the continuity and identity that fans of the first album will
instantly recognize.
The album runs roughly half an hour, but its core is
dominated by a 27‑minute
live medley combining:
- When You Are Moving
- Back Seat of My Car
- Bad Talk
This extended piece is not filler; it’s a raw,
unfiltered snapshot of the band’s stage presence during their most fertile
period. The sound is unpolished, but the energy is unmistakable—an authentic
document rather than a modern reconstruction.
Among the studio tracks, several compositions stand
out as the album’s backbone:
- Thieves, Liars & Traitors — the homonymous
track, carrying the band’s signature blend of grit and melodic phrasing.
- Space in Time — atmospheric, slightly psychedelic,
and one of the most fully realized ideas here.
- Wizard of Was — a punchy, riff‑driven piece that channels the band’s heavier
instincts.
- Taste of Love — warm, direct, and rooted in classic
hard‑rock
songwriting.
These tracks reaffirm what made Granicus special: a
balance between muscular guitar work, expressive vocals, and a distinctly
American hard‑rock
sensibility untouched by later trends.
Is “Thieves, Liars & Traitors” on the same level
as the 1973 debut? Not quite. The debut remains the band’s defining
statement—more cohesive, more explosive, more iconic. This second album,
however, is not a mere curiosity or archival footnote. It is a genuine addition
to the band’s legacy, offering material that stands proudly within the ’70s
hard‑rock
canon.
For genre devotees, this is essential listening: a
rare chance to experience unreleased material from a band whose output is
painfully limited. For casual listeners, sampling the album first is wise, but
the quality is strong enough to win over anyone with an ear for vintage hard‑rock authenticity.
“Thieves, Liars & Traitors” may arrive decades
late, but it feels like a rightful continuation of Granicus’ story. Slightly
inferior to the debut, yes—but still one of the most compelling ’70s hard‑rock releases available today, and a must‑have for fans of the era.
ZVINDIYAR, the atmospheric death metal project based
in Bahrain, have released the lyric video for their new track “Shadhavar”,
taken from the upcoming six‑song
debut Six Rites. Rooted in Persian and Arab mythology, cinematic ambience, and
ritualistic visual identity, the project blends death‑metal aggression with progressive structures, ambient
textures, and mythological storytelling—constructed as a conceptual entity
rather than a personality‑driven
band.
Their debut single “Anqa” was premiered by Metal
Hammer and voted Best New Metal Song of the Week by readers. Following “Anqa”
and “Fell”, “Shadhavar” arrives as the final chapter before the full release of
Six Rites, out worldwide on September 3, 2026, with early access on Bandcamp
starting August 20.
Six Rites explores themes of transformation, collapse,
destruction, mortality, and transcendence through a cinematic fusion of
atmospheric death metal and mythological narrative.
One Night of Insurrection is a live DVD released by
AFM Records to celebrate the 30th anniversary of NIGHTMARE, a French heavy
metal band that originally emerged in the 1980s. The band released two albums
during that decade and later returned to recording activity in the 2000s,
producing several more releases.
This package also includes a bonus live CD featuring
13 songs performed by the band. The track list focuses exclusively on material
from NIGHTMARE's albums of the previous decade: the title track from
Cosmovision (2001), three songs from The Dominion Gate (2005), three songs from
Genetic Disorder, and five songs from Insurrection.
I have to admit that before listening to this release,
I was not familiar with the albums NIGHTMARE recorded during the 2000s. Based
on this live performance, their style reminded me to some extent of the solo
works of Rob Halford. However, I would say that Halford's albums are heavier,
more dynamic, and overall more inspired in terms of songwriting and atmosphere.
One of the main issues with this release is the
production. The sound is extremely clear and powerful, but it also feels
heavily processed. In many moments, the songs give the impression of being
studio recordings rather than a genuine live performance. The audience can only
be heard briefly at the end of some tracks, which reduces the feeling of being
present at an actual concert. The overall sound has been polished to such an
extent that the live character of the performance is almost lost.
Although the musicianship is solid and the band
delivers a professional performance, the artificial production prevents this
release from capturing the energy and atmosphere that a good live album should
provide. For listeners interested in discovering NIGHTMARE, I would recommend
starting with the band's first two albums from the 1980s, which represent a
more authentic period of their career.
In my opinion, One Night of Insurrection is not an
essential release and would not be my first recommendation for fans looking to
explore the band.
