REVIEW: REQUIEM - Within Darkened Disorder

 

REQUIEM - Within Darkened Disorder (2011)

Twilight Records

Swiss death metallers REQUIEM make a strong comeback with Within Darkened Disorder, arriving approximately two years after the release of their fifth studio album, Infiltrate... Obliterate... Dominate. The band once again delivers clear, pure and in-your-face death metal, without unnecessary frills, experimental detours or embellishments that might distract from its primary objective: sheer brutality.

Within Darkened Disorder is the real deal for fans of brutal death metal. Although its sound draws influences from the European scene, REQUIEM are arguably closer to the American school of death metal, with deep, guttural vocals, extremely heavy and fast rhythms, and a relentless combination of intricate riffs and solos. The music balances sheer aggression with enough technical detail to keep things interesting, avoiding the impression that speed and heaviness are its only defining characteristics.

The production deserves special mention, as it allows all the instruments to stand out while preserving the weight and intensity of the band's sound. The guitars retain their crushing impact, the rhythm section provides a solid foundation for the relentless assault, and the vocals complement the music's uncompromising character. Everything serves the same purpose, resulting in an album that delivers its brutality with clarity and precision rather than sacrificing definition for sheer sonic force.

REQUIEM are not here to reinvent death metal or offer something particularly original. They are here because they love the genre, and Within Darkened Disorder reflects that straightforward approach without compromises or unnecessary alterations. The band knows exactly what it wants to achieve and stays firmly focused on that goal from beginning to end.

So, if you appreciate traditional death metal with a brutal edge, deep guttural vocals and an uncompromising approach to songwriting, REQUIEM's Within Darkened Disorder is certainly an experience worth having. No frills, no unnecessary distractions, just death metal delivered straight to the point!

Christine  Parastatidou

REVIEW: VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY – Age Of Aquarius

 

VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY – Age Of Aquarius (2019)

Napalm Records

Magic exists, and it exists in a form that is far from spectacular, far removed from the kind of spectacle that dazzles you for a moment only to be forgotten the next. It exists in a much more profound way, in a manner that is almost alchemical.

Just as the alchemists claimed that any metal could be transmuted into gold, so too do Villagers of Ioannina City, on Age of Aquarius, transform seemingly disparate musical genres into something unified, cohesive, and narratively compelling.

On Age of Aquarius, the progressive rock sensibilities of PINK FLOYD and TOOL converge with the sounds of stoner rock and doom metal, enriched by elements of heavy metal and, at times, epic passages that perhaps evoke the mid-tempo grandeur of bands such as MANOWAR and BATHORY. These elements become even more pronounced on their latest album, Venceremos. Nor are blues-rock experiments absent, as the track “Millennium Blues” demonstrates. All these sounds are woven together by the sometimes commanding, sometimes understated presence of the clarinet and the bagpipe, instruments rooted in the musical traditions of Epirus and beyond. Personally, having roots in Florina, I also discerned echoes of the traditional music of Western Macedonia in “Dance of Night.”

Villagers of Ioannina City offer a sonic ritual, an album that transports you without severing your connection to reality. An album that celebrates life, while also reminding us of the need to struggle, to stand together, and to strive to make that life better. It is the kind of musical experience one encounters only in the work of truly great progressive rock bands, The Wall by PINK FLOYD being one such example.

After all, according to astrological and esoteric traditions, the Age of Aquarius is the new era that succeeds the Age of Pisces. It is associated with technology and innovation, with an emphasis on science, the internet, and artificial intelligence. It is also associated with collectivism: a shift from “I” to “we,” in which communities and networks take the place of traditional hierarchies. Finally, it represents spirituality and freedom, a movement away from rigid dogmas and towards the pursuit of individual spiritual expression. No one can say with certainty exactly when this new age begins. In other words, it is an era of transformation and human betterment, and this album seems, in its own way, to serve that very ideal.

An album whose lengthy compositions never become tiresome. Instead, like a seed that finds fertile soil, it grows and takes root within you, deepening its hold with every successive listen.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: THE BLOODSHOT GAMBLERS - Pain and Other Simple Pleasures

 

THE BLOODSHOT GAMBLERS - Pain and Other Simple Pleasures (2009)

Demon Deluxe Records

Arizona-based duo THE BLOODSHOT GAMBLERS, featuring Tim David Kelly and Brian Anderson of KICKING HAROLD, have once again reminded me of the universal truth that one should never say never. I have never been particularly fond of rock music, let alone alternative rock, yet there are always exceptions that make you reconsider your position. THE BLOODSHOT GAMBLERS are one of them. This does not mean that I will suddenly start exploring the genre on a regular basis, but it does mean that Pain and Other Simple Pleasures has won me over, despite being far removed from the kind of music I usually listen to.

The duo's compositions possess a distinctive warmth and appeal, combining seductive melodies with a dark atmosphere coloured by melancholy and bitterness. There is an emotional depth to these songs that makes them immediately engaging without relying on unnecessary embellishments or exaggerated dramatics. Instead, the music draws the listener into its own world through the interplay between its melodic sensibility and its more restrained, sombre elements.

One of the album's strongest points is the balance THE BLOODSHOT GAMBLERS achieve between their rougher, more forceful passages and their smoother, more melodic moments. Neither side dominates at the expense of the other, allowing the material to maintain a natural flow while retaining its dynamics and emotional intensity. The arrangements feel cohesive, yet the songs have enough variation to prevent the album from becoming monotonous. This combination of consistency and contrast gives Pain and Other Simple Pleasures much of its character.

The musicianship is equally convincing, with the duo demonstrating a clear understanding of the atmosphere they want to create and the means required to achieve it. Tim David Kelly's vocals deserve particular mention, as his warm, expressive delivery adds considerable weight to the compositions. His performance brings out their emotional nuances, reinforcing both their melodic appeal and their underlying sense of darkness. The result is a collection of songs that feels genuine, carefully crafted and capable of leaving a lasting impression.

Pain and Other Simple Pleasures may not be the kind of release that would normally attract the average metalhead, but quality music deserves recognition regardless of genre boundaries. THE BLOODSHOT GAMBLERS have delivered an album that succeeds through its atmosphere, songwriting and emotional sincerity, proving that a musical style outside one's usual preferences can still offer plenty to appreciate. If you are open-minded enough to explore beyond your familiar territory and have a taste for well-crafted rock music, this is a release I highly recommend!

Christine  Parastatidou

REVIEW: U. D. O., Animal House

 

U. D. O., Animal House (1987)

RCA

Νέο φως, ίδιος ορίζοντας

Οι Accept έκαναν για πρώτη φορά παύση στα τέλη του 1986, μετά την περιοδεία για την προώθηση του πολύ καλού, μα ταυτόχρονα, για κάποιον λόγο, υποτιμημένου Russian Roulette. Για την ακρίβεια, οι Wolf Hoffmann και Peter Baltes ήθελαν να ακολουθήσουν μια μουσική κατεύθυνση προσανατολισμένη αποκλειστικά στην αμερικανική αγορά, η οποία τελικά θα οδηγούσε στην πρόσληψη νέου τραγουδιστή (David Reece) και στην κυκλοφορία του άλμπουμ Eat the Heat, μιας από τις πιο νερουλές μουσικά, χωρίς ωστόσο να είναι εντελώς κακή, δισκογραφικές τους προσπάθειες. Από την άλλη, ο Udo Dirkschneider ήθελε να επιστρέψει στην προ Balls to the Wall εποχή, παραμένοντας πιστός στις παραδοσιακές φόρμες του Heavy Metal.

Τα τραγούδια που είχαν γράψει οι Accept κατά τη διάρκεια της περιοδείας του 1986 αναδιαμορφώθηκαν από τον Udo και τους νέους συνεργάτες του (Mathias Dieth και Peter Szigeti στις κιθάρες, Frank Rittel στο μπάσο και Thomas Franke στα τύμπανα) και εντάχθηκαν στο πρώτο προσωπικό του άλμπουμ ως U.D.O. Μιλάμε για γκάφα ολκής από την πλευρά των υπόλοιπων μελών των Accept! Όχι μόνο του έδωσαν το Lay Down the Law, αλλά έπαιξαν και οι ίδιοι σε αυτό, ένα από τα πιο αντιπροσωπευτικά κομμάτια του δίσκου, το οποίο, αν το κρατούσαν για τους Accept, θα μπορούσε να έχει τεράστια απήχηση.

Μεταλλική καταιγίδα από την αρχή, με το ομότιτλο Animal House, και συνέχεια με τα Go Back to Hell, Warrior, Black Widow, το ιδιαίτερο και πιο εμπορικό τραγούδι του δίσκου, They Want War, το οποίο κάποτε απέφευγα, αλλά πλέον συμπαθώ, καθώς και τα We Want It Loud και Run for Cover.

English:

A New Light, the Same Horizon

Accept went on hiatus for the first time in late 1986, following the tour in support of Russian Roulette, a very good album that, for some reason, remains underrated. To be more precise, Wolf Hoffmann and Peter Baltes wanted to pursue a musical direction aimed exclusively at the American market, a move that would eventually lead to the recruitment of a new singer, David Reece, and the release of Eat the Heat. The latter remains one of the musically more watered-down efforts in their discography, although it is not entirely without merit. Udo Dirkschneider, on the other hand, wanted to return to the pre-Balls to the Wall era, remaining faithful to traditional Heavy Metal.

The songs Accept had written during their 1986 tour were reworked by Udo and his new collaborators (Mathias Dieth and Peter Szigeti on guitars, Frank Rittel on bass, and Thomas Franke on drums) and ended up on his first solo album under the name U.D.O. Talk about a colossal blunder on the part of the remaining Accept members! Not only did they hand him Lay Down the Law, but they also played on it themselves. It is one of the album's most representative tracks, and had they kept it for Accept, it could have made a huge impact.

A veritable Heavy Metal storm right from the start, with the title track Animal House, followed by Go Back to Hell, Warrior, Black Widow, and the album's more distinctive, commercially oriented track, They Want War. I used to skip that one, but these days I find myself enjoying it. We Want It Loud and Run for Cover round out the selection.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

Social Scream Release Official Video for “Now Command”

 

Greek Heavy Metal band Social Scream have released the official video for “Now Command,” a track from their new album, Setup To Transformation.

Featured as the album’s seventh track, “Now Command” appears in the second part of the ten-song release, which combines heavy riffs, complex rhythmic structures, and a dark, psychological atmosphere. The new video adds a visual dimension to the band’s latest work, further exploring its musical and thematic identity.

Following the presentation of “The Unified Field,” Social Scream continue to introduce different aspects of Setup To Transformation, bringing the album’s material to a wider audience through their latest audiovisual release.

REVIEW: VENOM, Prime Evil

 

VENOM, Prime Evil (1989)

Under One Flag

Μα ένα outsider μπορεί να είναι καλό;

Ε, ναι, λοιπόν! Όχι απλώς καλό, αλλά καλύτερο απ’ ό,τι αποδείχθηκαν τα At War with Satan (1984) και Possessed (1985), αφήνοντάς τα να «ιδρώνουν» από την προσπάθεια!

Χωρίς υπερβολές, ο κ. Tony Dolan (ο γνωστός μας Demolition Man, πλέον στους Venom Inc.) όχι μόνο αντικαθιστά επάξια τον Cronos σε φωνή και μπάσο, αλλά γράφει κιόλας πιο «βενομικά» απ’ όσο θα περίμενε κανείς.

Και τι δεν έχει μέσα το άλμπουμ αυτού του αναγεννημένου line-up! Κομμάτια που πλέον θεωρούνται αγαπημένα, όπως τα Prime Evil, Parasite, Blackened Are the Priests, Megalomania (διασκευή στους Black Sabbath), Harder Than Ever, School Daze και Live Like an Angel – Die Like a Devil.

Αν και στο άλμπουμ συμμετέχουν δύο κιθαρίστες, στα credits η μπάντα αναφέρεται ως τρίο, με τους Mantas και Abaddon της αρχικής σύνθεσης. Πρόκειται, δηλαδή, για τη σύνθεση που συναντάμε σήμερα στους Venom Inc., μαζί με τον Demolition Man.

Ένα άλμπουμ που έμεινε για χρόνια στη σκιά, αλλά τελικά κέρδισε τη θέση που του αξίζει!

English:

But Can an Outsider Be Any Good?

Well, yes! Not just good, but better than At War with Satan (1984) and Possessed (1985), leaving both albums struggling to keep up!

Without exaggeration, Tony Dolan (our well-known Demolition Man, now with Venom Inc.) not only proves himself a worthy replacement for Cronos on vocals and bass, but also delivers songwriting that sounds more authentically Venom than one might expect.

And what doesn't this revitalised line-up have to offer? The album features several tracks that have since become firm favourites, including “Prime Evil,” “Parasite,” “Blackened Are the Priests,” “Megalomania” (a cover of Black Sabbath), “Harder Than Ever,” “School Daze” and “Live Like an Angel – Die Like a Devil.”

Although two guitarists feature on the album, the band is credited as a trio, comprising original members Mantas and Abaddon alongside Dolan. In other words, this is the line-up that would later form the core of today's Venom Inc., with Demolition Man completing the picture.

An album that spent years in the shadows but ultimately earned the recognition it deserved!

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: LEGIO MORTIS - The Human Creation and the Devil's Contribution

 

LEGIO MORTIS - The Human Creation and the Devil's Contribution (2011)

MDD Records

A couple of years after the release of their third album, German sextet LEGIO MORTIS strikes back with a new work bearing the rather clever title The Human Creation and the Devil's Contribution. Lyrically, the band deals with Satan, ancient times and darkness in general, but the ideas presented also offer some food for thought beyond simply serving the songs and contributing to their extreme and sinister atmosphere. There is more to the lyrical approach than the usual dark imagery, which helps give the album an additional dimension.

Musically, LEGIO MORTIS dwell somewhere between death and black metal, incorporating plenty of dark and gothic metal elements into their sound. Although this combination may initially seem familiar and rather common, the truth is that these guys have managed to deliver a quite original and characteristic result, different from what we're mainly used to hearing within these genres. This does not mean that their music avoids the established clichés and familiar ingredients associated with death, black and gothic metal. Rather, the band approaches them from its own perspective, combining recognizable elements with a slightly modern twist, most notably through the use of keyboards, which contribute to the overall atmosphere without completely overshadowing the heavier aspects of the music.

The musicianship is very good throughout the album, while most of the songs are catchy and interesting enough to maintain the listener's attention. The compositions balance aggression with darker, more atmospheric passages, allowing the band to explore different shades of its sound without losing its overall identity. The production is also very good, giving the material the clarity and weight it needs while supporting the album's dark character. Another interesting detail is the guest vocal appearance by Liv Kristine (LEAVES' EYES) on "Life Denied", which adds a further dimension to the album.

All in all, The Human Creation and the Devil's Contribution is an interesting release from a band that manages to combine familiar genre characteristics with its own ideas and a modern approach. If you like contemporary interpretations of dark, gothic death/black metal, then LEGIO MORTIS might be a good start for you!

Christine  Parastatidou