REVIEW: JACK STARR'S BURNING STAR, Stand Your Ground

 

JACK STARR'S  BURNING STAR, Stand Your Ground (2017)

High Roller Records

Πολύ πάνω από κλασικό.

Ο αρχικός κιθαρίστας των δύο πρώτων δίσκων των Virgin Steele (και αρχικός κάτοχος του ονόματος, για να βάλουμε τα πράγματα στη θέση τους, κύριε De Feis!) επέστρεψε το 2017 με τον Rhino στα τύμπανα (πρώην Manowar, στο The Triumph of Steel), έχοντας στο μικρόφωνο σταθερά τον Todd Michael Hall, πλέον και των Riot V. Μας δείχνει πάλι τι εννοείται με τον όρο U.S. Power Metal. Καταιγίδα ήχων, στίχων αλλά κυρίως αισθητικής. Πολύ δυνατό CD που δεν θυμίζει σε τίποτα ούτε Virgin Steele ούτε τα 80's solo άλμπουμ του Jack. Ίσως η τελική παραγωγή να ήθελε λιγάκι ανέβασμα, αλλά και πάλι, έχοντας στο μυαλό τον ήχο των Virgin Steele I και του επόμενου Guardians of the Flame, που αν και κλασικά, από ήχο δεν είναι και ό,τι καλύτερο, τούτο εδώ είναι μια χαρά! Κομμάτια γεμάτα μεταλλικό πάθος και αγάπη για τη μεγαλύτερη μουσική που ακούγεται στον πλανήτη, εκφράζονται μέσω ύμνων όπως τα The Secrets We Hide, The Enemy, Stand Your Ground, Hero, Destiny, The Sky Is Falling, Worlds Apart, Escape From the Night, Stronger Than Steel, False Gods. Ένα από τα πιο αληθινά άλμπουμ του κλασικού Metal ήχου της τελευταίας δεκαετίας.

English:

Far beyond just being classic.

The original guitarist of the first two Virgin Steele albums (and the initial owner of the band’s name, to set things straight, Mr. De Feis!) returned in 2017 with Rhino on drums (former Manowar, on The Triumph of Steel), featuring Todd Michael Hall on vocals—now also of Riot V—who once again proves what U.S. Power Metal truly means. A storm of sound, lyrics, and, most importantly, style. A very powerful CD that bears no resemblance whatsoever to Virgin Steele or Jack’s 80s solo albums. Perhaps the final production could have been a bit louder, but still, considering the sound of Virgin Steele I and the next album, Guardians of the Flame, which, although classic, is not the best sonically, this one is more than fine! Tracks filled with metallic passion and love for the greatest music on the planet, expressed through anthems like The Secrets We Hide, The Enemy, Stand Your Ground, Hero, Destiny, The Sky Is Falling, Worlds Apart, Escape From the Night, Stronger Than Steel, False Gods. One of the most genuine albums of the classic metal sound of the last decade.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

THE SILENT RAGE Announce Departure of Two Long‑Time Members

 

Athenian dark power metal band The Silent Rage announced that vocalist Michalis Rinakakis and lead guitarist Nikos Sarbanis have officially left the group. The band stated the decision was mutual and made on friendly terms, thanking both musicians for their eight years of contribution.

Sarbanis said he is closing this chapter to explore new musical paths, while Rinakakis noted he will now focus on upcoming releases with Dragonrider and Metal Raider. The band emphasized that this marks the end of a chapter, not their journey, and that new members and new music are on the way.

AMONGRUINS Release New Video “Into The Flame”

 

Greek melodic death metal outfit AMONGRUINS have unveiled the official video for “Into The Flame”, taken from their new album Advent of Chaos, out now via Theogonia Records.

The track features guest vocals from Christianna of Elysion, adding a haunting melodic edge to the band’s aggressive, atmospheric sound. Directed by Haris Kountouris (HK Visual Creations) and filmed by Dimitris Papadimitroulas and Dimitris Anastasopoulos, the video amplifies the song’s dark emotional intensity with cinematic visuals.

Mixed and mastered by Saku Moilanen (Deep Noise Studios) and featuring artwork by Nikos Stavridakis (Vision Black Art), Advent of Chaos marks the band’s most ambitious release yet—perfect for fans of Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum, Wolfheart, and Dark Tranquillity.

SECRET RULE Unleash “X”

 

A decade into their career, Secret Rule release “X” worldwide in digital format, following its physical debut on October 24, 2025 via Rockshots Records. Far from a nostalgic anniversary record, “X” captures a band reinventing itself with sharper grooves, modern textures, and a more immediate, cinematic punch.

Self‑written, self‑produced, and fully crafted by the band, the album marks a bold statement of artistic independence. Lyrically, it dives into a world on the brink — from environmental collapse to inner conflict and social decay — delivered through the tightest and most dynamic lineup in the band’s history.

After touring across 20+ countries and sharing stages with major European acts, Secret Rule enter their second decade with renewed fire.

“X” is heavier. More direct. More fearless.

REVIEW: STRATOVARIUS, Elements Pt.1

 

STRATOVARIUS, Elements Pt.1 (2003)

Nuclear Blast Records

Πάρα, πάρα πολύ μεγαλόπνοο.

Εξήντα δύο λεπτά ενός δίσκου γεμάτα νεοκλασικής αισθητικής, συμφωνικό Euro Power Metal. Ήταν λίγα; Όχι, αν αναλογιστούμε ότι υπάρχει και μέρος δεύτερο. 

Η ομάδα από Φινλανδία, Σουηδία και Γερμανία, που δοκιμάστηκε και πέτυχε μέχρι το 2000, έβαλε στόχο να ξεπεράσει οτιδήποτε είχε ως επιρροή. 

Καταρχάς, να πω ότι τους αγαπώ, ακόμα και το Destiny του 1998, το οποίο, με όλα τα στραβά του, είναι ένα τίμιο άλμπουμ. 

Με το Infinite, ύστερα, κάπου είδαμε στοιχεία αλλότρια προς τον ήχο τους, αλλά ΟΚ, παλεύεται ο δίσκος. 

Απ’ εδώ και πέρα (και μέχρι τις μέρες μας) έχουν πάνω και έχουν και πολύ άσχημα κάτω. Το συγκεκριμένο, λοιπόν, το πρώτο Elements, ήταν μια Rock Opera προορισμένη είτε να λατρευτεί είτε να κάνει τον κόσμο να αναλογιστεί ότι η υπερβολή θα χαλάσει τη σούπα του ευρωπαϊκού μελωδικού ήχου. 

Εννέα, από μεγάλα έως πελώρια κομμάτια, σε μια συνταγή επιτυχίας ή αποτυχίας που, όπως πλέον ξέρουμε καλά, την είχαν και κάποια άλλα μεγαθήρια, όπως οι Iron Maiden, σαν πεπατημένη, με πολύ χλιαρά αποτελέσματα. 

Είναι αυτό που ευτυχώς, τα σχήματα εδώ του ντόπιου Power Metal απέφυγαν ήδη από τότε, στις αρχές του νέου αιώνα, στρεφόμενα προς το στυλ της απέναντι όχθης του Ατλαντικού Ωκεανού. Αυτή η φορτωμένη, ηχητικά, υπερβολικά ογκώδης ατμόσφαιρα δίσκων σαν και τούτον, δεν χαρακτηρίζει το σύνολο της σκηνής. 

Είναι του "πεταματού" λοιπόν; Όχι. Δεν είναι. Περιέχει κάποια κομμάτια κλασικής συνθετικής φύσης, όπως τα Eagleheart, Find Your Own Voice, Stratofortress και Elements. 

Παρόλα αυτά, το μαγικό κουμπί με τα δύο βελάκια που δείχνουν δεξιά, δηλαδή το πολύ χρήσιμο skip, δυστυχώς, θα χρησιμοποιηθεί αρκετά κατά τη διάρκεια αναπαραγωγής του CD. 

Θα χρειαστεί υπομονή μέχρι την επόμενη κυκλοφορία τους, το δεύτερο Elements, για να κρίνουμε συνολικά...

English:

Absolutely, incredibly grandiose.

Sixty-two minutes of an album filled with neo-classical aesthetics, symphonic Euro Power Metal. Was that enough? No, especially when considering there's a second part.

 

The band from Finland, Sweden, and Germany, which proved itself and succeeded up until 2000, set out to surpass anything that had influenced them. 

First of all, I want to say I love them, even Destiny from 1998, which, despite all its flaws, is a sincere and honest album. 

With Infinite, I saw some elements that felt alien to their sound, but okay, the album is still salvageable. 

From here on (and up to today), they have some great moments, but also some very poor ones. This particular first Elements was a Rock Opera meant either to be adored or to make people reflect that excess can spoil the European melodic sound. 

Nine tracks, ranging from large to colossal, in a recipe of success or failure, which, as we now know well, was also attempted by other giants like Iron Maiden — following a well-worn path, but with rather lukewarm results. 

Thankfully, the local Power Metal bands avoided this approach early on, at the dawn of the new millennium, turning instead toward the style of the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean. This heavily loaded, excessively weighty sonic atmosphere of albums like this one does not define the entire scene. 

So, is it "puffed up"? No, it’s not. It contains some tracks of classic compositional quality, such as Eagleheart, Find Your Own Voice, Stratofortress, and Elements. 

However, the magic button with the two arrows pointing right — the very useful skip — will unfortunately be used quite a lot during the CD playback. 

Patience will be needed until their next release, the second Elements, so we can judge the work as a whole...

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: BUTCHER – Welcome to the Night

 

BUTCHER – Welcome to the Night

Inferno Records

Are you a fan of the early 1980s U.S. metal sound? Do you appreciate bands that draw inspiration directly from the British metal scene of that era, delivering heavy metal music straight from the heart without pretension? If your answer is a loud and proud YES, then this album is worth your attention.

BUTCHER, hailing from the U.S., can be seen as a continuation of the classic 80s metal band COVEN. In fact, they include tracks from the COVEN era—such as “King Of The Hill” and “Battleaxe”—which contributes to their authentic 80s metal vibe. Their sound carries that nostalgic air, blending variety with a straightforward approach that many contemporary bands often lack.

In terms of influences, their music echoes bands like LIZZY BORDEN, RIOT, and early SAVATAGE. Additionally, there are epic touches reminiscent of CIRITH UNGOL (musically, not vocally) and MERCYFUL FATE, exemplified in tracks like “Halloween.” The band’s female-fronted lineup is highlighted by Lil Tang’s vocal performance, which perfectly complements their style and adds the necessary edge.

One minor critique concerns the inclusion of several interlude tracks between compositions, which could be reduced to enhance the album’s flow. Nevertheless, Welcome to the Night encapsulates the essence of 80s U.S. metal—raw, energetic, and uncompromising. Instead of seeking out superficial trends or bands that merely emulate the look of that era, fans should seek this release for a genuine taste of authentic 80s metal.

For those who appreciate the real deal—music that’s rooted in the spirit of early American heavy metal—this album is a recommended listen.

Nick Parastatidis

Butcher · Welcome To The Night

REVIEW: BLACK HAWK - Straight to Hell

BLACK HAWK - Straight to Hell

Karthago Records

BLACK HAWK’s fourth full-length album exemplifies a straightforward, unpretentious approach to heavy metal—music crafted from genuine passion rather than a focus on originality. The band’s attitude suggests they genuinely enjoy playing these songs, which are rooted in the classic heavy metal sounds of the 1980s.

The album adheres to a familiar formula, drawing influence from bands such as ACCEPT, GRAVE DIGGER, and early HELLOWEEN. Additionally, there are noticeable rock ‘n’ roll elements, particularly in the track “Bad Pussy,” which also features subtle neoclassical touches and hints of old METALLICA. This blend results in a high-energy, headbanging experience designed for maximum impact at loud volumes.

While predicting the album’s long-term significance is inherently uncertain, Straight to Hell is clearly made for fans who appreciate 80’s-inspired metal with a contemporary production quality. It’s a sincere release that captures the spirit of that era, appealing to those who enjoy robust, straightforward metal.

Highlights include “In Isolation,” the tribute “Shoot Shoot” (a nod to ACCEPT), the energetic “Bad Pussy,” and the epic “Guardians of the Night,” which stands out as the band’s strongest composition. The album also features a cover of SAXON’s “Crusader,” which is performed adequately but does not elevate the release significantly.

Overall, BLACK HAWK delivers a solid addition to the genre, particularly for enthusiasts of 80’s German heavy metal. Fans of that style should find much to enjoy here.

Nick Parastatidis