REVIEW: DEVASTATING ENEMY – The Fallen Prophet

 

DEVASTATING ENEMY – The Fallen Prophet

Twilight Records

A couple of years after the release of their debut EP, The Gods of Reason, and after gaining considerable experience through numerous live performances at clubs and festivals, the Austrians DEVASTATING ENEMY felt ready to unleash their debut full-length album, The Fallen Prophet. The record incorporates all the elements the band members appreciate in extreme metal, filtering their influences through their own perspective and creating a sound that is both diverse and distinctive.

Musically, DEVASTATING ENEMY fall under the broad umbrella of modern death metal, although their approach is far from one-dimensional. At its core lies melodic death metal, which is seamlessly blended with more brutal and extreme aspects of the genre. The band further enriches its sound with numerous thrash metal influences, noticeable metalcore touches, and even occasional black metal-inspired passages. The constant presence of melody gives the songs a memorable identity, while the aggressive riffing and deep guttural vocals provide the necessary weight and intensity, resulting in a sound that is both complex and highly dynamic.

The musicianship displayed throughout the album is impressive. The twin guitars deliver sharp, memorable riffs alongside well-crafted and technically proficient solos, while the rhythm section provides a solid backbone with relentless blastbeats, crushing breakdowns, and tight, energetic drumming that keeps the momentum high from beginning to end.

On the vocal front, the band's singer demonstrates notable versatility by employing a wide range of techniques. In addition to his deep guttural growls, he delivers convincing high-pitched growls and metalcore-style screams, all of which complement the album's aggressive nature. The clean vocals, however, are the one aspect that fails to convince me. While they add variety to the material, I find this particular style of clean singing somewhat formulaic and out of place, diminishing the impact of some otherwise excellent compositions.

Overall, The Fallen Prophet is a strong and confident debut full-length that showcases DEVASTATING ENEMY's songwriting abilities, technical skills, and willingness to combine different elements of extreme metal into a cohesive whole. Although there is still room for refinement, the album makes it clear that the band possesses both the talent and the potential to establish itself as a notable name within the modern death metal scene.

Christine  Parastatidou

REVIEW: OMEN, Eternal Black Dawn

 

OMEN, Eternal Black Dawn (2003)

Mausoleum Records

Απρόσμενα καλό, αν και διαφορετικό.

Οι προπάτορες του επικού, καλπάζοντος Heavy Metal, Omen, διαλύονται το 1989, μετά την παταγώδη εμπορική αποτυχία του τέταρτου άλμπουμ τους, Escape to Nowhere. Εκείνο το άλμπουμ, πέραν της θεματολογικής μετάλλαξης τους, είναι το πρώτο στο οποίο ο εξαιρετικός D. J. Kimball έχει αντικατασταθεί από τον άγνωστο τότε Coburn Pharr (RIP, μελλοντικά στους Annihilator).

Το 1997, από το πουθενά, θα έρθει η επιστροφή τους με τον γιο του κιθαρίστα Kenny Powell, Greg, στη φωνή, για το άλμπουμ Reopening the Gates. Το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ πέρασε και δεν ακούμπησε πραγματικά, αφού οι επιρροές από industrial και Groove Metal (έλεος, κάπου η μουσική βιομηχανία!) δεν ήταν χαρακτηριστικές για τους Omen. Δεν έμαθαν ποτέ για το Dissident Alliance των φίλων τους Jag Panzer που προσπάθησαν να κάνουν crossover, με ολέθρια αποτελέσματα.

Οι Omen, που πέραν του ηγέτη Powell έχουν στο σχήμα τον ντράμερ Rick Murray και τον μπασίστα Andy Hass, βρήκαν το 1999 τη φωνή που έψαχναν στο πρόσωπο του Kevin Goocher. Έρχονται μάλιστα και από Ελλάδα, παρέα με τους δικούς μας Crush, σε εκείνο το ηρωικό live στο AN Club το 2002, παίζοντας υλικό από το τρίτο τους άλμπουμ, The Curse.

Ένα χρόνο μετά, έρχεται ο πραγματικός διάδοχος στη δισκογραφία τους του The Curse, ή καλύτερα του δίσκου που απέρριψαν για να γράψουν το Escape to Nowhere. Το συγκεκριμένο στούντιο άλμπουμ, αν και δείχνει την εξέλιξη μουσικά, είναι όντως τίμιος δίσκος που επάξια φέρει το λογότυπό τους στο εξώφυλλο. Περιλαμβάνει οκτώ νέες συνθέσεις, καθώς και το medley The Specter of Battles Past, που αποτελείται από κομμάτια των τριών πρώτων δίσκων τους σε ένα επταλεπτο κομμάτι.

Μέσα επίσης ξεχωρίζω τα κομμάτια: 1000 Year Reign, Eternal Black Dawn, Burning Times, Blood Feud, House on Rue Royal και King of the Seven Seas, τα οποία θεωρώ τις καλύτερες στιγμές του.

English:

Unexpectedly good, though different.

The pioneers of epic, galloping heavy metal, Omen, disbanded in 1989 following the catastrophic commercial failure of their fourth album, Escape to Nowhere. That album, beyond their thematic transformation, was the first in which the exceptional D. J. Kimball was replaced by the then-unknown Coburn Pharr (RIP, later with Annihilator).

In 1997, out of nowhere, they made a comeback with the son of guitarist Kenny Powell, Greg, on vocals, for the album Reopening the Gates. This record, however, largely passed unnoticed, as influences from industrial and groove metal (for goodness’ sake, the music industry!) were not characteristic of Omen. They never learned about the Dissident Alliance of their friends Jag Panzer, who tried to crossover as well, with disastrous results.

Omen, whose lineup besides leader Powell includes drummer Rick Murray and bassist Andy Hass, found the voice they were searching for in 1999 in Kevin Goocher. They even came from Greece, alongside our own Crush, for that heroic live performance at AN Club in 2002, playing material from their third album, The Curse.

A year later, they released the true successor to The Curse, or rather the album they initially rejected to write Escape to Nowhere. This studio album, although musically showing evolution, is indeed an honest record that rightly bears their logo on the cover. It features eight new compositions, along with the medley The Specter of Battles Past, which combines songs from their first three albums into a seven-minute piece.

Among the standout tracks are: 1000 Year Reign, Eternal Black Dawn, Burning Times, Blood Feud, House on Rue Royal, and King of the Seven Seas — I consider these their greatest moments.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: OVER KILL, NECROSHINE

 

OVER KILL, NECROSHINE (1999)

Steamhammer

Από το υπέδαφος κι ακόμη παρακάτω

Δανεικός ο τίτλος από προηγούμενη κυκλοφορία των παλικαριών — τότε αλλά και τώρα — από το New Jersey. Στα τέλη της δεκαετίας, της δεύτερης που το συγκρότημα έκανε κι αυτό την ενδοσκόπησή του, δίχασε, αλλά νομίζω πως βγήκε αλώβητο, έστω κι αν άργησε να συνέλθει από τις δοκιμασίες. Εδώ έχουμε ένα ακόμη άλμπουμ με ιδιαίτερα μοντέρνο άκουσμα.

Η κάποτε πράσινη Thrash Metal οργή, με τα τρία τελευταία άλμπουμ πριν από αυτό, είχε κινηθεί ανησυχητικά προς το Groove Metal. Παράδειγμα, το έντονα επηρεασμένο από Pantera My December, που δεν άφησε αυτή την τάση να ξεχαστεί. Όχι ότι πρόκειται για κακό άλμπουμ — κάθε άλλο. Είναι κι αυτό παιδί των ’90s, και αυτό διαφαίνεται πολύ έντονα.

Ο αγαπημένος Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth στο μικρόφωνο θυμίζει, όπως πάντα, έναν Bon Scott υπό… στεροειδή, δίνοντας πνοή. Ο D.D. Verni, με το ιδιαίτερα χαμηλό και οριακά ξεκούρδιστο μπάσο, κρατά τον παλμό. Και φυσικά, ο γνωστός μας από τους υπέρτατους Liege Lord — όπου εκεί ήταν τραγουδιστής — Joe Comeau στην κιθάρα, λιγότερο από δύο χρόνια πριν πάρει μεταγραφή στους Annihilator, πάλι ως τραγουδιστής. Ο Tim Malare στα ντραμς συμπληρώνει την τετράδα.

Το ομώνυμο Necroshine ανοίγει τον δίσκο, και μαζί με τα Let Us Prey, Revelation, Stone Cold Jesus, Forked Tongue Kiss, I Am Fear, Black Line, δεν θα μας χαλάσουν καθόλου. Αν και θα χρειαστεί να περάσει ακόμη καιρός μέχρι την κρίσιμη μεταστροφή πίσω σε αυτό από το οποίο ξεκίνησαν κάποτε.

English:

From the Underground and Below

Borrowed title from an earlier release by the boys — then as well as now — from New Jersey. By the end of the decade, the second one in which the band went through its own phase of introspection, they caused division, yet I believe they emerged unscathed, even if it took them a while to recover from the trials. Here, we’re presented with another album whose sound leans distinctly modern.

Their once green‑blooded Thrash Metal fury had, over the previous three albums, drifted worryingly toward Groove Metal. A telling example is the heavily Pantera‑influenced My December, which made sure that this tendency didn’t fade from memory. Not that this is a bad album — far from it. It’s a child of the ’90s, and that shows very clearly.

The beloved Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth on vocals evokes, as always, a Bon Scott on… steroids, injecting life into the material. D.D. Verni, with his notably low‑tuned and borderline out‑of‑pitch bass, keeps the pulse steady. And of course, Joe Comeau, known to us from the mighty Liege Lord — where he served as vocalist — handles guitar duties here, less than two years before transferring to Annihilator, again as a singer. Tim Malare on drums completes the quartet.

The self‑titled Necroshine opens the record, and together with Let Us Prey, Revelation, Stone Cold Jesus, Forked Tongue Kiss, I Am Fear, and Black Line, they certainly won’t disappoint. Though it would still take some time before the band made the crucial turn back toward what they once started from.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: WIZARD – ...Of Wariwulfs and Bluotvarwes

 

WIZARD – ...Of Wariwulfs and Bluotvarwes

Massacre Records

I believe that the new album from WIZARD is a concept release based on a novel by a well-known German fantasy writer. This marks an interesting change of direction after the Viking mythology that dominated the band's previous album, offering a fresh lyrical setting while remaining firmly rooted in the band's established identity.

Musically, however, very little has changed. WIZARD continue to deliver their trademark Teutonic heavy metal, strongly influenced by MANOWAR, with powerful riffs, driving rhythms, and an epic atmosphere. Fans of the band's traditional sound will immediately recognize the familiar formula.

Unfortunately, where the album falls short is in its songwriting. Compared to its predecessor, Thor, this release does not sound nearly as inspired. The band relies too heavily on familiar patterns, and although the songs are consistently fast and heavy, they lack the memorable melodies and distinctive hooks that made earlier WIZARD albums so enjoyable. The performances are solid enough, but technical ability has never been the band's greatest strength. Instead, WIZARD built their reputation on writing energetic, catchy, and memorable heavy metal anthems—something that is largely missing here.

As someone who genuinely enjoys WIZARD's music, I have to admit that this album left me rather indifferent. It feels too predictable, not only by the band's own standards but also within the traditional heavy metal genre as a whole. There are no truly weak moments, but there are very few highlights either, making the album feel surprisingly routine from a band that has shown much greater creativity in the past.

In the end, ...Of Wariwulfs and Bluotvarwes is an album that will probably satisfy only the band's most dedicated followers. Everyone else would be better served exploring WIZARD's stronger releases, where the band displayed far more inspiration and songwriting quality.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: SYMBOLIC – Scarvest

 

SYMBOLIC – Scarvest

Twilight Records

Among the many bands carrying the name Symbolic, this release concerns the German quartet and their sophomore album, Scarvest. Given the confusion surrounding their name—there are more than a dozen acts listed under it—this clarification is essential before diving into the music itself.

On Scarvest, Symbolic present a remarkably cohesive fusion of their melodic death metal foundation with elements drawn from brutal death metal and melodic black metal. While the melodic death metal tag is the most convenient descriptor, it doesn’t fully capture the breadth of their approach. The band weave aggression and technicality into their melodic framework with impressive precision, creating a sound that feels both expansive and meticulously engineered.

The musicianship is consistently striking. Riffs are intricate without sacrificing impact, the rhythm section is tight and articulate, and the lead work stands out through its fluidity and emotional phrasing. This interplay results in a form of technical death metal that remains accessible thanks to its strong melodic backbone. Fans who appreciate death metal enriched with elaborate solos and well‑crafted harmonies will find Scarvest particularly rewarding.

Production-wise, the album benefits from a clear, forceful mix that highlights the band’s precision without flattening their dynamic range. The cover artwork adds another layer of interest—intense, symbolic, and thought‑provoking, it complements the album’s thematic weight and sonic ambition.

Scarvest is a release worth seeking out. Symbolic have succeeded in merging contrasting stylistic elements into a unified, compelling whole, delivering a record that stands out in a crowded field. It’s an album I fully intend to add to my collection, and one I strongly recommend exploring.

Christine  Parastatidou

REVIEW: NUCLEAR ASSAULT, Third World Genocide

 

NUCLEAR ASSAULT, Third World Genocide (2005)

Screaming Ferret Wreckords

Ένωση ξανά για να αποδείξουν πολλά 

Οι thrash metalers με το σκεπτόμενο στιχουργικό περιεχόμενο — σε μια Sacred Reich λογική — με αυτό το άλμπουμ ανέβασαν ακόμη περισσότερο τη συνείδηση του κοινού. Δεν ξεχνάω ποτέ το picture‑disc βινύλιο του Survive, με το οποίο τους γνώρισα, καθώς και το κλασικό Handle With Care, που πρέπει κάποια στιγμή να ξανακούσω, αφού παραμένει το αγαπημένο μου άλμπουμ τους.

Με όρεξη να προσπαθήσουν για το καλύτερο, η ομάδα των Erik Burke, Dan Lilker, Glenn Evans και John Connelly μας δείχνει εδώ τι είναι ακόμη ικανή να προσφέρει, μετά από σχεδόν δεκατέσσερα χρόνια δισκογραφικής απουσίας.

Ένα άλμπουμ σύγχρονο και απόλυτα μέσα στην εποχή του, με μερικά πλέον επίσης κλασικά κομμάτια — όπως τα Third World Genocide, Price of Freedom, Human Wreckage, Living Hell, Exoskeletal, Fractured Minds — να προστίθενται στα παλιότερα.

English:

Reunited to prove they still have plenty to offer 

The thrash metalers with the thoughtful, socially aware lyrical approach — very much in a Sacred Reich vein — managed with this album to elevate their audience’s consciousness even further. I’ll never forget the picture‑disc vinyl of Survive, the record through which I first discovered them, nor the classic Handle With Care, which I really should revisit at some point, since it remains my favorite album of theirs.

Driven by a genuine desire to push for something better, the lineup of Erik Burke, Dan Lilker, Glenn Evans and John Connelly shows here exactly what it is still capable of delivering after nearly fourteen years of silence on the discographic front.

A modern album, perfectly in tune with its time, featuring several tracks that have already earned their place among the band’s classics — Third World Genocide, Price of Freedom, Human Wreckage, Living Hell, Exoskeletal, Fractured Minds — now standing proudly alongside the older material.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: DIO, Lock Up The Wolves

 

DIO, Lock Up The Wolves (1990)

Vertigo

Του 'δωσα κι άλλη ευκαιρία, αλλά μάταια.

Τελικά, το «λάθος» άλμπουμ, τη λάθος εποχή, από το λάθος συγκρότημα, δεν είναι σίγουρα τόσο κλασικό όσο τα πρώτα τέσσερα δικά του (τρία θα πουν κάποιοι, αφού για λόγους που δεν συμμερίζομαι, αγνοούν επιδεικτικά το Dream Evil του 1987). Έχει έντονη τη χροιά ενός σόλο άλμπουμ του Ronnie James Dio, καθώς κανείς από τους μουσικούς που παίζουν εδώ δεν συμμετείχε στα προηγούμενα ή στα επόμενα άλμπουμ — με εξαίρεση τον ντράμερ Simon Wright, ο οποίος επέστρεψε από το 2000 και μετά· με τους υπόλοιπους δεν συνεργάστηκε ποτέ ξανά.

Εδώ, στο σωτήριο έτος 1990, έχουμε το πέμπτο στούντιο άλμπουμ του DIO. Και λέω «του» και όχι «των», γιατί, όπως είπαμε, εδώ έφτασε πιο κοντά από ποτέ στο να είναι σόλο καλλιτέχνης και όχι συγκρότημα! Δεν καταλαβαίνω —και το επαναλαμβάνω— πώς και γιατί αρκετοί το θεωρούν καλύτερο από το προηγούμενο, το Dream Evil (1987).

Μαζί με τον τιτάνα στη φωνή αλλά νάνο στο μπόι τραγουδιστή, βρίσκουμε τους κυρίους Simon Wright (AC/DC) στα ντραμς, Jens Johansson (Malmsteen, Stratovarius) στα πλήκτρα, Teddy Cook στο μπάσο και το παιδί-θαύμα, τον 18χρονο τότε Rowan Robertson, στις κιθάρες.

Τα Wild One, Born On The Sun και Lock Up The Wolves τα θυμάσαι, αλλά μέχρι εκεί. Το άλμπουμ χαρακτηρίζεται από υπερβολική εμπορική διάθεση και μια rock λογική για πιο εύπεπτα κομμάτια. Δεν το ακούω συχνά, και μάλλον αυτό δεν πρόκειται να αλλάξει σύντομα.

English:

I gave it another chance, but in vain.

Ultimately, the "wrong" album, at the wrong time, by the wrong band, is certainly not as classic as his first four (three, some would say, since for reasons I do not share, they pointedly ignore 1987’s Dream Evil). It carries the distinct vibe of a Ronnie James Dio solo record, as none of the musicians playing here participated in either the preceding or the subsequent albums—with the sole exception of drummer Simon Wright, who returned from 2000 onward; Dio would never collaborate with any of the others again.

Here, in the saving year of 1990, we have DIO's fifth studio album. And I say "his" and not "their" because, as mentioned, this is the closest he ever came to being a solo artist rather than a band! I don’t understand—and I repeat, I really don't—how and why some people consider this superior to its predecessor, Dream Evil (1987).

Alongside the vocal titan (who was, admittedly, a dwarf in stature), we find Mr. Simon Wright (AC/DC) on drums, Jens Johansson (Malmsteen, Stratovarius) on keyboards, Teddy Cook on bass, and the 18-year-old prodigy of the time, Rowan Robertson, on guitars.

You might remember "Wild One," "Born On The Sun," and "Lock Up The Wolves," but that's about it. The album is characterized by an excessive commercial push and a radio-friendly rock logic aiming for more easily digestible tracks. I don’t listen to it often, and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!