REVIEW: WARDRUM – Spadework

 

WARDRUM – Spadework (2011)

Steel Gallery Records

Spadework is the debut album from WARDRUM, a Greek metal band from Thessaloniki, the country's second-largest city and the hometown of both Behind The Veil and Steel Gallery Records. The band's connection with the local metal scene is particularly strong, as most of its members come from HORIZON'S END, an excellent progressive metal band with a reputation for its musicianship.

The driving force behind WARDRUM is drummer Stergios Kourou, while guitarist Kosta Vretos, also a member of HORIZON'S END, brings his considerable skills to the album. Vretos has also released some really good solo material, further demonstrating his abilities as a guitarist. Bassist Kostas Scandalis, another HORIZON'S END member, takes care of the production and mastering, and he has done a wonderful job. The sound is clear, powerful and well balanced, allowing the individual instruments to stand out without sacrificing the overall cohesion of the music.

On vocals, we find Pierro Leropale, a singer I had the chance to see live a couple of months ago alongside Uli Jon Roth, the former SCORPIONS guitarist. My impression of him was very positive, and Spadework confirms that he is equally convincing in the studio. His performance suits the band's melodic approach, delivering the material with the power and expression required by this style of metal.

The cover artwork was created by Michal Karcz, a member of the Rainer Kalwitz Crew, whose work has been associated with bands and labels such as SHADOW GALLERY, Century Media Records and Massacre Records. The artwork provides an appropriate visual presentation for the album, complementing the band's musical identity.

Musically, WARDRUM play lyrical power metal, combining strong melodies and memorable vocal lines with a considerable degree of technical ability. The guitar work is particularly impressive, with Kosta Vretos demonstrating both precision and a good sense of melody. The technical elements never become an end in themselves; instead, they serve the songs and help give the album its character. This balance between musicianship and accessibility is one of the record's main strengths.

Among the songs, I particularly enjoyed "The Meaning of Forever", "Crest of the Wave", "Yesterday" and "Soultrip". Each of them offers something worth returning to, while collectively they demonstrate the band's ability to combine melodic appeal with the energy expected from a power metal release.

In conclusion, Spadework is one of the most impressive Greek metal releases I have come across in recent years, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to fans of melodic and power metal. The musicianship, the vocal performance and the excellent production make this debut a release that deserves attention beyond the band's home country.

Of course, some might think that I am being particularly generous because WARDRUM come from my own city. Fair enough! My suggestion, however, is simple: listen to a few samples before making up your mind. I believe that once you have heard what the band has to offer, you will understand why I hold this album in such high regard.

Ioannis Kaskamanidis

REVIEW: SCORPIONS, Blackout

 

SCORPIONS, Blackout (1982)

Harvest

Η δεύτερη κορυφή των Σκορπιών

Το δεύτερο διαμάντι τους μετά το Taken by Force (1977), αν και τα δύο άλμπουμ δεν είναι άμεσα συγκρίσιμα. Η πεντάδα των Klaus Meine (φωνητικά), Rudolf Schenker και Matthias Jabs (κιθάρες), Herman Rarebell (ντραμς) και Francis Buchholz (μπάσο) κινείται μουσικά στα ακόμη δυσδιάκριτα τότε όρια του νέου κινήματος που έφερε την ταμπέλα του Heavy Metal, ακριβώς μετά το Hard Rock, διατηρώντας, βέβαια, την εμπορική χροιά της.

Το άλμπουμ απέδειξε ότι το ηλεκτρικό κεντρί των πέντε μουσικών μπορούσε να τσιμπήσει άσχημα, και μάλιστα ύστερα από το κλασικό μεν, αλλά κάπως πιο αδύναμο Animal Magnetism, δύο χρόνια νωρίτερα.

Πρακτικά, πρόκειται για το προτελευταίο τους άλμπουμ που αγγίζει τα όρια του 10/10. Ένα εννιάρι με βάση τα δικά μου κριτήρια, ίσως όμως και γενικότερα. Μια ακόμη δισκάρα με τα όλα της, με το ομώνυμο Blackout, το μεταλλικό ταξίδι ταχύτητας που ακούει στο όνομα Dynamite, τον ύμνο No One Like You, την αδικημένη μπαλάντα When the Smoke Is Going Down, το You Give Me All I Need και το China White να ξεχωρίζουν σε μια κυκλοφορία που δικαιωματικά συγκαταλέγεται στις κορυφαίες στιγμές των Scorpions.

English:

The Scorpions’ Second Peak

Their second gem after Taken by Force (1977), although the two albums are not directly comparable. The five-piece lineup of Klaus Meine (vocals), Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs (guitars), Herman Rarebell (drums), and Francis Buchholz (bass) operates within the still-blurred boundaries of what was then an emerging movement labelled Heavy Metal, positioned just beyond Hard Rock, while, of course, retaining its commercial edge.

The album proved that the electric sting of these five musicians could deliver quite a nasty bite, especially following Animal Magnetism, a classic in its own right, but a somewhat weaker effort released two years earlier.

In practical terms, this is the second-to-last Scorpions album to approach the 10/10 mark. A nine out of ten by my own standards, perhaps even by more general consensus. Another fully fledged masterpiece, featuring the title track Blackout, the high-speed metal ride that is Dynamite, the anthem No One Like You, the unfairly overlooked ballad When the Smoke Is Going Down, You Give Me All I Need, and China White. A release that rightfully ranks among the Scorpions’ finest moments.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

BE FADING FAST Release New Album Phobophobia

 

Czech death metal band Be Fading Fast have released their third full-length album, Phobophobia (2026). The album was recorded at Shaark Studios in Bzenec, Czech Republic, with Pavel Hlavica responsible for mixing and mastering.

Formed in 2006 by former Deflorace members, Be Fading Fast combine old-school death metal with thrash and hardcore influences. The band previously released Victims (2008) and Global Attack (2011). Despite lineup changes, periods of inactivity and injuries, the group continued working on new material, eventually returning to Shaark Studios to record their long-awaited third album.

Available as a digital release, Phobophobia marks the band's return with their uncompromising approach to extreme metal.

REVIEW: URIAH HEEP, Wake The Sleeper

 

URIAH HEEP, Wake The Sleeper

Noise Records

Κι η ζωή συνεχίζει ακάθεκτη

Είναι μερικά συγκροτήματα που, ρε παιδί μου, τα σέβεσαι. Έτσι απλά. Για το όνομά τους, για την καριέρα και την ιστορία τους, με όλες τις στιγμές τους, καλές, έξοχες ή και πιο μέτριες.

Οι συγκεκριμένοι, σύμφωνα με το δικό μου υποκειμενικό κριτήριο, ήταν σε όλες τις εκφάνσεις και τις μορφές τους, από το 1969 έως το 1980, όταν μπήκαν για λίγο στον πάγο, κι ύστερα από το 1982 μέχρι… τώρα που γράφω όλα αυτά στο πληκτρολόγιο, ένα συγκρότημα που έχω πάρα πολύ ψηλά. Τους κατέτασσα ψηλότερα από άλλους της συνομοταξίας τους (π.χ. τους Deep Purple) και έχω τσακωθεί γι’ αυτό, αλλά γνώμη δεν με άφηναν να αλλάξω.

Ειδικά με κάτι τέτοια CD, όπως αυτό το 21ο άλμπουμ τους, στο πλαίσιο της τεράστιας δισκογραφικής καριέρας του μοναχικού λύκου Mick Box, κιθαρίστα και ηγέτη τους από την πρώτη μέρα, δεν είναι δύσκολο να καταλάβει κανείς το γιατί. Ένα άλμπουμ ζωντανό, φρέσκο, Hard Rock, αλλά και κάτι παραπάνω, θα μπορούσε να πει κανείς: Hard and Heavy!

Με μερικούς θρύλους να έχουν περάσει από τις τάξεις τους, όπως οι Ken Hensley, David Byron, Gary Thain, Lee Kerslake, John Lawton, John Wetton, John Sloman, Peter Goalby και Bob Daisley, και με τους περισσότερους από τους παραπάνω να έχουν πλέον εγκαταλείψει τα εγκόσμια για τη μεγάλη μπάντα του ουρανού, είναι απορίας άξιο πώς, στα τελευταία χρόνια της πρώτης δεκαετίας του 21ου αιώνα, κατάφεραν να γράψουν και να κυκλοφορήσουν ένα τόσο καλό και στιβαρό άλμπουμ!

Με τον σχεδόν κλασικό, στα πρότυπα των ύμνων τους από τη δεκαετία του ’70, τίτλο «Wake the Sleeper», να δίνει το έναυσμα με ιδιαίτερη δύναμη, ακολουθούν τα «Overload», «Tears of the World», «Light of a Thousand Stars», «Heaven’s Rain», «Book of Lies», «What Kind of God», «Ghost of the Ocean», «Shadow» και «War Child». Τα περισσότερα από αυτά είναι γραμμένα από τον πληκτρά Phil Lanzon και τον αείμνηστο πλέον μπασίστα Trevor Bolder, με τη συνδρομή του Bernie Shaw, του συμπαθέστατου τραγουδιστή τους από το 1987 και του μακροβιότερου μέλους τους μετά τον Mick Box.

English:

And Life Goes On Unstoppable

There are some bands you simply have to respect, you know what I mean? It is as simple as that. You respect them for their name, their career and their history, with all the good, outstanding and sometimes more modest moments that come along the way.

As far as my own subjective criteria are concerned, these guys have always ranked extremely high in my personal estimation, in all their different incarnations and throughout their entire journey, from 1969 until 1980, when they went into temporary hibernation, and then from 1982 right up to… well, now, as I sit here typing these words. I have always placed them above others of a similar stature (Deep Purple, for example), and I have even had arguments over it, but nobody ever managed to change my mind.

Albums like this one, their 21st studio release, make it easy to understand why. It is another chapter in the remarkable recording career of Mick Box, the band's very own lone wolf, guitarist and leader from day one. This is a lively, fresh Hard Rock album, with something more to offer as well, as you could justifiably call it Hard and Heavy!

With so many legends having passed through their ranks, including Ken Hensley, David Byron, Gary Thain, Lee Kerslake, John Lawton, John Wetton, John Sloman, Peter Goalby and Bob Daisley, and most of them having since departed this world for the great band in the sky, it is genuinely remarkable that, in the closing years of the first decade of the 21st century, they managed to write and release such a fine, solid album!

The title track, “Wake the Sleeper,” kicks things off with considerable force, sounding almost like one of their classic anthems from the 1970s. It is followed by “Overload,” “Tears of the World,” “Light of a Thousand Stars,” “Heaven’s Rain,” “Book of Lies,” “What Kind of God,” “Ghost of the Ocean,” “Shadow” and “War Child.” Most of these songs were written by keyboardist Phil Lanzon and the late bassist Trevor Bolder, with contributions from Bernie Shaw, their thoroughly likeable vocalist since 1987 and the longest-serving member of the band after Mick Box.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: ILLDISPOSED - There Is Light (But It's Not For Me)

 

ILLDISPOSED - There Is Light (But It's Not For Me) (2011)

Massacre Records

ILLDISPOSED are a hard-working and highly productive band from Denmark, with a long career dating back to their formation in 1991. Over the years, they have accumulated considerable experience and developed a distinctive sound within the broader thrash/death metal genre. Their recent activity has been particularly impressive, with Massacre Records reissuing some of their earlier and highly regarded albums alongside the release of new material. However, such a prolific output has done nothing to diminish their intensity or creative drive. Quite the opposite, as their latest offering, There Is Light (But It's Not For Me), demonstrates that these Danish veterans still have plenty of fire left in them!

The album is a relentless assault, featuring tight, raw and aggressive songs that spit venom and hatred while delivering enough energy to keep your adrenaline pumping from beginning to end. ILLDISPOSED sound darker, angrier and more uncompromising than ever, embracing a particularly hostile atmosphere without sacrificing the musical substance that makes their work interesting. Beneath the aggression, there is a more elaborate and carefully constructed approach, with the compositions revealing greater complexity and a strong sense of arrangement. The guitar work is especially effective, combining crushing riffs with melodic passages and memorable solos that add depth to the overall sound without taking anything away from its brutality.

What makes There Is Light (But It's Not For Me) particularly interesting is the way it balances the band's established identity with a more developed musical approach. The rawness and directness remain intact, but they are complemented by an increased attention to detail, allowing the songs to unfold with both force and substance. The result is an album that captures the uncompromising spirit of old-school extreme metal while demonstrating that experience can bring fresh ideas rather than simply encourage repetition.

There Is Light (But It's Not For Me) is a return to the roots of ILLDISPOSED, but certainly not a step backwards. It is an album that looks back at the band's foundations while confidently facing the future, proving that these Danish veterans remain a formidable force within the thrash/death metal scene.

Christine  Parastatidou

Gamma Ray: From Utopia to Dystopia

 

It is fascinating how ideas for an article can come into being. This one emerged while I was listening to a compilation of classic rock, hard rock and metal. That was when I came across “Gamma Ray” by Birth Control, a German progressive/hard rock band from the 1970s, taken from their album Hoodoo Man (1972). In the chorus, the narrator imagines himself becoming a gamma ray of pure existence, radiating love to fight human misery. Something about it sounded familiar.

The Connection with Gamma Ray

You guessed it: the legendary German power metal band are directly connected to the song.

The band's name: When Kai Hansen left Helloween in 1989 to form his own band, he chose the name Gamma Ray as a fan of Krautrock and, more specifically, this particular song.

The cover version: In 1993, on their third album, Insanity and Genius, Gamma Ray paid tribute to the origins of their name with a heavy metal rendition of the track. They retained its basic structure and melody, but made it considerably faster, replacing the original's spacey organ passages with heavy, driving guitars. They also altered the lyrics, as can be seen in the CD booklet.

The Meaning of the Original

If you're a fan of James Hetfield, who became rich after he'd had his fill of everything and started seeing the world through different eyes, much like the characters created by Greek writer Nikos Tsiforos to poke fun at human hypocrisy, you'd be better off not reading the lyrics of this song. However, if you do, here's what they are all about.

“Gamma Ray” is one of the most emblematic tracks of German Krautrock and heavy progressive rock, driven by an intense, almost hypnotic rhythm and a dominant organ sound. Behind this musical framework lies a deeply political, anti-war and humanistic message built around three central themes.

1. Criticism of the arms industry and hypocrisy.

Lyricist Bruno Frenzel describes a world immersed in irony, hunger and corruption. Developing countries are drawn into repeating the bloody history of previous wars because Western industries continue to supply them with weapons on an enormous scale. Throughout the song, there is a prevailing sense of helplessness among ordinary people: everyone knows what is happening, yet nobody seems capable of doing anything about it.

2. Transformation into a gamma ray.

In physics, gamma rays are a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation capable of penetrating matter and causing immense damage. The narrator transforms this scientific phenomenon into a poetic metaphor, expressing the desire to shed his human body and become an immensely powerful ray. Rather than using this power to destroy, however, he chooses to radiate love, turning a potentially lethal force into an instrument of healing.

3. The elimination of racial discrimination.

Perhaps the most visionary moment comes when the narrator imagines flying over the world, destroying missiles and weapons while simultaneously mixing the colours of all human beings until we become “chocolate people.” In an almost childlike yet profound way, the song proposes the elimination of racism. If we all shared the same colour, any justification for hatred and discrimination would lose its meaning.

Ultimately, the song is a cry of protest against the cynicism of the arms industry. It expresses a utopian vision, inspired by the spirit of the hippie movement, of a world without weapons or racial divisions, united under a universal radiance of love.

The Transformation of 1993

Gamma Ray did not simply translate the song into the musical language of heavy metal. They also overturned its ideological foundations, transforming its peaceful vision into a dark, dystopian warning. Three changes are particularly significant.

“Chocolate people” become “shallow people.” The original's anti-racist vision of a unified humanity gives way to the image of a society heading towards spiritual homogenisation and superficiality.

Love disappears from the chorus. The healing idea of radiating love is replaced by an aggressive, destructive release of energy, rooted in the corruption of money and human failure.

The culprits change. The original's “rabble-rousers” give way to an almost biblical threat: “Jonah's hand.”

Epilogue: The Same Starting Point, a Different Solution

Both bands start from the same point: they condemn the hypocrisy of the arms industry and the mass supply of weapons to developing countries. However, their proposed solutions differ considerably.

Birth Control offer a humanistic utopia built on love and equality. Gamma Ray, on the other hand, associate the gamma ray with money and failure, ultimately arriving at a cynical dystopia. The anti-war core remains, but its perspective shifts from hippie idealism to disillusionment: from the protest cry of the 1970s to a post-apocalyptic reflection shaped by the darker sensibilities of the metal scene.

The starting point is the same, but the destination is entirely different. One song dreams of a world transformed by love; the other sees humanity's shortcomings as a path towards a bleak and spiritually impoverished future.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: INNOSENSE - Outcast

 

INNOSENSE – Outcast (2011)

Steel Gallery Records

A promising Greek progressive metal debut

Hailing from Larissa, a city in central Greece that has given us several good bands across different metal genres over the years, INNOSENSE made their debut with Outcast, following an earlier demo released back in 2007. This first full-length effort introduces a band with a clear understanding of the progressive metal sound and the potential to develop further in the future.

Outcast is a good album within its genre, combining the elements expected from a progressive metal release with a production that suits the music without detracting from its character. However, the band's greatest advantage is undoubtedly the vocals, which add considerable strength to the material and help the songs maintain their identity. Among the album's highlights, I would single out "On and On", "Mystify" and "The Fall", three tracks that particularly caught my attention.

In conclusion, Outcast is a worthwhile release for progressive metal fans and another example of the interesting work associated with Steel Gallery Records, a label that has consistently supported bands from the Greek metal scene. INNOSENSE have made a promising start, demonstrating that they possess the necessary foundations to achieve even greater things in the future.

Ioannis Kaskamanidis