Με
τον Abaddon να τα έχει σπάσει με τους Cronos και Mantas, στα κρουστά εδώ παίζει
ο Antton. Σε λίγο καιρό θα μαζέψει κι ο Mantas κιθάρα και ενισχυτές και θα
φύγει κι αυτός. Η άσπονδη τριάδα θα ξαναδιασπαστεί πριν το επόμενο Metal Black
(εντάξει, αυτή η έλλειψη ιδεών που τους αναγκάζει να αντιστρέψουν τον τίτλο του
δεύτερου δίσκου τους είναι πολύ ενοχλητική), το οποίο θα αργήσει έξι χρόνια,
παρακαλώ.
Εδώ
πάντως έχουμε 15 κομμάτια, μάλλον πολλά για άλμπουμ των Venom!
Ο
Conrad Lant (κατά κόσμον Cronos), πλέον το μόνο αυθεντικό μέλος του γκρουπ (οι
άλλοι δύο και ο Demolition Man έχουν ονομαστεί Venom Inc. πιο μετά — και εκεί
ξεκινάει το μπλέξιμο), έχει πει ότι αυτό το άλμπουμ είναι τόσο μπερδεμένο που
του τη σπάει πια.
Η
αλήθεια είναι ότι έχει απ’ όλα μέσα. Όταν είχε βγει πάντως, δε με χάλασε πολύ.
Εντάξει, δεν είναι τόσο καλό όσο το Cast In Stone που προηγήθηκε, αλλά ένα 7/10
το παίρνει άνετα! Παλιακό thrash metal με εκείνη τη διεστραμμένη αποκρυφιστική
αίσθηση, και ομολογώ ότι μου αρέσει ακόμα!
Resurrection, Vengeance, Pandemonium, Black Flame (Of
Satan), Man Myth And Magic, Leviathan ταέχωακόμαψηλά.
English:
After the much‑talked‑about
reunion came the next split.
With Abaddon having already fallen out with Cronos and
Mantas, Antton handles the drums here. Not long after, Mantas would pack up his
guitar and amps and leave as well. The uneasy trio would break apart again
before the next Metal Black (and honestly, this lack of ideas that led them to
simply reverse the title of their second album is really irritating), which
would take six whole years to arrive.
Still, here we get 15 tracks, which is rather a lot
for a Venom album!
Conrad Lant (better known as Cronos), now the only
original member of the band (the other two plus Demolition Man would later
operate as Venom Inc. — and that’s where the confusion begins), has said that
this album is so muddled that it annoys him nowadays.
The truth is, it really has a bit of everything in it.
When it first came out, though, it didn’t bother me much. Sure, it’s not as
good as Cast In Stone before it, but it easily earns a 7/10 from me! Old‑school thrash metal with that twisted, occult vibe —
and I admit, I still like it!
Resurrection, Vengeance, Pandemonium, Black Flame (Of
Satan), Man Myth And Magic, Leviathan remain high on my list.
This release is a reissue of the early recordings of
MERCURY RISING, a very talented band from Baltimore, USA, offering a valuable
insight into the early years of this excellent act. The CD includes the band’s
first demo from 1992, as well as a previously unreleased demo recorded in 1991.
Additionally, it features several unreleased live tracks, bringing the total
running time to approximately 47 minutes.
MERCURY RISING have also released two full-length
albums during their career: Upon Deaf Ears in 1994 and Building Rome in 1998.
For this release, all material has been digitally remastered, giving the songs
a much-improved sound quality while preserving the original character and
atmosphere of the recordings. The CD comes with a very rich booklet, including
the lyrics, a detailed biography of the band, and previously unpublished
photos, making this reissue even more appealing for collectors and fans of traditional
metal.
Musically, MERCURY RISING deliver a powerful form of
US power metal that perfectly represents the early '90s era. The main influence
of the band is clearly Queensrÿche, especially in terms of the vocal approach,
melodic structures, and sense of atmosphere. However, MERCURY RISING are far
from being a simple clone; they add a heavier and more aggressive edge to their
sound, making their music closer to classic heavy metal while maintaining the
sophistication and melodic elements associated with their influences.
The vocals are one of the strongest points of the
band, with an excellent performance that combines power, melody, and emotion.
The guitar work is also very impressive, featuring strong riffs, memorable
melodies, and well-executed leads. Overall, the material is very consistent,
combining heaviness with catchy songwriting and a strong sense of identity.
Among the highlights of the release, tracks like
"Harnessed Lightning" and "Mercury Rising" stand out, but
the absolute highlight is without a doubt the magnificent "Under a Big
Sky". This song is a true anthem, featuring all the elements that make
classic US metal so memorable: powerful vocals, great guitar work, an
unforgettable chorus, and a feeling of grandeur that stays with the listener.
In conclusion, this is definitely one of the strongest
releases from Arkeyn Steel Records and also one of the most interesting
releases connected with the Greek metal scene. It is highly recommended to all
fans of classic and US power metal, but it should also appeal to listeners who
appreciate melodic, powerful, and well-crafted heavy metal. A
very important reissue that deserves to be discovered.
In my opinion, many newer bands that attempt to play
traditional metal often struggle to find their own identity and, as a result,
try to compensate by overproducing their releases. They tend to fill their
albums with excessive effects, polished production, and technical displays
meant to impress the listener rather than create memorable songs.
DEAD SHAPE FIGURE from Finland play modern thrash metal,
and there is no doubt that they are talented musicians. The band’s lead
guitarist is particularly impressive, delivering some excellent solos that
demonstrate both skill and confidence. However, beyond this aspect, the overall
sound of the album feels quite familiar, especially within the modern thrash
metal scene. The songs follow many of the genre’s established patterns, and I
often found myself missing a stronger personal character or a more distinctive
musical identity.
The main impression I get from this release is that
everything seems carefully designed to impress the listener through technical
ability and production quality, rather than focusing on creating songs that
stay with you after the album ends. After listening to the entire CD, the main
thing I will remember is the guitarist’s ability and the quality of the solos,
but unfortunately, not many of the songs themselves.
Of course, this is only my personal opinion, and I can
understand why younger metal fans or listeners who enjoy a more modern approach
to thrash metal might find this band appealing. Personally, I have always
preferred bands that can achieve a strong impact through simplicity,
atmosphere, and memorable songwriting rather than relying mainly on technical
execution.
I recommend giving DEAD SHAPE FIGURE a listen before
making any final decision, as fans of modern thrash metal may find elements
here that they will appreciate.
Το
καλοκαίρι του 2001, γυρνώντας στο κέντρο, όντας σε άδεια αφού υπηρετούσα στον
στρατό, πέρασα από το παλιό Rock City στην Ακαδημίας. Στα βινύλια, στις
προσφορές, το είδα: διπλό, ολοκαίνουργιο L.P. της SPV. Τιμή; 1.500 δραχμές. Πιο
φτηνό δεν γινόταν να είναι άλμπουμ τότε, και ειδικά μια κυκλοφορία μόλις
μερικών μηνών πριν!
Γιατί;
Πραγματικά, εμένα μου άρεσε αυτό το διαφορετικό στυλ, με αρκετές αποκλίσεις από
το Jugulator τέσσερα χρόνια πριν, έναν δίσκο που είχε διχάσει τον κόσμο τους.
Ακούγοντάς το τώρα, παρατηρώ ότι ήταν μπροστά από την εποχή του, αλλά
προσπαθούσε να ακουστεί πιο «νεανικό» —ας επιτραπεί η λέξη— Metal από τρία ήδη
αρκετά μεγάλα ηλικιακά μέλη που βρίσκονταν πάντα στο συγκρότημα από τον πρώτο
δίσκο (Tipton, Downing, Hill), έναν κάπως νεότερο (Travis) και φυσικά τον
σχετικά πιτσιρικά μπροστά τους, Tim Owens.
Όσοι
τότε δεν τρελαθήκαμε με το πρώτο δείγμα αυτού του lineup, είδαμε αυτό το
δεύτερο θετικά, τουλάχιστον στην αρχή. Η αλήθεια, όμως, είναι πιο πολύπλοκη και
μάλλον πιο στενάχωρη.
Ένα
άλμπουμ που έχει όλα όσα διαθέτουν από το 2007 και ύστερα οι άλλοι μεγάλοι,
δηλαδή οι Iron Maiden, αλλά που στην περίπτωση των Priest κανένας δεν το
αποκαλούσε «το καλύτερο άλμπουμ», «υπερδίσκο» και όλα τα άλλα υπερβολικά και
—τολμώ να πω— ψυχαναγκαστικά εγκώμια που ακούγονται για την πολυτελή σαβούρα
την οποία κυκλοφορούν τα μεγαθήρια της παλιάς Heavy Metal συνομοταξίας (ναι,
ναι, τα A Matter of Life and Death μέχρι και το πρόσφατο Senjutsu εννοώ).
Το
να έχεις δεκατρία κομμάτια και διάρκεια κοντά στη μία ώρα δεν σημαίνει
απαραίτητα ότι έχεις έμπνευση. Εδώ, λοιπόν, έχουμε ένα 5/10, και μάλιστα με
πολύ ευνοϊκή ματιά. Αν είχε κυκλοφορήσει από ένα άλλο ανερχόμενο σχήμα, θα
πλησίαζε το 8, αλλά περιμέναμε πολύ περισσότερα και δεν τα είχε.
Τι
θυμάστε από το άλμπουμ; Χωρίς να δείτε αμέσως τους τίτλους, πείτε… Εγώθυμάμαιμόνοτα Machine Man και One on One. Τα άλλα έντεκα κομμάτια;
Εκεί υπάρχει σκοτάδι.
Όσο
τεράστια κι αν είναι η μορφή του Owens ζωντανά (και ήταν πράγματι), αφού
ερμήνευε όλα τα κλασικά κομμάτια ίσως και ένα σκαλί καλύτερα από τον Halford,
αυτό το άλμπουμ ήταν η τελευταία στούντιο εμφάνισή του με το σχήμα. Πλήρωσε την
εμπορική ανάγκη να δούμε ξανά τον Halford πίσω στο μικρόφωνο.
Βέβαια,
στην περίπτωσή τους αυτό είχε σταθερά θετικό πρόσημο, με μία μόνο κοιλιά στη
συνέχεια.
English:
It stands there deserted, ruined, haunted.
In the summer of 2001, while walking around downtown,
being on leave from the army, I passed by the old Rock City store on Akadimias
Street. There, among the vinyl records and the bargain offers, I saw it: a
brand-new double LP released by SPV. The price? 1,500 drachmas. An album simply
could not be cheaper back then, especially a release that had come out only a
few months earlier!
Why? Because, honestly, I liked this different
approach, with its significant departures from Jugulator four years earlier —
an album that had divided their fan base. Listening to it now, I realize it was
ahead of its time, but it was also trying to sound more “young” — if that word
is allowed — more modern Metal coming from three already older members who had
been in the band since the very first record (Tipton, Downing, Hill), one
somewhat younger member (Travis), and of course the relatively young guy
standing at the front, Tim Owens.
Those of us who were not blown away by the first glimpse
of this lineup saw this second attempt in a positive light, at least initially.
The truth, however, is more complicated and probably more disappointing.
An album that has everything the other giants — namely
Iron Maiden — have possessed since 2007 onward, but which, in the case of
Priest, nobody ever called “the best album,” a “masterpiece,” or any of the
other exaggerated and —I dare say— almost obsessive praises that are constantly
thrown at the luxurious mediocrity released by the giants of the old Heavy
Metal establishment (yes, yes, I mean everything from A Matter of Life and
Death up to the recent Senjutsu).
Having thirteen songs and a running time close to an
hour does not automatically mean you have inspiration. So, here we have a 5/10,
and that is already with a very generous perspective. If it had been released
by another up-and-coming band, it would have been closer to an 8, but we
expected much more, and it simply did not deliver.
What do you actually remember from the album? Without
immediately looking at the track titles, tell me… I only remember Machine Man
and One on One. The other eleven songs? A complete blank.
As huge as Owens’ presence was live (and it truly
was), since he performed all the classic songs perhaps even one step better
than Halford, this album was his final studio appearance with the band. He paid
the price for the commercial necessity of having Halford back behind the
microphone.
Of course, in their case, that decision had a
consistently positive outcome, with only one real dip later on.
Το
πράσινο άλμπουμ που διαδέχτηκε το εξίσου καλό κόκκινο ντεμπούτο τους — δηλαδή
το Something Wild — ήταν, για εμάς τότε, μια αποκάλυψη. Η παρέα από τη
Φινλανδία, με επίτιμο αρχηγό τον αδικοχαμένο δυστυχώς Alexi “Wildchild” Laiho
στη ρυθμική κιθάρα και στη φωνή, μας σημάδεψε. Και τι μεγάλο κακό πάθαμε όταν
τρεις πρώην συμμαθητές το ακούσαμε περίπου έναν χρόνο μετά την κυκλοφορία του·
δε περιγράφεται. Η μουσική τους ήταν (έτσι το βλέπαμε τότε) το μέλλον.
Μελωδικό,
γρήγορο, επιθετικό, με τσιριχτή φωνή για Death Metal και με πολλαπλές επιθέσεις
από πλήκτρα — όχι μόνο ως βάθος, αλλά και σε ρόλο σόλο, εναλλασσόμενα με τις
κιθάρες. Κάτι που, αν δεν είχε τη φωνή να το πηγαίνει στα μουσικά άκρα, θα ήταν
καλοπαιγμένο, μελωδικό Power Metal. Και αυτό το ύφος οι συγκεκριμένοι νεαροί
τότε το καλλιέργησαν ακόμη περισσότερο στη συνέχεια.
Πραγματικά
δημιούργησαν σχολή μέσα στον μελωδικό Death Metal ήχο, παράλληλη με εκείνη της
Σουηδίας, η οποία τότε σιγά σιγά έχανε την αρχική της φλόγα. Η φωνή του Alexi
σε σημεία ακούγεται σαν μαυρομεταλλικό shriek, παρά σαν ογκώδες throat vocal,
που είναι βέβαια σήμα κατατεθέν στο Death Metal και σημείο διαφοροποίησης από
το Black.
Νεοκλασικής
επιρροής σε αρκετά σημεία τα κιθαριστικά σόλο, με παραγωγή καθαρή και
γυαλιστερή μέχρι τύφλωσης — αλλά όχι πλαστική. Και τραγούδια που, είκοσι έξι
χρόνια μετά, δεν τα ξεχάσαμε: Silent Night, Bodom Night (το οποίο συνέγραψε η
Kimberly Goss), Hatebreeder, Bed of Razors, Towards Dead End, Black Widow,
Children of Bodom, Downfall.
English:
A great disaster.
The green album that followed their equally strong red
debut — Something Wild — was, for us back then, a revelation. That Finnish
bunch, led by their honorary captain, the sadly departed Alexi “Wildchild”
Laiho on rhythm guitar and vocals, left a permanent mark on us. And the shock
we suffered when three former classmates listened to it about a year after its
release… it can’t really be described. Their music was (as we saw it then) the
future.
Melodic, fast, aggressive, with a shrieking voice for
Death Metal and multiple keyboard attacks — not just as background depth, but
taking on solo duties, trading off with the guitars. Something that, without
the vocals pushing it to the musical extremes, would have been well‑played, melodic Power Metal. And that very style was
something these young musicians would cultivate even further in the years to
come.
They truly created a school within the melodic Death
Metal sound, parallel to the one in Sweden, which at the time was slowly losing
its initial flame. Alexi’s voice at points sounds more like a black‑metal shriek than a massive throat vocal, which is of
course a trademark of Death Metal and a point of differentiation from Black
Metal.
The guitar solos often carry a neoclassical influence,
and the production is clean and polished to the point of blindness — but never
plastic. And the songs, twenty‑six
years later, remain unforgettable: Silent Night, Bodom Night (co‑written by Kimberly Goss), Hatebreeder, Bed of Razors,
Towards Dead End, Black Widow, Children of Bodom, Downfall.
If power metal is your music of choice and you can
listen to it for hours every day—if you even sleep with a HELLOWEEN poster
above your bed—then Regeneration might be one of the strongest releases you'll
hear this year.
Following the release of Escape from Twilight in 2007
and the departure of vocalist Jimmy Santrazami, EMERALD SUN welcomed Theo
Tsakiridis behind the microphone and returned with their new album,
Regeneration. From the very first note to the last, the album delivers a
feeling that instantly reminded me of the classic early HELLOWEEN era. I know
that's a bold comparison, but that was genuinely the impression I got.
The band's songwriting is consistently strong,
combining memorable melodies, energetic riffs, and uplifting choruses with
lyrics that fit perfectly within the traditional power metal spirit. While the
style is undeniably familiar and rooted in the genre's classic formula, EMERALD
SUN manage to make it feel fresh through their passion, conviction, and excellent
execution. The end result is an album that many established names in the scene
could easily envy.
As the ancient Greek saying goes, "A good start
is half of everything," and Regeneration proves that point perfectly. The
opening tracks, "We Won't Fall" and "Theater of Pain,"
immediately capture the listener's attention. Their impact is so strong that,
instead of rushing to the next song, you'll probably find yourself hitting the
rewind button just to experience them once more.
The title track, "Regeneration," and the
anthemic "Planet Metal" continue the album's momentum, offering some
of its most memorable moments. The band also demonstrates its ambition with the
12-minute epic "Fantasmagoria," a composition that showcases a more
progressive and adventurous side without losing the album's melodic identity.
To close things off, EMERALD SUN deliver an enjoyable cover of the classic rock
hit "Holding Out for a Hero," adding their own power metal touch
while remaining respectful to the original.
Regeneration may not reinvent the power metal genre,
but it doesn't have to. Its strength lies in exceptional songwriting,
impressive musicianship, and a genuine love for classic European power metal.
It's an album that deserves to be heard by every fan of the genre and one that
I believe will continue to be talked about long after this year is over.
Finnish doom metal band Majestas Regia have released
their self-titled debut EP, marking the official arrival of the trio after
years of collaboration. The EP was recorded at Clock Bridge Studios by H.,
mixed by the band, and mastered by Valo Elios.
Although the musicians have been jamming together
since 2018, Majestas Regia officially emerged in 2026. Featuring veteran
musicians Mika S. (guitar/vocals), Markus W. (guitar/vocals), and Ilmari J.
(drums), the band draws inspiration from the underground tape-trading culture
of the 1980s and 1990s, forging a sound built on classic doom riffs, crushing
heaviness, and dark atmospheres.
Collectively, the members bring decades of experience
from Finnish underground acts including Defection, Mindgrind, TIMB3R,
Slugathor, Azazel, and Witchtiger, as well as performances at events such as
Finnish Death Metal Maniacs and Metal Warning. Blending the legacy of Black
Sabbath and Candlemass with elements of black metal and slow death metal,
Majestas Regia deliver a cold, monumental take on traditional doom.
