The older I get, the more I find myself drawn toward
black metal’s stark landscapes. For many listeners the trajectory goes the
opposite way, yet when releases like COLD EMPIRE’s From the Ashes of the Empire
cross your path, the shift feels less like a change in taste and more like a natural
evolution.
COLD EMPIRE, a two‑piece black metal act from Italy, craft a sound that
defies geographical expectations. Had I not looked them up beforehand, I would
have placed them somewhere in Scandinavia. Their approach is cold, epic, and
unrelentingly dark—rooted firmly in the classic black metal tradition. The band
avoids keyboards and unnecessary embellishments, relying instead on sharp
riffing, raw atmosphere, and a sense of frozen grandeur.
From the Ashes of the Empire stands out as a compelling
and memorable work. The songs move with purpose, carrying a blackened aura that
is both immersive and immediate. It’s a release that captures the essence of
traditional black metal without feeling derivative, channeling a chilling
atmosphere that pulls the listener into its bleak domain.
In COLD EMPIRE’s world, black metal reigns supreme—and
this album makes a strong case for why.
Οι
ατσάλινοι μαχητές του μέταλ με το πιο παχύ «σολ» (μέτσολ), οι ανοξείδωτοι
πολεμιστές πάνω στις Harley Davidson, η μπάντα που παρουσιάζει την πιο
αξιοπρόσεκτη πορεία από τη Βαλχάλα μέχρι τη σκηνή του Μπρόντγουεϊ (ή του
τσίρκου — οι γνώμες διίστανται), αποφάσισε να τονίσει ότι διαθέτει ακόμη επικά
χαρακτηριστικά στις παρυφές του νέου αιώνα.
Μετά
από δύο παγκόσμιες περιοδείες για τον δίσκο Louder Than Hell, δύο ζωντανά
ηχογραφημένα άλμπουμ (το ένα τόσο «ζωντανό» που η δουλειά στο στούντιο
ακούγεται πιο ζωντανή!) και με σημαίες αλά Kings of Metal εποχής στο εξώφυλλο,
κυκλοφορούν αυτό εδώ. Τώρα, τόση ώρα, για τη μουσική τους αυτή καθαυτή δεν
γράψαμε σχεδόν τίποτα.
Η
τετράδα Eric Adams, Joey DeMaio, Karl Logan και ο —μακαρίτης πλέον— Scott
Columbus κάνει ένα ιστορικό πισωγύρισμα. Μια ανάμιξη της εποχής Kings of Metal
/ Fighting the World με τα προγενέστερα άλμπουμ έως το 1984, και το αποτέλεσμα
είναι… περίεργα συμπαθητικό. Καλύτερος δίσκος από οτιδήποτε είχαν παρουσιάσει
την τελευταία δεκαετία, αλλά και πάλι κάτι χτυπάει λάθος.
Ίσως
φταίνε οι δύο διασκευές: το Nessun Dorma από την όπερα του Giuseppe Verdi και
το country κομμάτι An American Trilogy, που έχει ερμηνεύσει και ο Elvis
Presley. Ίσως πάλι οι πιο σοβαρές —ναι, μπορείς να τις χαρακτηρίσεις έτσι—
προσπάθειες με τα Call to Arms, Valhalla, Swords in the Wind, Warriors of the
World United, Hand of Doom, Fight Until We Die, που όντως αξίζουν τον τίτλο
Manowar.
Έχουμε
λοιπόν ένα άλμπουμ που, όπως είπαμε, είναι το καλύτερο εδώ και πολλά χρόνια,
αλλά και πάλι κάτι μου φταίει. Το οχτώ το παίρνουν —και είναι το πρώτο από το
1988— κι αυτό από μόνο του αποτελεί γεγονός. Οι εποχές που όλα τα παλιά θηρία
έδιναν δίσκους όπου το εννιά ήταν ντροπή να το βάλεις έχουν περάσει
ανεπιστρεπτί, όπως και η έμπνευση των συγκεκριμένων συγκροτημάτων.
Πρέπει
κάποτε να το αποδεχτούμε αυτό.
English:
What can one really say, and what can one possibly
describe.
The steel-clad warriors of metal with the thickest
“sol” (or “met-sol”), the stainless riders atop their Harley Davidsons, the
band whose trajectory stretches from Valhalla all the way to a Broadway stage
(or a circus tent — opinions vary), decided to remind us that they still
possess epic qualities on the threshold of the new century.
After two world tours supporting Louder Than Hell, two
live albums (one so “live” that the studio work sounds livelier!), and with
Kings of Metal-style flags waving proudly on the cover, they release this one.
And here we are, several lines in, having barely written anything about the
music itself.
The quartet of Eric Adams, Joey DeMaio, Karl Logan,
and the now-late Scott Columbus takes a historical step backward. A blend of
the Kings of Metal / Fighting the World era with their pre‑1984 albums, and the result is… strangely likeable. A
better record than anything they’ve put out in the last decade, yet something
still feels off.
Maybe it’s the two covers: Nessun Dorma from Verdi’s
opera, and the country piece An American Trilogy, also performed by Elvis Presley.
Or maybe it’s the more serious —yes, you could call them that— efforts like
Call to Arms, Valhalla, Swords in the Wind, Warriors of the World United, Hand
of Doom, Fight Until We Die, which genuinely earn the Manowar title.
So what we have here is an album that, as mentioned,
is their best in many years — and yet something still bothers me. They get an
eight —their first since 1988— and that alone is noteworthy. The days when the
old beasts delivered albums where giving them anything less than a nine felt
shameful are long gone, just like the inspiration of these once-mighty bands.
«Έχω
περάσει πολλές άσχημες στιγμές μετά την ιστορία με τους Iron Maiden. Έχω παίξει
με το πρώτο μου σχήμα, τους Blaze, σε συναυλίες μπροστά σε είκοσι-τριάντα
άτομα», ανέφερε πρόσφατα από σκηνής στο αθηναϊκό κοινό ο κύριος Blaze Bayley. Η
εποχή που περιγράφει ήταν αυτή μετά την κυκλοφορία του πρώτου του δίσκου,
ύστερα από την σχεδόν εξαετή πορεία του με τους Iron Maiden. Κάποια από τα
κομμάτια είχαν ήδη πάρει σχήμα από την εποχή μετά το Virtual XI, και
προορίζονταν για το επόμενο άλμπουμ του μαζί τους, κάτι που βέβαια δεν συνέβη.
Ένα CD, γραμμένο υπό το πρίσμα των αρχών του νέου αιώνα, θα έλεγα σκοτεινό,
κλειστοφοβικό και πολύ μοντέρνο Heavy Metal, πιο μηχανιστικό απ' ό,τι μας έδωσε
αργότερα. Ίσως το γεγονός ότι έχει να κάνει με την ανερχόμενη ακόμη τότε επιστήμη
της πληροφορικής, που εκείνη την εποχή άρχισε να εισέρχεται στη ζωή του κάθε
ανθρώπου, να ήταν η επιρροή στη θεματική (χαλαρά το λες) του συνολικού άλμπουμ.
Ό,τι και αν του προσάπτουν οι πάντως είδους «δικαστές κι εισαγγελείς», κατόπιν
εορτής, ο πρώτος αυτός δίσκος έχει να δώσει κομμάτια με μεγαλύτερη ιστορική
αξία, όπως τα «Ghost in the Machine», «Evolution», «Silicon Messiah», «The
Hunger», «Born As A Stranger», «Reach for the Horizon», «Stare At the Sun».
English:
Falling from the Sky to the Earth
"I have gone through many tough moments after the
story with Iron Maiden. I’ve played with my first band, Blaze, at concerts in
front of twenty to thirty people," recently stated Blaze Bayley from the
stage to the Athens audience. The period he describes was after the release of
his first album, following nearly six years of touring with Iron Maiden. Some
of the tracks had already taken shape during the time after Virtual XI, and
were intended for his next album with them—though, of course, that never
happened.
This CD, I would say, written in the spirit of the
early 2000s, is dark, claustrophobic, and very modern heavy metal—more
mechanistic than what he later delivered. Perhaps the fact that it relates to
the emerging science of computing, which was just beginning to enter everyone's
life at that time, influenced the thematic (loosely speaking) of the entire
album. Whatever accusations are made against it by the so-called "judges
and prosecutors," in hindsight, this first album offers tracks of greater
historical value, such as "Ghost in the Machine,"
"Evolution," "Silicon Messiah," "The Hunger,"
"Born As A Stranger," "Reach for the Horizon," and
"Stare At the Sun."
I must have sinned a lot lately, because I keep
finding myself reviewing gothic metal releases with female singers. I don’t
have anything against female vocalists—especially those who sing traditional
metal; they usually have more guts than many of their male counterparts. But
the gothic/symphonic branch of female-fronted metal is another story
altogether.
If someone says that modern gothic metal lies
somewhere between the latest Nightwish releases and Evanescence, it would be
hard to disagree. Poland’s UNSUN follow that formula very closely. The band
features a good-looking singer with a soft, pleasant voice, supported by
distorted guitars that rely heavily on rhythm patterns reminiscent of late-era
Nightwish and Evanescence. Add a polished, very clean production with a strong
pop sensibility, and you have the complete package.
As a product, “Clinic for Dolls” is nearly flawless.
Everything is well arranged, professionally produced, and easily digestible.
However, I find it difficult to connect with the album’s attempt at emotional
depth. The atmosphere feels manufactured, presenting itself as dark and
dramatic while lacking the authenticity that makes this style truly compelling.
In fact, listening to releases like this often gives
the impression that they come from the same production line: similar sound,
similar aesthetics, different band names. Albums like “Clinic for Dolls” tend
to remain in rotation only until the next band with a comparable style releases
something new.
Still, credit where it’s due—the singer’s performance
is solid and undeniably charming, which ultimately pushes my rating slightly
above the halfway mark.
In the realm of death metal, a successful release
typically strikes a balance in length and intensity, delivering memorable riffs
alongside relentless energy. Invidious Dominion falls short in this regard,
primarily due to its brevity and the overall execution. With only 11 tracks,
the album feels somewhat underdeveloped; the brevity hampers the ability to
fully appreciate the guitar work, which is often obscured by relentless blast
beats. While the album exudes intensity, it suffers from a lack of variation
and musical depth.
The guitar work features frequent tremolo picking, but
the riffs lack the staying power or catchiness that could elevate the material.
The album maintains a high level of aggression and energy, but the musical
content does not offer much that is novel or particularly engaging. There is a
noticeable predominance of vocals—specifically Bret Hoffman's characteristic
hoarse delivery and aggressive lyrical themes—which dominate the soundscape,
leaving the instrumentation somewhat in the background.
Lyrically, the focus is on themes of death, war,
hatred, and violence—topics that align with the band’s established style.
However, the lyrics are straightforward and lack complexity, which diminishes
their impact. The vocal delivery complements the riffs but does not introduce
any notable variation, resulting in a monotonous vocal presence throughout the album.
From a musical perspective, the lead guitar work is
minimal and uninspired, lacking the finesse or memorable melodies that could
have added depth to the album. The riffs, while technically fast and intense,
do not stand out or leave a lasting impression. The album’s 35-minute duration
is adequate, but it feels more like a collection of similar ideas rather than a
cohesive, evolving work.
It’s worth noting that Invidious Dominion adheres to
the band’s established style, which is a positive aspect for longtime fans.
However, the album’s main shortcoming lies in its limited length and the
absence of innovative or standout riffs. The band might have benefited from
additional time in the songwriting process to craft more compelling and
memorable musical moments.
In summary, Invidious Dominion is not a boring listen,
but it lacks the musical complexity and originality that could have elevated it
beyond a mere display of aggression. Fans seeking classic Malevolent Creation
releases should consider revisiting their earlier work, where the band’s
songwriting and riffing were more distinctive. For those interested in a
straightforward death metal experience, this album delivers energy but falls
short of leaving a lasting impression.
Η
–καλώς εννοούμενη– «ζημιά» που έκαναν συγκροτήματα‑τριάδες τύπου Motörhead,
Tank και The Rods ανά τις δεκαετίες έχει τελικά δημιουργήσει σχολή και
ξεχωριστό στυλ. Ας χαθούμε, λοιπόν, βαθιά στο underground: οι τρεις του
συγκροτήματος από το Λάτσιο της Ιταλίας, ο Chris Bianco (φωνή και μπάσο), ο
αδερφός του Fabiano Bianco (τύμπανα) και ο Tony Arcuri (κιθάρα), υπάρχουν ως
όνομα –Raff– από τα παμπάλαια χρόνια… από τις αρχές των ’80s.
Τώρα,
πώς και γιατί κυκλοφόρησε αυτό το ομώνυμο CD πριν από δέκα χρόνια, δεν το
γνωρίζω. Ξέρω όμως ότι παίζουν νευρικό, κεφάτο Heavy Metal, οριακά Hard ’n’
Heavy (αλλά πιο Heavy!), και μέσα από έντεκα κομμάτια ξεδιπλώνεται ολόκληρη η
παλιά καλή εποχή των δίσκων τύπου “best of”.
Ξεχωρίζουντα Rafforce Commandos, Running Like Hell, I Trust,
Rocker, Live Out Loud, Dreamer, Secret From Hell, I Want You Now (All for One),
Driven Mad, Gates of Fortune. Εφόσον είναι πάνω από τα μισά, μιλάμε
συνολικά για ένα αποτέλεσμα ανώτερο του «καλού».
English:
Where did these three even come from?
The good kind of “damage” done over the decades by
power‑trios
like Motörhead, Tank and The Rods has clearly spawned its own school and its
own style. So let’s dive deep into the underground: the three guys from Italy’s
Lazio region — Chris Bianco (vocals and bass), his brother Fabiano Bianco
(drums), and Tony Arcuri (guitar) — have existed under the name Raff since way
back… all the way to the early ’80s.
Now, how and why this self‑titled CD of theirs was released ten years ago, I
honestly don’t know. What I do know is that they play nervous, energetic Heavy
Metal, right on the edge of Hard ’n’ Heavy (but definitely leaning heavier!),
and across eleven tracks they unfold the entire old‑school spirit of those classic “best of”‑style records.
Standouts include Rafforce Commandos, Running Like
Hell, I Trust, Rocker, Live Out Loud, Dreamer, Secret From Hell, I Want You Now
(All for One), Driven Mad, Gates of Fortune. Since more than half the album
hits the mark, we’re talking about a result that’s clearly above “just good.”
Having a good or original idea in music is undoubtedly
a positive starting point, but it is not sufficient on its own. Equally
important is the execution and presentation — how the music is crafted and
conveyed to the audience. In the realm of metal, capturing the listener’s
interest requires a balance of innovation and energy.
DESERT, a power metal band from Israel, possesses a
distinctive element that sets them apart within their genre: the voice of
Alexei Raymar. His gothic and atmospheric vocal style lends a unique character
to the band’s sound, reminiscent of bands like SISTERS OF MERCY. This aspect is
promising and adds a certain depth to their music.
However, the overall sound of DESERT tends to be quite
uniform. The album predominantly features atmospheric elements, which, while
atmospheric music can be compelling, here it results in a lack of energy.
Consequently, the listening experience can become somewhat monotonous and
repetitive. The production quality is clear but feels slightly dull, which further
diminishes the album’s potential impact.
In terms of songwriting, tracks like “Letter Of
Marque” (my personal favorite) and “Soul Of A Wanderer” demonstrate that the
band has the capacity to craft engaging material. Had the album included more
songs with similar momentum and variety, it could have been a stronger release.
In today’s competitive metal scene, simply having good ideas is not enough;
artists need to infuse their work with energy and diversity to stand out.
In conclusion, DESERT shows promise with their
conceptual ideas and atmospheric approach, but they would benefit from adding
more variety and vigor to their sound. Notably, there is a guest appearance by
Joakim Brodén (SABATON) on the track “Lament For Soldier's Glory (Order 227),”
which is an interesting highlight.
