REVIEW: METAL CHURCH, Dead To Rights

 

METAL CHURCH, Dead To Rights (2026)

Reaper Entertainment

Μια ακόμη μεταμόρφωσή τους.Με προσθήκες τους David Ellefson, τον ιστορικό, οριστικά όπως έδειξε η ιστορία πρώην μπασίστα των Megadeth, βεβαίως τον επίσης γνωστό ντράμερ Ken Mary (Impelliteri, Fifth Angel, House of Lords, Alice Cooper, Flotsam and Jetsam – παρακαλώ!), και στο μικρόφωνο τον Brian Allen, πλέον αντί του Marc Lopes. 

Η ιστορική μεταλλική εκκλησία εδώ, στο καινούργιο, δεκατοτέταρτο συνολικά στούντιο άλμπουμ της πολυτάραχης ιστορίας της. Μια κάποια ανανέωση την έχει πέραν της σύνθεσης και ηχητικά. Αλλά το κλασικό Heavy/Speed Metal το τιμούν δεόντως και πάλι, και φυσικά καλά κάνουν! 

Παραγωγή τσιμέντο και μαγκιά βαρέων βαρών στο υλικό του νέου δίσκου τους. Μπορεί να μην έχει την αίγλη των ιστορικών τους άλμπουμ του παρελθόντος, αλλά είναι 2026 πλέον. Δεν θα βγεί νέο The Dark, Blessing in Disguise, Hanging in the Balance ή Masterpeace ξανά... Ας δώσουμε μια ευκαιρία σε ακόμη ένα άλμπουμ της φετινής χρονιάς, που μέχρι στιγμής έχει μας δώσει πολλά και καλά δείγματα στον σκληρό ήχο που λατρεύουμε. 

Στους έντεκα τίτλους θα ακούσουμε τον κλασικό ήχο τους αναγεννημένο στα: Brainwash Game, F.A.F.O., Dead to Rights, Deep Cover Shakedown, Feet to the Fire, The Show, Heaven Knows (Slip Away), No Memory, Wasted Time, My Wrath και το ενδέκατο bonus τραγούδι Blood And Water. Όχι στο CD, αλλά με τον ειδικό κωδικό που περιέχεται στην κυκλοφορία, μπορούμε να το κατεβάσουμε και αυτό μαζί με τα άλλα δέκα ως mp3! 

Καλή κίνηση... 8/10, με την άνεση των παλιών γνώριμων που έχουν.

English:

Another transformation for them.

With additions from David Ellefson, the legendary, definitively as history has shown, former bassist of Megadeth; the well-known drummer Ken Mary (Impelliteri, Fifth Angel, House of Lords, Alice Cooper, Flotsam and Jetsam – please!); and on vocals, Brian Allen, now replacing Marc Lopes.

This legendary metal church, here, on their fourteenth studio album overall—part of their turbulent history—has undergone some renewal, not only in the lineup but also sonically. Yet, they still honor the classic Heavy/Speed Metal style, and rightly so!

Production-wise, it’s solid and heavy—robust and confident in the material of their new record. It may not have the glory of their classic past albums, but it’s 2026 now. There will be no new The Dark, Blessing in Disguise, Hanging in the Balance, or Masterpeace again... Let’s give a chance to another album from this year, which so far has offered us many good and strong examples of the hard sound we love.

Among the eleven tracks, you'll hear their classic sound reborn in: Brainwash Game, F.A.F.O., Dead to Rights, Deep Cover Shakedown, Feet to the Fire, The Show, Heaven Knows (Slip Away), No Memory, Wasted Time, My Wrath, and the eleventh bonus song, Blood And Water. Not on the CD, but with the special code included in the release, we can also download it along with the other ten as MP3s!

A good move... 8/10, with the comfort of the familiar old-school sound they have.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: NECROPHOBIC – Darkside

 

NECROPHOBIC – Darkside

HammerHeart Records

Darkside is the second full‑length album from the colossal Swedish force NECROPHOBIC. Originally released in 1997 through Black Mark Production, it later resurfaced via HammerHeart Records in 2003 and again in 2011 — a welcome opportunity for listeners like me who missed the band’s early output to finally experience these landmark releases.

Everything I noted about The Nocturnal Silence applies here as well, but Darkside marks a clear shift toward the band’s black‑metal roots. True to its title, the album is darker, more blackened in atmosphere, and showcases a band that has grown significantly in skill and technical precision. The intricate solos and intense riffing reveal musicians who have sharpened their craft without sacrificing aggression.

At the same time, NECROPHOBIC expand their melodic sensibilities. The album contains some breathtaking dark melodies that elevate the material beyond straightforward extremity, giving Darkside a sense of depth and emotional weight that complements its ferocity.

I loved The Nocturnal Silence, but Darkside feels even stronger — a more complete and confident expression of the band’s identity. Fans who appreciate both black and death metal will find this album an essential listen, and it’s absolutely worth investing in without hesitation.

Christine  Parastatidou

REVIEW: ACCEPT – Kaizoku-ban

 

ACCEPT – Kaizoku-ban

RCA Records

The history of Accept traces back to 1968 in Solingen, West Germany, where they originally formed as Band X before officially adopting their iconic name in 1976. This rebranding was a calculated move inspired by the album Accept by the British band Chicken Shack. The group specifically chose a name that was internationally recognizable and easy to pronounce, aiming to transcend the boundaries of the German music scene and establish a global presence.

One of the most definitive moments in the band's career is the release of the live EP Kaizoku-ban. Although there is often confusion regarding its place in their chronology, the record was released following the landmark 1985 album Metal Heart. It serves as a high-octane souvenir of their legendary Japanese tour in September of that year, capturing the band at the peak of their powers.

The title Kaizoku-ban translates to "Pirate Version" in Japanese, a name the band selected to give the official release a raw, bootleg aesthetic as a tribute to their dedicated Japanese fanbase. The cover art features the kanji character 客 (kyaku), which carries a meaningful double-entendre: it refers to the band as "guests" in a foreign land while simultaneously honoring the "spectators" or "customers" who filled the Nagoya stadium to witness their performance.

Musically, the EP serves as a concise anthology of Accept’s golden era, featuring six live tracks performed by the classic lineup. The setlist draws heavily from Metal Heart, featuring the title track alongside "Screaming for a Love-Bite," "Up to the Limit," and "Living for Tonite," while also including "Head Over Heels" and "Love Child" from the 1983 masterpiece Balls to the Wall. More than just a supplementary live release, Kaizoku-ban remains a vital document of an era where Accept defined heavy metal precision and cemented their legacy as the architects of the European metal sound.

Nick Parastatidis

Ka’aper Release New Single “Eternity in Stone”

 

Cyprus Melodic Death Metal band Ka’aper have unveiled their brand‑new single “Eternity in Stone”, taken from their upcoming album “When Gods Walked the Earth”.

Recorded in the band’s home studio and mixed/mastered by Max Barishnikov, the track offers a first taste of the epic, myth‑laden atmosphere Ka’aper are shaping for their new full‑length.

With their signature blend of melody, aggression, and ancient‑themed storytelling, Ka’aper continue building momentum as they prepare for the album’s release.

REVIEW: VIETAH – Smalisty Zah

 

VIETAH – Smalisty Zah

Stygian Crypt Productions

VIETAH, the atmospheric black metal project from Belarus, operates entirely under the vision of its sole member, Antarctis. This is not a band in the traditional sense but a one‑man entity devoted to a specific aesthetic: mid‑tempo black metal shaped by a distinctly pagan, hibernal atmosphere.

Smalisty Zah is crafted with evident care and dedication. The album’s autumn‑to‑winter mood is built through the interplay of cold, melodic guitar lines and spacious keyboard layers, both working together to create a sense of isolation and seasonal stillness. The compositions avoid modern genre clichés, instead embracing a more traditional, introspective approach to atmospheric black metal.

The record stands as a sincere and admirable work within its niche. Fans of atmospheric black metal will find much to appreciate here. If the material occasionally feels like it could benefit from a touch more speed or urgency, that does little to diminish the album’s overall character and intent.

Smalisty Zah remains a recommended listen for those who seek black metal rooted in mood, nature, and personal vision.

George Kefalas

REVIEW: HEAVY LOAD, Stronger Than Evil

 

HEAVY LOAD, Stronger Than Evil (1983)

Thunderload Records

Παγωμένος, χαλύβδινος οδοστρωτήρας.

Οι Σουηδοί είναι οι άγιοι προστάτες του παραδοσιακού, τίμιου, αυτού που οι Manowar αποκαλούν όσο κι αν αυτό είναι τελικά αμφισβητήσιμο από τους ίδιους, True Heavy Metal. Μετά το εκπληκτικό Death Or Glory ένα χρόνο πριν, δεν έχασαν καιρό, και το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ πραγματικά ολοκληρώνει την απόλυτη μεταλλική θύελλα του βαρέως φορτίου, δηλαδή του ονόματός τους! Με πρόσφατη την απώλεια του οδηγού του σχήματος, κιθαρίστα και ερμηνευτή Ragne Wahlquist, που για άλλη μια φορά στεναχώρησε τον κόσμο της βαριάς μουσικής, ακούω κι αυτό το αξεπέραστο άλμπουμ τους. Απόλυτο, κλασικό, απαραίτητο — είναι μερικά ανούσια επίθετα. Πώς να σχολιάσεις και με ποιες λέξεις κομμάτια όπως τα Run With The Devil (το οποίο, σαν μέταλο της νεότερης γενιάς, το άκουσα πρώτη φορά από τους HammerFall), The King, Singing Swords, Stronger Than Evil, Free, Saturday Night, Roar of the North, καθώς και τα κομμάτια από το Monsters of the Night Ε.Ρ. του 1985 που υπάρχουν στο τέλος, το ομότιτλο και το I’m Alive;

English:

Frozen, steel-hard bulldozer.

The Swedes are the holy guardians of traditional, honest metal—what Manowar, regardless of how much they themselves might question it, call True Heavy Metal. After the stunning Death Or Glory a year ago, they didn’t waste time, and this album truly completes their ultimate heavy metal storm—heavy as their name suggests! Recently, with the loss of the band’s leader, guitarist and vocalist Ragne Wahlquist, who once again saddened the heavy music world, I listen to this unmatched album of theirs. It’s absolute, classic, essential—though those are some trivial adjectives. How can you comment on, and with what words, songs like Run With The Devil (which, as a metal of the newer generation, I first heard from HammerFall), The King, Singing Swords, Stronger Than Evil, Free, Saturday Night, Roar of the North, as well as the tracks from the 1985 Monsters of the Night EP, including the title track and I’m Alive?

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: BLACKFOOT – MARAUDER

 

BLACKFOOT – MARAUDER (1981)

Atco Records

In 1981, Blackfoot released Marauder, their fifth studio album, emphatically sealing the "Golden Trilogy" that began with Strikes and continued through Tomcattin’. At a time when traditional Southern Rock was beginning to lose its momentum, Blackfoot injected it with the raw energy of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, creating a sonic steamroller that bridged two entirely different worlds.

The band’s name was never a hollow marketing gimmick. With a lineup featuring leader Rickey Medlocke (Lakota Sioux/Cherokee), Greg T. Walker (Eastern Creek), and Jakson Spires (Cherokee), Blackfoot brought an authentic, "warrior" pride to the stage.

The title Marauder perfectly captured the image of an unstoppable combatant. This is reflected even in their vocal arrangements; instead of typical rock harmonies, their choruses often rely on unison vocals or fifths, echoing traditional Native American chants. This gives the record a unique sense of "tribe" and collective unity.

Marauder is the exact moment Southern Rock collided with tempered steel:

• "Good Morning": The opening track shocks with its aggression, channeling the "metallic" discipline of British Steel-era Judas Priest.
• "Too Hard to Handle": With its galloping riff and massive groove, this track feels like a precursor to Metallica’s Black Album—a style that would become the industry standard for "heavy" a decade later.
• "Payin' For It": Here, the band pivots toward a high-energy KISS-inspired swagger. With its punchy, mid-tempo stomp and "call-and-response" chorus, it captures that theatrical "Detroit Rock City" attitude, proving the band could craft arena anthems as easily as they could write heavy riffs.

Despite the intensity, Medlocke and Hargrett never abandoned their Blues roots. They maintained that signature Southern "swing" and swampy grit even during the high-speed passages.

The album dives into dark, realistic territory that sets it apart from the "party rock" of the era:

• "Diary of a Workingman": A poignant social manifesto regarding working-class despair. This bluesy ballad builds into an epic Hard Rock crescendo.
• "Fire of the Dragon": A raw look at addiction ("chasing the dragon"), portraying the struggle with narcotics as a claustrophobic trap.

On "Rattlesnake Rock 'n' Roller," the guest appearance of Rickey’s grandfather, Shorty Medlocke, on the banjo grounds the record in heritage. Here, Blackfoot pays homage to the "fathers"—Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis—proving that their brand of hard roxk/Metal is simply the natural evolution of original Rock 'n' Roll.

The album closes with the masterful "Searchin'" a sprawling "road song" where the gospel backing vocals of Southern Comfort provide a redemptive arc to the Marauder’s journey.

Legacy and Influence

Marauder was a triumph both commercially and artistically:

• Commercial Impact: It solidified the band as an international force. "Fly Away" hit No. 42 on the Billboard charts, and the band became icons in the UK, embraced by the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) movement.
• Enduring Influence: The album’s sound served as the blueprint for the bluesy Hard Rock later perfected by Cinderella. Furthermore, Medlocke’s "heavy-bottom" aesthetic and signature pinch harmonics deeply influenced Zakk Wylde (evident in both Pride & Glory and Black Label Society).

Marauder remains a landmark release—a moment where Native American soul and American Rock 'n' Roll fused with Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. It created a sound that hasn't aged a day.

Nick Parastatidis