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!

REVIEW: TROLL BENDS FIR - Hoplnir EP

 

TROLL BENDS FIR - Hoplnir EP

Independent

Here is a release that will definitely put a smile on your face. TROLL BENDS FIR’s approach to folk metal may not be considered revolutionary — something extremely difficult to achieve in a genre with such a strong and established identity — but what they bring to the table is something equally valuable: freshness, strong melodies, and a genuine sense of joy that immediately connects with the listener.

“Hoplnir” feels like a journey back in time, transporting the listener to a medieval celebration in a small Russian village, where the beer flows freely, traditional melodies fill the air, and people gather together to sing, dance, and forget their troubles for a while. It captures the spirit of an era when, despite difficult circumstances, people still knew how to celebrate life and find happiness in simple moments.

The strength of this EP lies in its atmosphere. TROLL BENDS FIR successfully combine heavy metal energy with Russian folk influences, creating music that feels both familiar and full of personality. Fans of bands such as MAGO DE OZ, KORPIKLAANI, and even the folk-inspired side of JETHRO TULL should find plenty to enjoy here. However, TROLL BENDS FIR have their own charm, and in my opinion, they manage to bring a level of freshness and spontaneity that some more established bands in the genre have been lacking in recent years.

Personally, I found “Hoplnir” to be a very enjoyable listen. The enthusiasm and positive energy behind the songs are impossible to ignore, and the band clearly has a strong understanding of how to create memorable folk metal without losing the fun and celebratory spirit that defines the style.

Hopefully, with the support of a label and more exposure from the metal press, TROLL BENDS FIR will reach a wider audience, because they have the qualities that many listeners are currently searching for: authenticity, catchy compositions, and a refreshing approach to a genre that can sometimes become predictable.

Folk metal fans should definitely give this EP a chance. “Hoplnir” is a release that brings back the simple pleasure of listening to music that makes you want to raise your glass, sing along, and enjoy the moment.

Thanks for the great time, guys — I truly enjoyed the journey.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: UNTIL RAIN – Pandemic EP

 

UNTIL RAIN – Pandemic EP

Steel Gallery Records

The Pandemic EP marks the second official release from Greek progressive metal outfit Until Rain, issued through Steel Gallery Records. Although labeled as a mini‑CD, its running time reaches an impressive 42 minutes, offering material substantial enough to stand alongside a full‑length album.

The EP consists of two tracks drawn from the band’s debut and four new compositions, one of which appears in two different versions, adding depth and variation to the listening experience. Structurally, the release functions both as a bridge between their first album and their future direction, and as a showcase of the band’s evolving identity within the progressive metal spectrum.

Until Rain demonstrate solid musicianship throughout. Their performance is confident, technically capable, and stylistically coherent with the genre’s demands. Even for listeners who may not be deeply invested in progressive metal, the EP maintains accessibility through clear arrangements and well‑balanced dynamics. The production is clean and effective, allowing each instrument to breathe while supporting the band’s more intricate passages.

Overall, Pandemic is a noteworthy release for progressive metal fans, offering a substantial amount of material and a clear indication of the band’s potential. It positions Until Rain as a promising Greek act within the genre, and it certainly raises anticipation for their next full‑length step.

Ioannis Kaskamanidis

REVIEW: DIO, Strange Highways

 

DIO, Strange Highways (1993)

Vertigo

Πού είναι η μαγεία;

Με τον άσχημο τρόπο που οι Black Sabbath, για δεύτερη φορά, κόπηκαν στη μέση — ακριβώς όπως είχε γίνει το 1982 — ο Ronnie James Dio και ο ντράμερ Vinnie Appice αφήνουν τους Iommi και Butler να περιμένουν τον Ozzy (να τον αφήσει η αδηφάγα μάνατζερ-σύζυγός του) να αξιωθεί και να επανέλθει, ώστε το συγκρότημα να επιστρέψει στην αρχική του μορφή, όπως τελικά έγινε τρία χρόνια αργότερα. Έτσι, κλείνουν τον Jeff Pilson στο μπάσο, από το συγκρότημα Dokken, και στην κιθάρα έρχεται ο σχετικά άσημος Tracy G. Οπότε, λίγο πριν τελειώσει η χρονιά, το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ βγαίνει στα καταστήματα παγκοσμίως ως το νέο άλμπουμ των Dio!

Υποθέτω ότι το σοκ ήταν σεισμικό, με τον δρόμο που χάραξε αυτό το νέο — κατά το ήμισυ — σχήμα. Βέβαια, ο σεισμός, πάλι υποθέτω, είχε ως κύριο θύμα τους φανατικούς φίλους του ήχου τους, που είχαν ξεμείνει στο τελευταίο κλασικό άλμπουμ του 1987, το Dream Evil· άντε, έστω, το Lock Up the Wolves του 1990, αν και εκεί είχε ήδη χαλάσει άσχημα η συνταγή και η χημεία.

Βαρύ και αργόσυρτο, μοντέρνο ρυθμικό (groove) metal, με θεματολογία ανάλογη του Dehumanizer των Sabbath του 1992 — δηλαδή ο σύγχρονος τεχνολογικός κόσμος και τα θύματά του, οι άνθρωποι. Ναι, εντάξει, καλή σαν σκέψη, αλλά πρώτα απ’ όλα είναι πολύ μακριά από τη φανταστική θεματολογία και τα επιβλητικά μεσαία και γρήγορα τέμπο που είχαν επιδείξει έως το ’87. Ύστερα, δεν κολλάει με κανένα από τα άλμπουμ των Dio.

Εν κατακλείδι, δεν τολμώ να πω «μάπα το καρπούζι», αλλά σίγουρα δεν είναι το αγαπημένο μου — και μάλλον ούτε και εκατομμυρίων άλλων από τότε. Συμπαθώ το ομότιτλο Strange Highways, τα Firehead, Give Her the Gun, Blood From a Stone, αλλά ως εκεί.

Δυστυχώς, είπαμε: η δεκαετία του ’90 δεν ξεκίνησε καλά για τη συντριπτική πλειονότητα των παλιών· τις περισσότερες φορές, όμως, με δική τους ευθύνη.

English:

Where is the magic?

In the same unfortunate way that Black Sabbath were split in two for a second time — exactly as it had happened back in 1982 — Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinnie Appice left Iommi and Butler waiting for Ozzy (for his voracious manager‑wife to finally let him loose) to feel worthy enough to return, so the band could reunite in its original form, as it eventually did three years later. So they brought in Jeff Pilson on bass, from Dokken, and on guitar the relatively unknown Tracy G. And just before the year came to an end, this particular album hit record stores worldwide as the new Dio release!

I assume the shock must have been seismic, given the direction this new — half‑reformed — lineup took. And of course, that seismic wave, I again assume, hit hardest among the die‑hard fans of their classic sound, those who had been left hanging since the last truly classic album in 1987, Dream Evil — or at best Lock Up the Wolves in 1990, though even there the recipe and the chemistry had already gone awry.

Heavy and slow‑dragging, modern rhythmic (groove) metal, with themes similar to Sabbath’s Dehumanizer from 1992 — meaning the contemporary technological world and its victims: human beings. Yes, fine, an interesting concept, but first of all it strays far from the fantastical themes and the imposing mid‑tempo and fast tracks they had showcased up until ’87. And beyond that, it simply doesn’t fit with any of the Dio albums.

In conclusion, I won’t go as far as saying “a total dud,” but it’s certainly not my favorite — and probably not the favorite of millions of others since then. I do like the title track Strange Highways, as well as Firehead, Give Her the Gun, and Blood From a Stone, but that’s about it.

Unfortunately, as we’ve said before: the ’90s did not start well for the overwhelming majority of the old guard — most of the time, though, through their own fault.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

NocturN unleash “Stones and Bones”

 

Romanian black metal force NocturN return with a new single, “Stones and Bones,” a slow‑burn descent into suffocation, vengeance, and inevitable doom. The track pushes the band’s atmospheric black metal into even bleaker territory, channeling crushing riffs, ominous melodies, and a suffocating sense of dread that fits seamlessly into the album’s unfolding narrative.

At this point in The Conjuring, Malphas’ hatred reaches its peak. Consumed by vengeance, he condemns the Architect to a merciless fate—buried alive beneath cold stone and unforgiving earth. “Stones and Bones” mirrors that grim punishment with dense, oppressive instrumentation and a cinematic approach to storytelling that heightens every moment of despair.

Musically, the single stands among the album’s most emotionally charged offerings. NocturN balance raw aggression with atmospheric depth, weaving darkness, melody, and ritualistic tension into a track that feels both punishing and immersive. It’s a chapter that doesn’t just advance the story—it embodies it.

With The Conjuring, NocturN continue expanding their bleak universe, and “Stones and Bones” emerges as one of its most unforgettable moments—a chilling portrayal of hatred, entrapment, and the slow fade into oblivion.

REVIEW: RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW, Stranger Ιn Us All

 

RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S RAINBOW, Stranger Ιn Us All (1995)

RCA

Θα σέβεστε.

Όταν τα σπάει με τους Deep Purple, σκαρώνει τους δικούς του Rainbow. Ο άνδρας με τα μαύρα, δύστροπος και με ιδιαίτερη αίσθηση του χιούμορ — αλλά μάλλον, αν του κάνεις εσύ πλάκα, θα σε αγριοκοιτάξει. Ο Ritchie δεν χρειάζεται άλλη σύσταση.

Οριστικά τσακώθηκαν το 1994 με τον Gillan, τον Lord και τους λοιπούς «Μωβ». Λίγο μετά στρατολογεί τον Doogie White, κάτοχο μιας ιδιαίτερα AOR φωνής αλλά και με μια ξεχωριστή, βαριά χροιά (κάτι μεταξύ των παλιών Turner και Dio!), τον Paul Morris στα πλήκτρα, τον Greg Smith στο μπάσο και τον John O'Reilly στα ντραμς. Μαζί γράφουν το όγδοο άλμπουμ των Rainbow, το πρώτο μετά το Bent Out of Shape, έντεκα χρόνια αργότερα.

Ένα άλμπουμ για όλα τα γούστα και για τους οπαδούς κάθε περιόδου της ήδη γνωστής ιστορίας τους. Στα «Ariel», όπου συμμετέχει και η τότε αρραβωνιαστικιά του, Candice Night, και στο «Black Masquerade», θυμίζει την επική εποχή με τον Dio. Από την άλλη, κομμάτια όπως τα «Cold Hearted Woman», «Hunting Humans» και «Too Late for Tears» κινούνται σε πιο AOR ύφος.

Ροκιές όπως τα «Wolf to the Moon» και «Hall of the Mountain King» συμπληρώνουν το παζλ, ενώ στο τέλος υπάρχει η επανηχογραφημένη διασκευή του «Still I'm Sad», που υπήρχε ως ορχηστρικό στο πρώτο άλμπουμ των Rainbow, το 1975.

Ένα δισκάκι που αξίζει την προσοχή μας και εξακολουθεί να τη διατηρεί έκτοτε.

English:

Show Some Respect.

When he breaks away from Deep Purple, he goes and creates his own Rainbow. The man in black — difficult, with a very particular sense of humor — but if you try to make fun of him, chances are he’ll just give you that infamous icy stare. Ritchie needs no further introduction.

The final fallout with Gillan, Lord, and the rest of the “Purples” came in 1994. Shortly after, he recruits Doogie White, a singer with a distinctive AOR voice but also a unique, heavy edge to his delivery (somewhere between the classic Turner and Dio eras!), along with Paul Morris on keyboards, Greg Smith on bass, and John O’Reilly on drums. Together, they create Rainbow’s eighth album, the first one after Bent Out of Shape, released eleven years earlier.

An album that has something for every taste and for fans of every era of Rainbow’s already legendary history. Tracks like “Ariel,” featuring his then-fiancée Candice Night, and “Black Masquerade” recall the epic Dio years. On the other hand, songs such as “Cold Hearted Woman,” “Hunting Humans,” and “Too Late for Tears” move into a more AOR-oriented direction.

Rockers like “Wolf to the Moon” and “Hall of the Mountain King” complete the picture, while the album closes with a re-recorded version of “Still I’m Sad,” the instrumental cover that originally appeared on Rainbow’s debut album back in 1975.

 

A little record that deserves our attention — and has continued to hold it ever since.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: GRANICUS – Thieves, Liars & Traitors

 

GRANICUS – Thieves, Liars & Traitors

Independent Release

A concise, historically significant hard‑rock document that expands the legacy of Granicus with archival material from their 1973–74 creative peak. It may sit a notch below their legendary debut, yet it remains one of the strongest modern‑day windows into authentic ’70s hard rock.

Granicus are one of those rare cases where a band’s discography is defined as much by absence as by presence. Their self‑titled debut from 1973—now considered a cult cornerstone of underground American hard rock—was reintroduced to the world in 2009 through a CD reissue. After that, silence. No follow‑up, no archival releases, nothing to suggest a second chapter.

“Thieves, Liars & Traitors” breaks that silence. Built from recordings captured between 1973 and 1974, it restores the voice of Woody Leffel, who had left the band immediately after the debut. His return gives these tracks the continuity and identity that fans of the first album will instantly recognize.

The album runs roughly half an hour, but its core is dominated by a 27‑minute live medley combining:

- When You Are Moving 

- Back Seat of My Car 

- Bad Talk 

This extended piece is not filler; it’s a raw, unfiltered snapshot of the band’s stage presence during their most fertile period. The sound is unpolished, but the energy is unmistakable—an authentic document rather than a modern reconstruction.

Among the studio tracks, several compositions stand out as the album’s backbone:

- Thieves, Liars & Traitors — the homonymous track, carrying the band’s signature blend of grit and melodic phrasing.

 

- Space in Time — atmospheric, slightly psychedelic, and one of the most fully realized ideas here. 

- Wizard of Was — a punchy, riff‑driven piece that channels the band’s heavier instincts. 

- Taste of Love — warm, direct, and rooted in classic hard‑rock songwriting.

These tracks reaffirm what made Granicus special: a balance between muscular guitar work, expressive vocals, and a distinctly American hard‑rock sensibility untouched by later trends.

Is “Thieves, Liars & Traitors” on the same level as the 1973 debut? Not quite. The debut remains the band’s defining statement—more cohesive, more explosive, more iconic. This second album, however, is not a mere curiosity or archival footnote. It is a genuine addition to the band’s legacy, offering material that stands proudly within the ’70s hard‑rock canon.

For genre devotees, this is essential listening: a rare chance to experience unreleased material from a band whose output is painfully limited. For casual listeners, sampling the album first is wise, but the quality is strong enough to win over anyone with an ear for vintage hard‑rock authenticity.

“Thieves, Liars & Traitors” may arrive decades late, but it feels like a rightful continuation of Granicus’ story. Slightly inferior to the debut, yes—but still one of the most compelling ’70s hard‑rock releases available today, and a must‑have for fans of the era.

Ioannis Kaskamanidis