Ο
μαύρος γίγαντας με το φλεγόμενο σπαθί, ο οποίος θα οδηγήσει στην τελική φάση
του Ragnarok τον πόλεμο εναντίον των θεών και του προσωπικού του αντιπάλου,
Freyr, αποτελεί την πηγή έμπνευσης για το όγδοο άλμπουμ των Σουηδών Melodic
Death Metallers. Συχνά τους κατατάσσουμε και στο Viking Metal αν χρειαστεί·
έτσι κι αλλιώς, αν τα φωνητικά δεν ήταν growls αλλά υψίφωνα, η μουσική τους θα
ήταν καθαρό, επικό Power Metal.
Πρόκειται
για έναν δίσκο που κινείται σταθερά στην ίδια πορεία που έχουμε συνηθίσει από
το συγκρότημα. Ξέρουμε ακριβώς τι πρόκειται να ακούσουμε εδώ μέσα, καθώς δεν
χωράνε —και δεν υπάρχουν— εκπλήξεις. Μεκομμάτιασαντα War of the Gods, Tock's Taunt, Loke's Treachery Pt.
II, Destroyer of the Universe, Slaves of Fear, The Last Stand of Frej, For Victory
or Death, Wrath of the Norsemen και Doom Over Dead Man νααποτελούνταπιοστιβαράτουσυνόλου, μιλάμεαναμφίβολαγιαένααπόταπιοδυνατάέργατηςδισκογραφίαςτους.
English:
Twilight Rising over Valhalla
The black giant with the flaming sword, who will lead
the war against the gods and his personal nemesis, Freyr, into the final phase
of Ragnarok, serves as the inspiration for the eighth album by the Swedish
Melodic Death Metallers. We often label them as Viking Metal if needed; either
way, if the vocals weren’t growls but high-pitched, their music would be pure,
epic Power Metal.
This is a record that treads steadily along the exact
same path we've come to expect from the band. We know precisely what we are
going to hear inside, as there is no room for—nor are there any—surprises. With
tracks like War of the Gods, Tock's Taunt, Loke's Treachery Pt. II, Destroyer
of the Universe, Slaves of Fear, The Last Stand of Frej, For Victory or Death,
Wrath of the Norsemen, and Doom Over Dead Man forming the backbone of the
album, this is undoubtedly one of the strongest works in their discography.
Initially, the landscape of symphonic and gothic metal
was shaped by bands like NIGHTWISH, followed by EPICA, both of which achieved
significant success by blending elements of power metal with gothic
atmospheres. Their ability to craft memorable melodies and distinctive
compositions drew widespread attention from fans across both genres—and beyond.
Originating from France, SYRENS CALL’s third release,
Raging Waters, appears to draw inspiration from these influential bands,
echoing their stylistic traits while incorporating occasional KAMELOT
influences. The musicianship displayed on this album is undeniably proficient;
the band demonstrates tightness and technical skill throughout. However,
despite their professionalism, the release suffers from a lack of originality
in melodic development and compositional ideas.
The melodies and tunes presented are largely generic,
often sounding familiar—almost as if they've been heard elsewhere before. This
predictability diminishes the album’s potential impact, making it difficult to
distinguish SYRENS CALL from other acts within the genre. While the musicians
are clearly capable, their compositions lack the distinctive personality or
innovative elements necessary to captivate listeners repeatedly.
In my view, SYRENS CALL has the potential to develop a
unique sound that sets them apart. Continued efforts to craft more memorable,
original melodies and to infuse their music with a personal touch could elevate
their work significantly. I look forward to future releases where they might
find that distinctive voice, and I would be pleased to revisit and review their
evolving artistry when that occurs.
Bulgarian groove/thrash metal force BrainMaze has
officially unleashed their latest single, “Nightmare & Reality,” marking a
massive cinematic milestone for the independent global project. Following the
success of their 2024 debut album, When Your Demons Come, the band’s newest
track continues to plunge deep into the themes of internal struggle and the
subconscious mind.
Operating completely without creative or geographical
borders, BrainMaze is the brainchild of Bulgarian mastermind Ivan Shishkov. To
deliver the track's crushing yet atmospheric sound, Shishkov assembled a
powerhouse international lineup of elite musicians from across the globe,
including vocalist Rob Davies (UK), guitarists Ramon Martinez (Venezuela) and
German Maldonado (Argentina), midi-drummer Fabian Troya (Ecuador), and acoustic
drummer Fabio Alessandrini (Italy).
To match the ambitious scale of the song, BrainMaze
tapped some of the metal world's finest production talent. The single was mixed
by Ukraine's Ilarion Ivanenko and mastered at the legendary Finnvox Studios in
Finland by Mika Jussila, known for his iconic work with bands like Nightwish
and Children of Bodom. The result is a sonically massive, emotionally raw blend
of groove and thrash metal that proves BrainMaze is a rising international
project to watch.
The three Mexican sisters of The Warning are on their
way to rock stardom
Reading time: 5 minutes|Listening time: You decide!
Guest article from musician and psychologist Ben
Sollberger from Berne / Switzerland
Once more, love wins– How it all started
Some weeks ago, while browsing YouTube, I came across
a short video in which a young female bassist with long black hair delivered a
sinister and incredibly powerful bass line right at the beginning of a concert.
She commanded the stage like a true rock star. She immediately grabbed my full
attention. Just a few minutes later, I discovered that this bassist — Alejandra
Villarreal — and her two older sisters, Daniela (guitar) and Paulina (drums), are
in fact rock stars. That was the moment my love affair with the Mexican band
The Warning began.
But maybe the more interesting question is: How did their
love affair with music start?
Luis Villarreal and his wife Mónica from Monterrey,
Mexico, never learned to play an instrument themselves. Yet they passed on
their profound love of music to their three daughters by exposing them to an
incredibly wide range of genres: Classic Rock and Arena Rock, Modern
Alternative Rock, Pop, Piano-Driven Legends, Classical Music, and everything in
between.
From Cover Versions to Original Songs and Back
“Infected” by this passion at a very early age, all
three sisters began learning piano. A few years later, when Daniela (then 11)
took up the guitar and Paulina (then 9) the drums, Alejandra (at age 7) decided
to learn bass. Not long after, the three realized they already had everything
they needed to form a rock trio. They started practicing cover versions in
their rehearsal room and uploading them to YouTube — for example “We’re Not
Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister or “Resistance” by Muse.
Their electrifying version of Metallica’s “Enter
Sandman,” recorded when they were 9, 12, and 14 years old, quickly went viral.
To this day, the video has over 27 million views. It remains a powerful
testament to both their remarkable talent and the deep love of music their
parents had instilled in them.
Not much later The Warning began writing their own
original songs. In 2017 they got the chance to present some of them on the
prestigious TED Talks series. Besides delivering stunning performances of three
songs from their first full-length album XXI Century Blood, they also spoke
about their experiences in the music business.
Their advice — which can be seen as excellent general
life advice — can be summarized as follows: Do what you love, believe in
yourself, work hard, and don’t believe every crap others tell you — especially
adults.
As a psychologist who has been interested in happiness
and mental health for two decades, I really couldn’t agree more.
As you can see in the video, they already had it all
back then: They were masters of their instruments, could all sing beautifully,
had great stage presence, and wrote really strong songs rooted not only in
(hard) rock, but also in musical theatre and classical elements. The level of
love, passion, and skill that drummer Paulina brings to the first song
“Unmendable” still gets me choked up every time.
That The Warning were able to grab the full attention
of audiences at such a young age had a lot to do with how hard-working and
focused they were. This very raw yet stunningly virtuosic rehearsal-room
version of “Dull Knives (Cut Better)” perfectly illustrates their breathtaking
determination — they already acted like rock stars long before the world knew
what was coming. That’s the power of manifestation!
In 2021, six years after their childhood “Enter
Sandman” cover, Metallica personally invited The Warning to record a new
version of the song for the official tribute album The Metallica Blacklist —
marking the 30th anniversary of The Black Album.
Together with Canadian singer Alessia Cara, they
created a markedly different, more somber and reflective interpretation. While
they kept the original vocal melody lines, they changed the chords underneath
in a very elegant way.
In the past few years, The Warning have become a
highly sought-after support act for major bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Foo
Fighters, Halestorm and others. In 2023 they were invited by Muse as support
for several European dates. Matt Bellamy, singer and guitarist of Muse, was so
impressed that he gave Daniela one of his signature guitars as a gift. She
could even choose the colour of it, she once said with a smile in an interview.
(Not too) Deep Dive into the harmonic recipe for
greatness
Nearly 20 years ago, I wrote my doctoral dissertation
on the relationship between music and emotion. One central finding was why
certain pieces of music move us so deeply. The music of The Warning is a
perfect example of this.
Although it is mostly based on minor scales, it rarely
sounds sad. When you combine minor keys with high energy and mid-to-high tempo,
you get music that touches the heart through beautiful melodies and vocal harmonies
while the drive makes your blood boil. Think of “The Trooper” or “The Evil That
Men Do” by Iron Maiden, “Love Gun” or “Detroit Rock City” by Kiss, “Metalingus”
or “Ties That Bind” by Alter Bridge, or “Beat It” by Michael Jackson — same
story, folks.
Great examples of this “ass-kicking minor” formula in
The Warning’s music are:
They also like to throw in single notes and intervals
that don’t belong in pure minor scales, such as the dark, sinister-sounding
Phrygian half-tone interval. Good examples are the intros and main riffs of:
Can you hear the sinisterness? If not, think of the
guitar riff during the intro and verses of Megadeth’s “Symphony of Destruction”
— there you go!
Where from here? A final Warning.
Currently, The Warning are touring the the U.S.,
supporting the English musician Yungblud. On June 25th, they will play their
first European show in Norway. If you are lucky, they are coming to a town near
you, see: Tour - The Warning Official Store. I advise you not to miss them!
Lovers of the band use the slogan “You have been
warned!” whenever their music catches someone’s soul. As I wrote in the
beginning, this happened to me just some weeks ago.
For listeners who find modern thrash metal productions
overly polished and are craving a sound that embodies the raw, aggressive
spirit of the genre’s heyday, GAE BOLGA offers a compelling alternative.
Hailing from Belgium, this band’s debut album, Violent MetalStorm, acts as a
sonic time capsule, deliberately eschewing contemporary production trends to
evoke the gritty energy of the 1980s thrash scene.
Throughout the album, GAE BOLGA channels influences
from seminal bands such as Kreator, Slayer, and Destruction, while also
incorporating elements reminiscent of Venom and early Running Wild. The result
is a release that exudes unfiltered intensity—pure, unrefined, and
confrontational. The production maintains a raw edge, emphasizing the
aggressive riffs, pounding drums, and vehement vocals that define classic
thrash metal.
Violent MetalStorm demands to be played loud, ideally
enjoyed in a setting of camaraderie and revelry. Its unrelenting energy might
even disturb the tranquility of more conservative neighborhoods, prompting
neighbors to reconsider their surroundings. The album lives up to its title,
delivering a relentless assault of metal that will appeal to dedicated thrash
maniacs and purists alike.
In summary, this record is a strong debut from a band
with promising potential. GAE BOLGA successfully captures the essence of
old-school thrash and presents it with conviction, making it a must-listen for
fans seeking authenticity and intensity in their metal.
Η
επιστροφή στη θεματολογία του Something Wicked κατά το ήμισυ, βρίσκει τον
ενδέκατο δίσκο των Αμερικανών σε μια πολύ καλή φάση ανάκαμψης — ειδικά μετά το
προηγούμενο άλμπουμ τους, Dystopia, με το οποίο μας σύστησαν τον νέο
τραγουδιστή Stu Block, του οποίου η φωνή έχει αξιοπρόσεκτη ομοιότητα με εκείνη
του παλιού, κλασικού Matt Barlow.
Πρόκειται,
λοιπόν, για ένα ημι-θεματικό άλμπουμ στη λογική Fatal Portrait / Nosferatu
αντίστοιχα των King Diamond / Helstar, το οποίο απλώς μακραίνει —με τα μισά του
τραγούδια— το ήδη μεγάλο (και, μεταξύ μας, πλέον ξεχειλωμένο) αυτό concept.
Παρ’ όλα αυτά, μουσικά κινείται σε πάρα πολύ καλό επίπεδο.
Με
τον νέο μπασίστα Luke Appleton, αλλά με session ντράμερ τον Raphael Saini, ο
κιθαρίστας και «αφεντικό» του σχήματος, Jon Schaffer, υπογράφει ξανά έναν δίσκο
που τους επανέφερε στο προσκήνιο. Με τον παλιό, γνωστό φίλο Hansi Kürsch των
Blind Guardian να δανείζει τη φωνή του στο Among the Living Dead, στο άλμπουμ
ξεχωρίζουν επίσης τα Plagues of Babylon, Democide, Resistance, The End?,
Cthulhu, Peacemaker, το Spirit of the Times —επανεκτέλεση του κομματιού από το
πρότζεκτ Sons of Liberty του Schaffer— καθώς και η διασκευή στο Highwayman του
Jimmy Webb.
Έχουμε,
λοιπόν, ένα άλμπουμ που πλέον, νομίζω, έχει την αξία αλλά και την προσοχή που
του αρμόζει.
English:
Everything Comes Full Circle
The partial return to the Something Wicked theme finds
the Americans’ eleventh album in a strong phase of resurgence — especially
after their previous record, Dystopia, with which they introduced us to their
new vocalist, Stu Block, whose voice bears a striking resemblance to that of
the classic, long‑time
frontman Matt Barlow.
What we have here is a semi‑concept album in the Fatal Portrait / Nosferatu
tradition of King Diamond and Helstar respectively — one that simply extends,
through half of its tracks, an already large (and, between us, now somewhat
overstretched) concept. Even so, musically it operates at a very high level.
With new bassist Luke Appleton on board but session
drummer Raphael Saini behind the kit, guitarist and bandleader Jon Schaffer delivers
yet another record that brought the band back into the spotlight. With long‑time friend Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian lending his
voice to Among the Living Dead, the album also features standout moments such
as Plagues of Babylon, Democide, Resistance, The End?, Cthulhu, Peacemaker, the
re‑recording of Spirit
of the Times from Schaffer’s Sons of Liberty project, as well as a cover of
Jimmy Webb’s Highwayman.
All in all, this is an album that, I believe, has now
earned both the value and the attention it deserves.
Από
τους —τρεις, λένε κάποιοι— μεγάλους της ελληνικής ακραίας metal συνομοταξίας,
οι Septicflesh (τους οποίους, παρεμπιπτόντως, ακόμη δεν μπορώ να συνηθίσω με τα
δύο συνθετικά ενωμένα· θέλω το κενό όπως στις απαρχές τους), έχουν βιώσει μια
δεύτερη, αν όχι τρίτη, ιστορικής σημασίας δισκογραφική εποχή. Συμφωνικό death
metal, μεγαλειώδες και απόκοσμο, μας παραδίδουν και στον Codex Omega τους.
Μη
ξεχνάμε ποιοι και πότε ακριβώς έκαναν την αρχή: οι γενάρχες του σκοτεινού ήχου,
οι Ελβετοί Celtic Frost, είχαν ήδη από το To Mega Therion (1985) τα πρώτα
στοιχεία συμφωνικής μουσικής. Οι δικοί μας Septic Flesh —από τις αρχές και
ειδικά στα μέσα των ’90s (να το κενό που λέγαμε)— με μια μικρή παύση, το έχουν
πάει σε εντελώς διαφορετικό επίπεδο, εισάγοντας το σκοτεινό death metal τους
μέσα στη συμφωνική μουσική.
Ένα
ακόμη άλμπουμ που, με το «χιτ» —ας επιτραπεί ο όρος— Portrait of a Headless Man
και το απίστευτο σε συμβολισμό βίντεο κλιπ του, μου υπενθύμισε τότε ότι είναι
ακόμη εδώ και, ελπίζω, θα είναι για πολλά χρόνια ακόμη.
Ο
Seth Siro Anton (Σπύρος Αντωνίου) σε μπάσο και growl φωνητικά, ο αδερφός του
Χρήστος Αντωνίου σε κιθάρα και καθαρή φωνή, μαζί με τον Σωτήρη Announaki V
επίσης στην κιθάρα, και τον μοναδικό μη Έλληνα της παρέας, τον ντράμερ Kerim
Lechner, μας καθίζουν βίαια κάτω και ρίχνουν στα αυτιά μας τα φορτωμένα με
decibel, ογκοδέστατα κομμάτια του δίσκου.
Υλικόόπωςτα 3rd Testament (Codex Omega), Enemy of Truth, Martyr,
Dark Art, Our Church Below the Sea, Faceless Queen και Trinity.
English:
Loaded, symphonic, dark.
Among the —three, some say— giants of the Greek
extreme metal lineage, Septicflesh (whom, incidentally, I still can’t get used
to seeing written as one word; I want the space back, like in their early days)
have lived through a second, if not a third, historically significant creative
era. Symphonic death metal, majestic and otherworldly, is once again what they
deliver on their Codex Omega.
Let’s not forget who started all this, and when: the
forefathers of the dark sound, Switzerland’s Celtic Frost, had already
introduced the first symphonic elements back on To Mega Therion (1985). Our own
Septic Flesh —from the early and especially the mid‑’90s (there’s that space again)— with a brief pause in
between, took it to an entirely different level, weaving their shadow‑drenched death metal into full symphonic form.
Another album which, with its “hit” —if the term may
be allowed— Portrait of a Headless Man, and its symbolically staggering music
video, reminded me back then that they are still here and, hopefully, will
remain for many years to come.
Seth Siro Anton (Spyros Antoniou) on bass and growl
vocals, his brother Christos Antoniou on guitar and clean vocals, together with
Sotiris Announaki V also on guitar, and the only non‑Greek member, drummer Kerim Lechner, forcefully pin us
to our seats and hurl into our ears the decibel‑laden, massive compositions of this record.
Material such as 3rd Testament (Codex Omega), Enemy of
Truth, Martyr, Dark Art, Our Church Below the Sea, Faceless Queen, and Trinity.
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