CRADLE OF FILTH Unveils "Demagoguery" Video Ahead of Tour

 

Extreme metal band Cradle of Filth released their 14th album, “The Screaming Of The Valkyries”, debuting high on charts worldwide. They’ve now dropped a new music video for "Demagoguery," directed by Shaun Hodson. The video depicts a puppet controlled by unseen forces, symbolizing media and political manipulation, with dark, disturbing imagery.

The band kicks off their UK/European tour later this week, supported by Nervosa. Fans can expect intense music and visuals from this legendary act.

WINTER BLOOD Releases New Album «Only Dust Remains»

 

Virginia black metal band Winter Blood has launched their new album, “Only Dust Remains”. Recorded and mixed by Manothanas (John) at his home studio, the album features a dark, melodic blend of aggressive black metal and classical influences, with layered synths and intense guitars. Returning in 2023 with synth programming by Fogrim (Jason), Winter Blood continues to craft a captivating, atmospheric sound. Fans can stream the album now.

REVIEW: JETHRO TULL, Roots To Branches

 

JETHRO TULL, Roots To Branches (1995)

EMI

Ακάθεκτοι και πάντα ενδιαφέροντες. 

Το συγκεκριμένο συγκρότημα δεινοσαυρικών διαστάσεων δε χρειάζεται συστάσεις. Ο αειθάλητος Ian Anderson στη μουσική, τη φωνή και το φλάουτό του μας έχει χαρίσει άπειρα πράγματα από το 1967. 

Η σκοτεινή περίοδος της δεκαετίας του '90 και για το progressive rock έμελλε να είναι, με ελάχιστες εξαιρέσεις, ακριβώς αυτό… σκοτεινή! Αυτό το άλμπουμ σε CD, δεν ξέρω γιατί, το πήρα τότε, στις αρχές του 2007, μαζί με σχεδόν ολόκληρο τον κατάλογό τους από την EMI/Chrysalis, που κυκλοφόρησε σε remastered έκδοση. Μάλλον γι' αυτό το λόγο μπήκε στο σπίτι και αυτό, μαζί με τα άλλα πιο κλασικά τους άλμπουμ. 

Ωστόσο, το αγάπησα πολύ αυτό το άλμπουμ. Τα δύο πρώτα κομμάτια του, ο ομώνυμος "Roots to Branches" και το ανατολίτικο "Rare and Precious Chain", έχουν πια καθιερωθεί στη συνείδησή μου. Από εκεί και πέρα, το άλμπουμ δεν απογοητεύει· αντιθέτως! Τα τραγούδια "Out of the Noise", "This Free Will", "Valley", "Dangerous Veils", "Wounded Old and Treacherous" και "Stuck in the August Rain" αξίζουν και μάλιστα πολύ. 

Ο Martin Barre στην κιθάρα, ο Dave Pegg στο μπάσο, ο Andrew Giddings στα πλήκτρα και ο Doane Perry στα ντραμς πλαισιώνουν τον Ian Anderson σε αυτό το ανέλπιστα όμορφο άλμπουμ.

English:

Unstoppable and always interesting. 

This particular dinosaur-sized band needs no introduction. The indefatigable Ian Anderson, with his music, voice, and flute, has given us countless treasures since 1967. 

The dark period of the 1990s for progressive rock was, with few exceptions, exactly that… dark! For some reason, I bought this CD back then, in early 2007, along with almost their entire catalog from EMI/Chrysalis, which was re-released in a remastered edition. Perhaps that’s why it found its way into my home, alongside their other more classic albums. 

Nevertheless, I loved this album very much. The first two tracks, the title track "Roots to Branches" and the Eastern-inspired "Rare and Precious Chain," have now become firmly established in my mind. Beyond that, the album does not disappoint; on the contrary! Songs like "Out of the Noise," "This Free Will," "Valley," "Dangerous Veils," "Wounded Old and Treacherous," and "Stuck in the August Rain" are truly excellent. 

Martin Barre on guitar, Dave Pegg on bass, Andrew Giddings on keyboards, and Doane Perry on drums round out Ian Anderson in this unexpectedly beautiful album.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: BLIND GUARDIAN, Live

 

BLIND GUARDIAN, Live (2003)

Virgin Records

Κάτι περίεργο συμβαίνει εδώ!

Το δεύτερο – μέχρι τότε – ζωντανά ηχογραφημένο άλμπουμ των πολυαγαπημένων Γερμανών βάρδων του Power Metal. Δεν έχει να κάνει με το αν τα κομμάτια είναι πράγματι ζωντανά (είναι, σας διαβεβαιώνω), αλλά με το εξής παράδοξο: όσα προέρχονται από τον πιο πρόσφατο τότε δίσκο τους, το – πραγματικά αχαρακτήριστο – «A Night at the Opera» (το έχουμε ξαναπεί, τύφλα να 'χουν οι Queen από τον τίτλο!), ακούγονται καλύτερα απ’ ό,τι στον ίδιο τον στούντιο δίσκο!

Ένα remix, νομίζω, θα βοηθούσε, έστω και τόσες δεκαετίες μετά...

Τα υπόλοιπα τραγούδια, από το «Imaginations from the Other Side», το «Nightfall in Middle-Earth» και το προαναφερθέν – αισχρό, κατά την άποψή μου – τελευταίο τότε άλμπουμ τους, προστίθενται σε κάποια από τα παλαιότερα, πιο κλασικά, από το «Somewhere Far Beyond» και πίσω. (Για την πρώτη εποχή, απευθυνθείτε παρακαλώ στο «Tokyo Tales» – το πρώτο ζωντανό τους άλμπουμ.)

Το αποτέλεσμα είναι ένα ζωντανό, διπλό best of της καριέρας τους έως τις αρχές του 21ου αιώνα.

English:

Something strange is going on here!

This is the second live album – up to that point – from Germany’s beloved bards of Power Metal. And no, the issue isn’t whether the tracks are actually live (they are, I assure you). The real paradox lies elsewhere: the songs taken from their most recent studio album at the time – the truly unclassifiable “A Night at the Opera” (as we've said before, Queen should be jealous of the title!) – actually sound better here than they did on the original studio release!

A remix, I think, wouldn’t hurt – even decades later...

The rest of the set pulls from “Imaginations from the Other Side”, “Nightfall in Middle-Earth”, and the aforementioned – and in my opinion, dreadful – most recent studio album, mixing them in with older, more classic material from “Somewhere Far Beyond” and earlier. (For the early era, please refer to “Tokyo Tales”, their first live release.)

The result? A double live best-of covering their career up to the early 21st century.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

PULCHRA MORTe Releases New Single “When Hearts Become the Wave”

 

American doom/death metal band Pulchra Morte has dropped their latest single, “When Hearts Become the Wave”, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jarrett Pritchard at New Constellation RMP Studios.

Formed in 2017, the band features Adam Clemans (vocals), John Porada (bass), Jarrett Pritchard (guitar), and Clayton Gore (drums). Known for their emotional depth and atmospheric sound, they’ve gained acclaim with albums “Divina Autem Et Aniles” (2019) and “Ex Rosa Ceremonia” (2020).

This new track continues their tradition of heavy, purposeful music that challenges norms and emphasizes powerful songwriting. Fans can expect more intense and atmospheric metal from Pulchra Morte in the near future.

REVIEW: MEGADETH, Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?

 

MEGADETH, Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? (1986)

Capitol Records

Το πρώτο, αν και είναι το δεύτερο τους. 

Το δεύτερο αυτό άλμπουμ των Αμερικανών Speed/Thrash Metal ανερχόμενων τότε ηγετών υπό τον ηγέτη, κιθαρίστα και τραγουδιστή Dave Mustaine, και μια κυκλοφορία στην ακμή της thrash metal περιόδου της δεκαετίας του '80, βρίσκει την ομάδα των τεσσάρων μουσικών από την Καλιφόρνια να φτάνει σχεδόν το τέλειο. 

Ο Dave Mustaine παίρνει με αυτό το άλμπουμ την εκδίκησή του από τους πρώην συνεργάτες του και πλέον άσπονδους εχθρούς του, τους Metallica.  

Ο Chris Poland στις υπόλοιπες κιθάρες, ο David Ellefson στο μπάσο και ο Gar Samuelson στα ντραμς θα βρεθούν για τελευταία φορά όλοι μαζί εδώ, αφού οι εσωτερικές διαμάχες και οι "χημικοί δαίμονες" που κατατρέχουν τα μέλη τότε, θα αλλάξουν σύντομα τη σύνθεση του συγκροτήματος. 

Ένα αρκετά γρήγορο σε ταχύτητες άλμπουμ, με κλασικά κομμάτια όπως το "Peace Sells", το "The Conjuring", το "Bad Omen" και το "Wake Up Dead", τα οποία αρκετά από αυτά παραμένουν ακόμα στο ζωντανό playlist τους τόσες δεκαετίες μετά.

English:

The first, although it is their second album. 

This second album by the American Speed/Thrash Metal rising leaders, led by guitarist and vocalist Dave Mustaine, was released during the peak of the thrash metal era in the 1980s, and finds the four musicians from California reaching near perfection. 

With this album, Dave Mustaine takes revenge on his former collaborators and now bitter enemies, Metallica. 

Chris Poland on the other guitars, David Ellefson on bass, and Gar Samuelson on drums all appear together here for the last time, as internal conflicts and the "chemical demons" that haunted the band members at the time would soon change the group's lineup. 

It's a fast-paced album featuring classic tracks such as "Peace Sells," "The Conjuring," "Bad Omen," and "Wake Up Dead," many of which remain part of their live playlist decades later.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: OLYMPOS MONS – Conquistador

 

OLYMPOS MONS – Conquistador

Limb Music

When I first heard the name Olympos Mons, my mind immediately went to ancient Greece and the gods on Mount Olympus. But it turns out, the band's inspiration is far more cosmic! Their name actually points to Olympus Mons, that absolutely massive volcano on Mars – the biggest one we know of in our entire solar system. And let me tell you, it's a fitting name, because this Martian behemoth is truly immense, stretching 700 kilometers wide and towering 22 kilometers high, making it the highest point on the Red Planet.

Now, onto the music. The moment "Conquistador" kicked in, my ears perked up, thinking of power metal legends Running Wild. There’s a definite shared vibe, and both bands certainly play power metal, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Olympos Mons truly embraces the melodic power metal sound of their native Finland. You'll definitely catch hints of bands like Stratovarius and Helloween, but what really sets them apart is how they weave in these cool Rainbow-esque elements. It gives them a flavor that’s distinctly their own.

Let's talk about the band members themselves. Ian Highhill on vocals and Jari Sundström on guitar deliver really solid performances. They're clearly skilled, even if they aren't trying to be flashy virtuosos. The album flows nicely from start to finish, even with a few stylistic shifts. And honestly, there are some real gems here. "Through the Ice and Snow" for example, totally hooked me with its catchy melodies and clever arrangements. They also toss in some progressive and even exotic touches, like eastern influences and orchestral textures, which sometimes brought to mind bands like Kamelot or Nightwish. Plus, the keyboard work is fantastic, especially those keyboard-driven intros that add so much depth.

But if I had to pick just one track that really grabbed me, it's "The Last Light of the Moon." This song is a standout! It pulls you in with its awesome keyboard intro, then hits you with these riffs that scream Symphony X, all topped off with fantastic dual harmony vocals. While a lot of the album is above average, this particular track really resonated with me and truly shows what this band is capable of.

So, where does Olympos Mons land with "Conquistador"? Looking back at its 2004 release, this album showed a promising entry into the power metal scene. Often, a band starts by drawing from established sounds before truly finding their unique voice. While Olympos Mons ultimately disbanded, "Conquistador" remains a testament to their serious potential at the time. If you're a power metal fan keen on exploring the genre's past, this album is definitely worth a listen to hear a band that, even if fleeting, had something to offer.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: RUNNING WILD, Pile Of Skulls

 

RUNNING WILD, Pile Of Skulls (1992)

Noise Records

Σωρός από ύμνους. 

Μετά το «Blazon Stone» του 1991, το κοινό περίμενε πολλά. Και δεν απογοητεύτηκε βασικά, αλλά για μένα το άλμπουμ αυτό δεν είναι το καλύτερο δυνατό τους. Θα χρειαστεί μια διετία, μέχρι το «Black Hand Inn», για να φτάσουμε στο ζενίθ. Όπως και να το δεις, όμως, ο "Σωρός των Κρανίων" συνεχίζει τα εμπνευσμένα από τις θάλασσες της Καραϊβικής πειρατικά Speed/Power Metal κομμάτια του. Ειδικά το δωδεκαλεπτο “Treasure Island”, που κλείνει το CD, είναι πραγματικά ένα επικών διαστάσεων κομμάτι, βασισμένο στη γνωστή ιστορία από το βιβλίο (υπάρχει και η σχετική κινηματογραφική ταινία) του Robert Louis Stevenson. Μαζί με τα «Fistful of Dynamite», τον ομότιτλο ύμνο «Pile of Skulls», τα «Lead or Gold», «Whirlwind», και «White Buffalo», έχουμε το δεύτερο συνεχόμενο πολύ καλό δισκογραφικό δείγμα της μέσης περιόδου της καριέρας τους. 

Στη σύνθεση του πειρατικού σκάφους έχουν προστεθεί οι κύριοι Stephan Schwartzmann στα ντραμς για δεύτερη φορά, και ο προερχόμενος από τους U.D.O. Thomas Smuszynski στο μπάσο, παρέα με τον κιθαρίστα Axel Morgan και βεβαίως τον καπετάνιο, κιθαρίστα και ερμηνευτή Rolf "Rock 'N Rolf" Kasparek.

English:

A Heap of Hymns. 

After “Blazon Stone” in 1991, the audience had high expectations. And they were largely not disappointed, but personally, I don't think that album is their absolute best. It will take about two years, until “Black Hand Inn”, to reach their peak. However you look at it, the "Pile of Skulls" continues to deliver their inspired pirate-themed Speed/Power Metal tracks, inspired by the seas of the Caribbean. In particular, the twelve-minute “Treasure Island”, which closes the CD, is a truly epic piece based on the well-known story from the book (there's also a related film adaptation) by Robert Louis Stevenson. Alongside “Fistful of Dynamite”, the eponymous anthem “Pile of Skulls”, “Lead or Gold”, “Whirlwind”, and “White Buffalo”, this marks their second consecutive strong recording from their middle period.

The crew of the pirate ship has been reinforced with Stephan Schwartzmann on drums for the second time, and Thomas Smuszynski, formerly of U.D.O., on bass, joining guitarist Axel Morgan and, of course, the captain, guitarist,

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

REVIEW: CRUSH, KIngdom Of The Kings

 

CRUSH, KIngdom Of The Kings (1993)

Sirens Records

Κομμάτι της μεταλλικής μας ιστορίας.

Οι Αθηναίοι Crush ανήκουν στα ιστορικά συγκροτήματα της ελληνικής heavy metal σκηνής, που με το ντεμπούτο τους άλμπουμ χάραξαν δρόμους για ολόκληρη τη σκηνή. Ανάλογοι των Spitfire, Sarissa, Marauder, Rust, Vavel, Northwind, Mystery και όλων όσων προηγήθηκαν από τις αρχές έως τα τέλη της δεκαετίας του ’80. Το άλμπουμ “Kingdom of the Kings” διαθέτει όλα τα θετικά στοιχεία αλλά και μερικά ελάχιστα αρνητικά, τα οποία περιορίζονται στον τομέα της παραγωγής. Ως 100% ελληνική δουλειά, πιθανώς χρειάζεται καθαρά mastering για βινύλιο, καθώς το CD αποκαλύπτει, λόγω ανάλυσης, μια πιο flat ακουστική.

Ωστόσο, ας είμαστε ευγνώμονες στη Sirens Records που το κυκλοφόρησε τότε, στα μέσα της πρώτης δεκαετίας του 21ου αιώνα, σε CD. Αν δεν είχαμε πικ απ (προσωπικά το έχω επιλέξει συνειδητά εδώ και περίπου είκοσι χρόνια, μόνο CD), στο στερεοφωνικό μας, θα είχαμε πολύ λιγότερες ευκαιρίες να απολαύσουμε τα διαμάντια της πρώτης και πρώτης+ εποχής της ντόπιας σκηνής.

Όσον αφορά το υλικό, δε θα αναφερθώ σε πολλά. Όποιος δεν έχει χορέψει σε κάποια πίστα κλαμπ παλιά ή σε κάποιο μπαρ/καφέ με το “Run to the Highway”, που νομίζω ότι είναι το μεγάλο "hit" εδώ, αλλά και με τα “The Gloriest Nights”, “Kingdom of the Kings”, “Unborn”, “Flag of Hate”, “Princess of Hell” ή το “Morpheus World”, μάλλον δε θα πρέπει να ξέρει τι έχει χάσει.

English:

A piece of our metal history.

The Athenians Crush belong to the legendary bands of the Greek heavy metal scene, who, with their debut album, paved the way for the entire scene. They are comparable to bands like Spitfire, Sarissa, Marauder, Rust, Vavel, Northwind, Mystery, and all those that preceded them from the early to the late 1980s. The album “Kingdom of the Kings” possesses all the positive qualities, along with a few minor flaws, mainly related to production. As a 100% Greek effort, it likely requires dedicated mastering for vinyl, as the CD reveals, due to its analysis, a more flat acoustic sound.

Nevertheless, we should be grateful to Sirens Records, which released it back then, in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, on CD. If I didn't have a guitar amplifier (personally, I have consciously chosen to stick with CDs for about twenty years now), I would have far fewer opportunities to enjoy the gems from the first and early+ era of the local scene on my stereo.

Regarding the material, I won't go into many details. Anyone who hasn't danced at an old club or in a bar/cafe to *Run to the Highway*, which I believe is the big "hit" here, but also to “The Gloriest Nights”, “Kingdom of the Kings”, “Unborn”, “Flag of Hate”, “Princess of Hell”, or “Morpheus World”, probably doesn't realize what they've missed.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης!

INTERVIEW: STEALTH

 

Genre: Metal

Country: Italy

Questions by: Nick Parastatidis

Answers by: STEALTH

Site: Homepage

1. STEALTH has been evolving for over two decades now. Looking back at your early days, what do you think has been the biggest change in the band’s sound and style since the “Mind Is Blind” EP in 1998?

If you listen to our first two EPs it is clear that it was something very close to Thrash Metal while with our first two albums we moved from Hard Rock to Crossover and also a bit of Alternative Metal. In the last 10 years we settled for a more specifically Heavy and Industrial kind of sound, and we also released two live albums and one remix. We evolved a lot both in terms of sound and music style but we did it slowly and steadily during the years so the biggest change happened in 25 years and not from one day to the next.

2. The band’s first few releases were self-produced, which speaks volumes about your independence. How did that DIY mindset shape Stealth’s identity, and has it influenced your approach to recent albums like "Sleep Paralysis"?

We self-produced our first 2 EPs during the “Metal Militia” time and our full-lenght debut album “Stealth” released in 2001. Those 4 years absolutely gave us the first imprint on how to approach the music industry which partially lasted until today. We had no idea on how to send a promo to a label or PR Agency so we were going by trial and error. We also had to search for a good studio to record and mix our songs and we had to pay for it and for 4 high school students at the time it was not easy at all to find such amount of money. Today we have our label which helps us in the mixing and mastering processes and which distributes our albums and singles all over the world but which leaves us absolutely free to choose this or that musical direction for our productions. So we kept the independence of early days and it's something that we don't want to loose.

3. You’ve played in many European countries and even toured internationally. Which gig or country stands out the most to you in terms of the audience’s energy or the overall experience?

We have had a lot of them with the band. We remember our first gig abroad, in Croatia almost 20 years ago or our Latvian or Ukrainian tour at the end of the 10s. And we don't forget our incredible UK tour in 2017 and all our appearances at Renaissance Alternative Music Festival; London gigs left us with something special. It's all part of our history and it's not something that we will forget.

4. Your 2004 album “Check This Out!” features lyrics in multiple languages, including Spanish and German. What inspired that decision, and how do you feel about the international reach that came with it?

Our vocalist Ivan can speak multiple languages so first of all the decision came from that reason. Furthermore in that album there are some songs which lent themselves to being sung in languages other than English. Obviously this decision allowed us to appear in some local magazines, particularly for the Hispanic ones. It's an experiment that we are going to repeat in the near future and something that is not so common in the nowday bands.

5. With the lineup changes throughout the years, how has the band maintained its core identity? Do you think the shifts have contributed positively to Stealth’s musical growth?

We have a precise standard sound quality and an unmistakable way of composing our music which lead us to get positive feedback during all those years. Obviously lineup changes are not so easy to face with but at the same time it's also something necessary during the life of a band. Looking at what happens in most of the metal bands worldwide we haven't had so many lineup changes in 25 years. It's something that we could manage and which absolutely helped the band get to where it is today. We take advantage to thank all the former members of Stealth as they all put a brick to build this wall.

6. “Fight For Your Faith” marked a turning point for the band, both in terms of musical direction and touring. Can you talk about the evolution from "Check This Out!" to "Fight For Your Faith" and what those changes represented for the band?

When we produced “Check This Out!” we had no experience with recording studios, mixing and mastering processes and our albums came out with a poor quality that could be okay to play here in Italy but absolutely out of standard for receiving good feedback abroad. Surely with “Fight For Your Faith” we arrived at a very good level of maturity in the sound of the band. Switching from E to B tuning really gave us the kind of feeling we were looking for the sound. We found in Simone Cicconi a brilliant and innovative producer that helped us a lot in taking this further step towards sound improvement. All the songs in the album are linked by the same sound and same lyrics theme and this is something that we never did before. It offers a mixture of heavy metal, progressive metal and hard rock with heavy riffs and also a brutal vocal line sometimes, like in the songs ‘7 Hours Under Fire’ and ‘Inner Land’.

 

7. The recent release of "Sleep Paralysis" deals with the intense and surreal theme of hypnagogia. Can you explain the inspiration behind this concept and how it connects to Stealth’s overall thematic exploration over the years?

Our vocalist Ivan suffers of sleep paralysis. It's a quite bad feeling as you can't move your body even if you are aware that you are awake. During those challenging moments you can try to awake yourself by pushing your body to move even if you really can't. It's also a particular state as you are not awake neither asleep. Your mind is on a sort of in between when you start hearing voices and rumors that in reality aren't there but at the same time you realize that you are vigil. Ivan tried to describe it with the main song of the single and what kind of feelings and emotions you might experience during those moments on which you have no control over yourself at all. He started reading a lot about the hypnagogic state across the years and while he was researching sleeps disturbances, he came across Hypnagogia and Parasomnia, which inspired the other two songs. So it was something personal this time and not connected to previous lyrics written from the band.

8. You’ve incorporated everything from metal to techno and industrial elements in your music. What kind of music or artists are you currently inspired by, and how do these influences seep into Stealth’s sound?

Our music has several influences and they come together in a unique and modern sound. We started in late 90s as a Metallica cover band and we took inspirations from them and all the bay area bands at the time. Today is different. We take inspiration from different bands from the 90s but we also constantly look at new metal and non metal bands and we can say most of the influences for our music come from the underground. It is the more genuine of the music scene and Ivan also started a proper research by genre and by country only to search and listen to unknown music from over the world.

9. Having celebrated 20 years with the "Fight For Your Fate" remix album and anniversary DVD, what’s next for Stealth in terms of celebrating the band’s legacy? Do you see yourself evolving further into new musical territories?

Stealth will have 30 years of music in their shoulders in a couple of years. A compilation album with our best songs would be a great idea to celebrate this milestone. We constantly evolved our sound during all these years and we wouldn't be the band we are if we didn't try to explore new musical territories. We are just recording our last track for a split concept album called 'Wilderness of Mirrors' that hopefully will be released by next autumn. We will share this release with London based bands like Die Kur and Maxdmyz and we can't wait to listen to reactions of our fans and music industry in general. We have been working on this project for more than 2 years now and we recorded 3 new brand songs full of power and sound improvements; so expect to listen to new and hot material soon.

10. The single “The Fake New(s) World” seems to reflect the turbulence of the times. How do you approach writing music that’s both personal and socially aware? Do you think metal has a unique role in addressing these global issues?

Writing lyrics about social and personal issues at the same time is often inevitable. “The Fake New(s) World” is an example of this matter and hopefully it helped to understand the deleterious effects of social media if badly managed. Metal is one of the most popular genre in the world so it has a pivotal role in addressing and possibly helping solve these global issues.