REVIEW: VADER, Litany

 

VADER, Litany (2000)

Metal Blade Records

Βέιντερ, μαγεία, death metal λιτανεία!

Οι Πολωνοί, στο τέταρτο άλμπουμ τους, έχουν ήδη καθιερωθεί στη σκηνή από τις αρχές του τρέχοντος αιώνα. Η ιστορία τους χάνεται στη δεκαετία του ’80, πολύ πριν από την απαρχή του ακραίου metal. Στο συγκεκριμένο CD ακολουθούν μεν την πεπατημένη, αλλά πάντα με τον δικό τους τρόπο· το thrash-meets-death metal που παίζουν θυμίζει έντονα την αμερικανική σχολή εν τη γενέσει της, με μια αδιόρατη μυρωδιά από Slayer, Possessed, Morbid Angel και Obituary.

Η παραγωγή είναι ογκώδης, με χαρακτηριστικά blast beats, σε έντεκα κομμάτια που συνολικά μόλις ξεπερνούν τα τριάντα λεπτά. Τα Winds, The One Made of Dreams, Xeper, Litany, The Calling, Cold Demons, Forwards to Die!!!, North, A World of Hurt και The Final Massacre δικαιούνται επάξια τον τίτλο ότι συγκαταλέγονται σε ένα από τα καλύτερα άλμπουμ τόσο του είδους όσο και των Vader.

English:

Vader: sorcery, a death‑metal litany!

By their fourth album, the Poles had already cemented their place in the scene at the dawn of the new millennium. Their story stretches back to the ’80s, long before the rise of extreme metal. On this particular record they may follow the familiar path, yet always in their own unmistakable way; the thrash‑meets‑death metal they deliver strongly echoes the early American school, carrying a subtle scent of Slayer, Possessed, Morbid Angel and Obituary.

The production is massive, packed with signature blast beats across eleven tracks that barely exceed the thirty‑minute mark. Winds, The One Made of Dreams, Xeper, Litany, The Calling, Cold Demons, Forwards to Die!!!, North, A World of Hurt, and The Final Massacre rightfully earn the claim of belonging to one of the finest albums both of the genre and of Vader’s entire catalogue.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης

REVIEW: BREACH THE VOID – The Monochromatic Era

 

BREACH THE VOID – The Monochromatic Era

Coroner Records

BREACH THE VOID step into the modern metal arena with The Monochromatic Era, a debut that follows the now‑familiar trajectory of contemporary melodic death metal infused with electronic and metalcore elements. The band originates from Switzerland—a detail that does offer a small point of distinction, given that the country isn’t typically associated with this particular branch of extreme metal.

The musicians deliver a competent first effort, but the album leans heavily on established formulas. Their sound owes much to the later waves of melodic death metal, especially the era when keyboards and electronic textures became central to the genre’s evolution. Listeners will easily pick up on echoes of IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, and most notably SOILWORK’s Figure Number Five period. These influences are not subtle; they shape the album’s identity to the point where BREACH THE VOID’s own voice has yet to fully emerge.

This doesn’t make the record poor—far from it. The performances are solid, the production is clean, and the band clearly understands the mechanics of the style they’re working within. What it does mean, however, is that The Monochromatic Era feels more like a well‑executed introduction than a defining artistic statement. Even the title brings to mind DARK TRANQUILLITY’s “Monochromatic Stains,” reinforcing the sense that the band is still operating in the shadow of their influences.

For dedicated followers of modern melodic death metal and metalcore, this album may offer enough familiar elements to be worth exploring. For everyone else, sampling a few tracks first is the safest way to determine whether BREACH THE VOID’s debut resonates beyond its genre conventions.

Christine  Parastatidou

REVIEW: FOLKEARTH - Viking’s Anthem

 

FOLKEARTH - Viking’s Anthem

Stygian Crypt Productions

Being prolific may suggest hard work, but it does not automatically guarantee artistic depth. This has often been the challenge with FOLKEARTH, a multinational collective whose ambitious concept has not always translated into equally compelling results. Over the years, I frequently felt that their numerous releases lacked something essential—focus, cohesion, or simply a strong artistic statement.

With Viking’s Anthem, however, the band proves that they still have something meaningful to offer. In fact, this is, in my view, the most accomplished work of their career so far.

From a technical standpoint, the production is notably improved. The mixing is clean and balanced, allowing the listener to fully appreciate the album without distractions. This alone elevates the experience compared to several earlier releases.

Musically, the shift in approach is what truly makes the difference. The band gives more prominence to the metal instrumentation, while the folk elements—especially the violin—serve as supportive layers that enrich the atmosphere rather than dominate it. This balance results in a more cohesive and dynamic sound. If I had to place the album stylistically, I would say it leans toward the territory of ANCIENT RITES and, naturally, SKYCLAD.

Having listened to the entire FOLKEARTH discography, I can confidently say that Viking’s Anthem stands out as their strongest and most focused effort to date. If someone wants to explore their work, this is the release I would recommend without hesitation.

In a scene crowded with folk and pagan metal albums, this one manages to offer something distinct—proof that even a long-running project can still surprise its audience when everything finally aligns.

Nick Parastatidis

REVIEW: GAMMA RAY, Majestic

 

GAMMA RAY, Majestic (2005)

Mayan Records

Μαγευτικό; Δε ξέρω. Αδικημένο; Σίγουρα ναι.

Μετά τον δίσκο New World Order, που ήταν μεν καλός αλλά δεν πρόσφερε κάτι διαφορετικό σε σχέση με το αμέσως προηγούμενο Powerplant, οι τέσσερις φίλοι–μουσικοί που για μένα αποτελούσαν την πιο κλασική μορφή του συγκροτήματος — ο αγαπημένος Kai Hansen σε φωνή και ρυθμική κιθάρα, ο Henjo Richter στη δεύτερη κιθάρα, ο Dirk Schlachter στο μπάσο και ο Dan Zimmermann στα ντραμς — βάλθηκαν να αποδείξουν ότι ακόμα «το είχαν».

Οι εποχές της κόντρας Helloween και Gamma Ray είχαν ήδη ξεπεραστεί για τον κόσμο που αγαπά συνολικά τον τευτονικού τύπου power metal ήχο. Εξάλλου, ο Kai είναι ο συνδετικός κρίκος ανάμεσα σε αυτά τα δύο κολοσσιαία συγκροτήματα.

Υπό αυτές τις σκέψεις, οι Gamma Ray μας έδωσαν τότε έναν ανέλπιστα καλό και συνθετικά συμπαγή δίσκο. Αρχικά ούτε εγώ πίστευα ότι μπορούσε να είναι έτσι και άργησα να το προμηθευτώ. Ακούγοντας όμως τους γνωστούς γύρω μου να το εκθειάζουν, ρώτησα έναν κολλητό μου — βαμμένο «κωλοκυθά», όπως τον λέγαμε, φανατικό των Helloween και ειδικά του Deris από το ’94 (Νιόνιο, πού να βρίσκεσαι…) — και μου είπε: «Πάρ’ το με κλειστά μάτια, είναι κομμένο πάνω στο Walls of Jericho…».

Υπερβολική άποψη, μα όντως οι Gamma Ray, στο μαγευτικό τους αυτό — και όνομα και πράγμα — άλμπουμ, έχουν μειώσει κάπως τα space στοιχεία που μας είχαν συνηθίσει από το Somewhere Out in Space και έχουν προσθέσει επιπλέον όγκο και “βρώμικη” ταχύτητα.

My Temple, Fight, Strange World, Condemned to Hell, Spiritual Dictator, Majesty, How Long, Revelation — είναι σημεία αξεπέραστα εδώ μέσα.

Παρόλα αυτά, το συγκεκριμένο άλμπουμ δεν έτυχε της αποδοχής που ανέμεναν από το κοινό. Άγνωστο γιατί, αλλά δεν συγκαταλέγεται στα αγαπημένα πολλών.

English:

Enchanting? I’m not sure. Underrated? Absolutely.

After New World Order—a good record, yes, but one that didn’t really offer anything new compared to the immediately preceding Powerplant—the four friends-musicians who, for me, were the band’s most classic lineup set out to prove they still “had it.”

My beloved Kai Hansen on vocals and rhythm guitar, Henjo Richter on lead guitar, Dirk Schlachter on bass, and Dan Zimmermann on drums.

By then, the old Helloween–Gamma Ray rivalry had long faded for those of us who love the Teutonic power metal sound as a whole. Besides, Kai is the living link between those two colossal bands.

With all that in mind, Gamma Ray delivered an unexpectedly strong and compositionally tight album. At first, even I didn’t believe it could be that good, and I took my time before picking it up. But hearing people around me rave about it, I asked a close friend of mine—a dyed‑in‑the‑wool “pumpkinhead,” as we used to call him, a hardcore Helloween fan and especially of Deris since ’94 (Nionio, wherever you are…)—and he told me:

“Buy it with your eyes closed. It’s cut straight from Walls of Jericho…”

An exaggeration, sure—but there’s truth in it. On this enchanting album—both in name and in essence—Gamma Ray dial back the space‑metal elements they’d accustomed us to since Somewhere Out in Space and instead add more weight, more grit, and a dirtier kind of speed.

My Temple, Fight, Strange World, Condemned to Hell, Spiritual Dictator, Majesty, How Long, Revelation—these are unbeatable highlights.

And yet, the album never received the recognition the band expected. For reasons unknown, it simply isn’t counted among many fans’ favorites.

Τάκης "Ε-Μortal One" Γιώτης