Thessaloniki-based modern hard rock/heavy rock band
Longshots, formed in 2017, is gearing up for an exciting milestone. After
releasing several singles, they dropped their debut full-length album, "Hard
Reset", in 2020. Following notable live performances, the band released their
latest EP, "Between Two Fronts", on March 28, 2025, which received glowing
reviews and extensive radio airplay worldwide.
Now, Longshots are preparing for their first major
live appearance at the renowned RockWave Festival on June 26. Sharing the stage
with prominent bands like Opeth, Iotunn, and The Halo Effect, this performance
marks a significant step in their rising career.
Αποκτήστε
αυτό το άλμπουμ των τεσσάρων φίλων από το New Jersey με οποιονδήποτε τρόπο.
Μπορείτε να κλέψετε το CD (σε βινύλιο λίγο δύσκολα), να το αγοράσετε, που είναι
και πιο σίγουρο και σωστό, αλλά αν δεν έχετε ακούσει το τέταρτο πλήρες άλμπουμ
τους, τί να σας πω; Χάσατε.
Λοιπόν,
οι κύριοι D.D. Verni, Bobby Ellsworth, Bobby Gustafson και Sid Falk σε thrash
metal παραλήρημα με το υπέρτατο κλασικό «Elimination» και μαζί τα «Time to Kill»,
«I Hate», «Nothing to Die For», «Birth of Tension», «Who Trends the Fire», «The
Years of Decay» και το «E.Vil N.ever D.Ies», με τις τελείες ανάμεσα όπως τα
γράφω, να μας πάνε σε άλλη διάσταση.
Το
πρώτο αγαπημένο μου από την αρχή μέχρι το τέλος άλμπουμ τους, αν και το άκουσα
μετά τα «Under the Influence» (το προηγούμενο) και το «Horrorscope» (το
επόμενο), και πραγματικά πίστεψα σε αυτούς τους τόσο αδικημένους από το ευρύ
κοινό thrashers.
English:
Ignore the title, it’s lying.
Get this album by the four friends from New Jersey by
any means. You can steal the CD (vinyls are a bit harder), buy it—which is
safer and more proper—or if you haven't listened to their full fourth album,
what can I say? You missed out.
So, Mr. D.D. Verni, Bobby Ellsworth, Bobby Gustafson,
and Sid Falk deliver thrash metal frenzy with the ultimate classic “Elimination”
and along with “Time to Kill”, “I Hate”, “Nothing to Die For”, “Birth of
Tension”, “Who Trends the Fire”, “The Years of Decay”, and “E.Vil N.ever D.Ies”—with
the dots between as I write them—taking us to another dimension.
My favorite from start to finish of their albums, even
though I listened to it after “Under the Influence” (their previous album) and “Horrorscope”
(their next), and I truly believed in these so underappreciated thrashers by
the general public.
You know, if you're looking for an album that just “gets”
you right in the feels, Axel Rudi Pell's "The Ballads IV" is
absolutely it. Even though it came out way back in 2011, it still holds up as a
perfect go-to for when you're caught up in strong emotions or just need to
unwind after a long day. It’s from SPV Records, and honestly, it’s a
masterclass in how to revisit and reimagine music.
Axel, the brilliant German guitar maestro, really
pulled out all the stops with this one. It’s not just a collection of old songs
thrown together; it’s thirteen tracks, all meticulously crafted to take you on
a journey. What's super cool is how he and the band breathed new life into some
of his most cherished anthems. They gave them this beautiful ballad treatment,
making familiar melodies feel fresh and allowing you to appreciate their beauty
in a whole new way. It wasn't just about stripping them down, but thoughtfully
rearranging them to emphasize all that emotional power, often with soaring
vocals and rich instruments that really cranked up their original impact.
And the cover songs? Oh man, they’re fantastic. Axel
and the guys tackled tracks from legends like Ronnie James Dio, KISS, and Phil
Collins, all transformed into these gorgeous ballads. What's truly amazing is
how seamlessly they fit into the album's vibe. Each cover got that distinct
Axel Rudi Pell touch, becoming these emotionally resonant pieces that feel
totally at home alongside his own songs. Their version of Phil Collins'
"In the Air Tonight" is a standout – they didn't just copy it, they
actually amped up its drama and intensity, delivering a version that honestly
feels even more potent and charged than the iconic original. It really shows
how much they love to push creative boundaries and stamp their own unique
personality on well-known material.
The album wraps up in such a poignant and powerful
way, too. After the epic "The Curse of the Damned," "The Ballads
IV" finishes with an instrumental piece from Axel's older work. It's
subtly reinterpreted and played with these beautiful, nuanced variations,
serving as this reflective, perfect end that lets you soak in all the emotional
weight of the album. It’s a real testament to Axel’s artistry that he can evoke
such strong feelings even without a single word sung.
Seriously, "The Ballads IV" is more than
just another record in Axel Rudi Pell's discography; it's a testament to his
lasting talent and how incredibly good his band is. Axel and his bandmates
really show off their amazing diversity here, effortlessly blending their
melodic metal roots with a deep understanding of what makes a great ballad.
They truly delivered a meticulously crafted record that still deeply resonates
with anyone who loves melodic metal. It’s a journey for the heart, a perfect
soundtrack for introspection, and a definitive example of why Axel Rudi Pell is
such a revered figure in heavy music. If you haven't heard it, you should
definitely give it a listen.
Italian progressive/alternative metal band 81db has
released their new album, “Nostos”, recorded at Enteroutside Studios with
producer Kostas Ladopoulos. Formed in 2006 in Florence, the band is known for
blending heavy riffs, progressive structures, and Greek folk elements. After a
brief hiatus, they return in 2024 with renewed energy and their signature
genre-defying sound.
Τα
τελευταία χρόνια του 20ού αιώνα η ακραία μουσική δέχτηκε πολλές εξωγενείς
επιρροές. Το black metal ιδίωμα ενστερνίστηκε industrial και gothic ήχους,
καθώς και nu metal! Η μπάντα των αδερφών Σάκη και Θέμη Τόλη έκανε τη δική της
τομή με έναν πολύ καλό, ομολογουμένως, αλλά ελάχιστα black metal δίσκο, το «A
Dead Poem», και στη συνέχεια με το «Sleep of the Angels», χάνοντας τα πιο
ακραία στοιχεία προς όφελος των πιο gothic.
Στο συγκεκριμένο
άλμπουμ, πέρα από το λογότυπο της προ «A Dead Poem», black περιόδου, έχουμε και
την σχεδόν πλήρη επιστροφή στο πρότερο αυτό ύφος (κάτι που αρχίζει με το «Khronos»
το 2000 και πήρε οριστικά μορφή στο «Γένεσις / *Genesis» το 2002), αλλά με έντονες
τις συμφωνικές στιγμές. Ίσως ήθελαν να "κλέψουν" τη δόξα της έτερης
μεγάλης εγχώριας ακραίας μπάντας, των Septicflesh (των οποίων ο μπασίστας και
τραγουδιστής, Σπύρος "Seth" Αντωνίου, έχει αναλάβει την εικαστική
μεριά και το εξώφυλλο αυτού του δίσκου!), που εκείνη την εποχή επέστρεψε κι
αυτή στη δισκογραφία.
Πάντως,
τα «Visions of a Blind Order», «Thy Wings Thy Horns Thy Sin» σε βάζουν για τα
καλά πίσω στο παιχνίδι. Το επόμενο κομμάτι, με διπλό τίτλο «Athanati Este /
Αθάνατοι Έστε», εισάγει ένα νέο στοιχείο: την ελληνόγλωσση απόδοση του ρεφραίν,
κάτι που από εδώ και στο εξής θα γίνεται συχνά σε κομμάτια των επόμενων δίσκων
τους. Και γιατί όχι; Είχαμε μπουχτήσει με όλα εκείνα τα νορβηγικά συγκροτήματα
που μας βομβαρδίζουν με στίχους στη μητρική τους γλώσσα.
Το «Tyrannical»,
που ακολουθεί, δεν προσμετράται στα καλύτερα του δίσκου, αλλά το αναφέρω ως
συμφωνικό και industrial απομεινάρι. Οπότε, πάμε στα πιο αντιπροσωπευτικά: «Serve
in Heaven», «Shades of Evil», «Doctrine» και το τελικό, ομότιτλο του δίσκου,
συμπληρώνουν το καρέ ενός άλμπουμ με πολλές υποσχέσεις για το μέλλον και γι’
αυτό το ακραίο ελληνικό metal συγκρότημα.
English:
Transformation, Return, Rebirth
In the final years of the 20th century, extreme music
absorbed many external influences. The black metal genre embraced industrial
and gothic sounds, as well as nu metal! The band of brothers Sakis and Thimis
Tolis made their own mark with a very good, admittedly, but minimally black
metal album, “A Dead Poem”, and later with “Sleep of the Angels”, losing some
of the more extreme elements in favor of a more gothic style.
On this particular album, beyond the logo from the
pre-“A Dead Poem” black period, there is also almost a complete return to that
earlier style (something that began with “Khronos” in 2000 and took definitive
form with “Genesis” in 2002), but now featuring strong symphonic moments.
Perhaps they wanted to "steal" the glory of another prominent
domestic extreme band, Septicflesh (whose bassist and vocalist, Spyros
"Seth" Antoniou, handled the visual design and cover art for this
album!), which at that time was also making a comeback into the recording
scene.
Nevertheless, “Visions of a Blind Order”, “Thy Wings
Thy Horns Thy Sin” firmly re-establish them in the game. The next track, with a
double title “Athanati Este”, introduces a new element: the Greek-language
rendition of the chorus, which from now on would become a common feature in
their subsequent albums. And why not? We had grown tired of all those Norwegian
bands bombarding us with lyrics in their native language.
The track “Tyrannical”, which follows, is not among
the best on the album, but I mention it as a symphonic and industrial relic.
So, let’s move on to the more representative tracks: “Serve in Heaven”, “Shades
of Evil”, “Doctrine”, and the final, eponymous track of the album, complete the
picture of a record filled with many promises for the future of this extreme
Greek metal band.
So, HARDWARE, a German band, dropped their "In
Cold Blood" EP back in 1985. And let me tell you, it's pretty much exactly
what you'd expect from heavy metal in that era: rough, powerful, and a bit
unruly. They've got that classic '80s sound, and if you like bands like ACCEPT,
early RUNNING WILD, or GRAVE DIGGER, you'll probably feel right at home here.
Throw in a dash of JUDAS PRIEST and AC/DC (especially on "Hell Is
Rising"), and you've got the picture. It's not going to reinvent the wheel
for you, but it'll definitely make you want to grab an air guitar, bang your
head, and shout along to those big group vocals.
Now, about the lyrics. They're... something else. Take
"Get Down on Your Knees" for example, with lines like "I put my
fat dick in her hole and the Rhythm shoots my Brain." Yeah, they're not
holding back, and they clearly had a lot of confidence in themselves! But then
you get lines like "Break the Chains and stand up for your Rights!"
from the mostly instrumental "In Cold Blood." It's a bit of a mixed
bag, but it's a good reminder that heavy metal was often about being raw, a
little provocative, and coming from people who knew the real world, not just
studio geeks trying to be politically correct.
Just a quick note: the guitarist, Jörg Franz, was also
in a band called ATTACK at the same time, and he played on their "Return
of the Evil" album. And oddly enough, the band dedicated this release to Stephen
King. Go figure.
PRO-PAIN once again proves why they are considered one
of the titans of the hardcore and metal scene with their incredible compilation
album, "20 Years of Hardcore". This release serves not only as a tribute to
their enduring legacy but also as a powerful statement of their relentless
energy and musical prowess. It’s a must-listen for longtime fans and newcomers
alike who want to experience the raw intensity and diverse soundscapes that
PRO-PAIN is known for.
The album kicks off with four brand-new tracks that
demonstrate the band’s continued evolution and ability to deliver pure,
unfiltered hardcore. These new songs are nothing short of ferocious; they
showcase the band’s signature brutality, aggressive riffs, and relentless rhythms
that have become their trademark. The new material feels fresh yet true to
their roots, and it’s clear that PRO-PAIN still has plenty of fire in their
belly.
One of the standout elements I appreciated was the
guitar work. The lead guitar fills and licks, especially on top of the pounding
rhythm section, add a layer of complexity and groove that elevates each track.
The guitarists’ technicality and raw energy complement the overall chaos,
making the listening experience even more engaging. Particularly noteworthy is
the beginning of the solo in “Hands in the Jar,” which has a distinctive feel
reminiscent of the iconic main tune from the film "The Good, the Bad and the
Ugly". That subtle nod to cinematic history adds a cool, almost rebellious
flair to the track, showing that the band is not afraid to blend influences and
surprise their audience.
Following the new tracks, the album features four
re-recorded versions of songs from their previous releases. These reimagined
tracks breathe new life into old favorites, providing a fresh perspective while
maintaining the essence of the originals. It’s a clever move, allowing both
longtime fans and new listeners to appreciate the band’s growth and musical
evolution over the years.
The inclusion of a cover song adds an extra layer of
interest, showcasing PRO-PAIN’s versatility and their ability to reinterpret
other artists’ work with their signature style. It’s a testament to their
wide-ranging influences and their respect for the broader hardcore and metal
community.
The live recordings from their performance in the
Czech Republic serve as the heart of this compilation. These fourteen live
tracks capture the raw energy and unbridled intensity that PRO-PAIN is renowned
for on stage. Listening to these performances, you can almost feel the crowd’s
excitement and the band’s relentless drive, making it a perfect snapshot of
their live prowess.
Overall, “20 Years of Hardcore” is an excellent
compilation that offers a little bit of everything—new material, reimagined
classics, covers, and live energy. It’s an ideal gateway for anyone looking to
get introduced to PRO-PAIN’s extensive catalog because it functions as a
comprehensive best-of collection. For dedicated fans, it’s a celebration of
their 20-year journey and a reminder of why PRO-PAIN remains a dominant force
in the hardcore scene.
In conclusion, if you’re into the hardcore
movement—whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just beginning to explore the
genre—this album is a no-brainer. It’s a powerful, energetic, and well-rounded
package that confirms PRO-PAIN’s status as true pioneers. Hell
yeah, this is hardcore done right!
