BOOZE CONTROL – The Lizard Rider review

 BOOZE CONTROL – The Lizard Rider

Inferno Records

http://www.boozecontrol.de/

BOOZE CONTROL was introduced to me with their sophomore album that had the simple and straight to the point title “Heavy Metal”. In times when someone tries to be or look complicate in order to impress the metal fans, BOOZE CONTROL dare say and play traditional heavy metal.

IDEAL PAIN – Mask review

 IDEAL PAIN – Mask

Independent

http://www.ideal-pain.com/index.php

Recently we had the Greek carnival festivities and masquerade plays an essential role to them. Also the mask played a great role in the ancient Greek dramas. Behind it the actor could hide his/her own characteristics and play someone else. The mask generally became a symbol which literally or symbolically is used from people in order to hide their emotions and thoughts or even reveal them. We can talk for hours about that subject which also inspired IDEAL PAIN and this way gave the title to their debut album.

RAMPART – Codex Metalum review

 RAMPART – Codex Metalum

Iron Shield Records

http://www.rampartmetal.com/home.php

Ah a band that comes from our Balkan neighborhood and I appreciate a lot. I had also the chance to see them live in Thessaloniki and these guys are really good on stage. RAMPART from Bulgaria is a band that has already released 3 studio albums and this is their fourth work. From their previous releases, which I have listened to all, except for the album in Bulgarian language, I recommend you listen to their debut which is a killer release and their EP published on tape under the title “A Tale to Cold”. Anyway, the new album finds the band under a new label and I was really anxious to listen to it.

SARISSA – Nemesis review

 SARISSA – Nemesis

Rock Of Angels Records

https://www.facebook.com/SarissaHellenicMetal

This is more for the foreigner readers of the webzine, since the Greek ones know this band well. SARISSA in 1987 released a demo with compositions that have nothing to envy in comparison with other compositions of well known bands of that era. Actually I believe that if they had the chance to release these songs properly then we would be talking about a classic release of the worldwide metal scene. There are some rumors that the band had an offer back then from a big metal label, but I can’t support this claim. Anyway, from 1987 up to now the status of the band was a bit weird since through the years, in a gap between 10 and 12 years they released some albums which though never managed to reach the quality of their first songs (they are not bad at all though). So, 12 years after their previous album SARISSA strike back with “Nemesis” and with a bet to prove to us they still have the talent to compose nice metal songs.

MEMORAIN – Duality of Man review

 MEMORAIN – Duality of Man

Rock Of Angels Records

https://www.facebook.com/memorain/

MEMORAIN in my mind is the well hidden secret of the Greek metal scene. I mean that although they release albums on a constant basis, nobody has emphasized on them as they do on other Greek metal releases. It is something that I can’t explain, since MEMORAIN through the years have released many good albums (I have them all) and have cooperated with some great musicians of the worldwide heavy metal scene. “Duality of Man” is their seventh official release which finds them again (I think after many years) in a Greek label.

HAVEN – Shut Up and Listen review

 HAVEN – Shut Up and Listen

Rock Of Angels Records

http://www.havensweden.com/

Sweden is a country that from the late 90’s up to now has played a major role in heavy metal music. It is a fact that it is the country that has set the trends both in the extreme metal sound (with the melodic death metal genre) and in the traditional metal sound (with all these retro metal bands). This is logical since the bands over there are technically skilled and most of the times very talented. So, HAVEN come from this musical background and their new effort is the full length album entitled “Shut Up and Listen”.

VERDICT DENIED - State to End All Terror review

 VERDICT DENIED - State to End All Terror

    Secret Port Records

http://www.verdictdenied.com/

Six years have passed from the release of their debut album “Condamned” and I have not even noticed it. It is a release that every time I listen to sounds fresh and has something new to offer me. The reasons for the delay are the usual ones that you can witness in every band around the world and of course in Greece (line up changes, etc). The question that rises though is how the band sounds after 6 years of absence?