Finally here is a band that draws influences from the first era of BLACK SABBATH, but doesn't belong to the stoner movement. No my friends! Here we are dealing with the real thing. Bluesy heavy metal full of great groovy parts and melodies. One other thing that might attract your interest here is that members of the well known U.S. bands OVERKILL and HADES are participating. Actually on the vocals is Bobby “Blitz” Elsworth whose performance is great and very vivid! On the guitars is the guitarist of HADES’ Dan Lorenzo who with his great riffology will make many heads bang wildly. All the members in the band seem to have had a great fan whilst recording this album and this mood has passed to the release as well. They have also added saxophone parts in some songs, which seem to fit, without though the songs losing their heaviness. Grab a beer, push the play button and enjoy…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Norwegian type of black metal with some old fashioned CELTIC FROST elements is what Watain are here to offer us with their latest work. The riffs are abominable, abhorrent, eerie and mystical, thus suitable for this style. Mid tempo parts interfuse cataclysmic drum patterns and rhythms that make this Watain work simply stunning and bewitching. The production is very good and elevates the band aces high! Watain swear to darkness and they do the right thing!!! They manage to come through almost perfectly!!!!

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

Manticora is a band that I like a lot and in the past times has offered many good power metal releases, however this time they managed to create the most boring album in their career. Although the band hasn’t changed much musically and continues to combine in their sound the European (BLIND GUARDIAN) with the U.S. power/speed metal sound, this time their release sounds very “fake” and lacks in substance. They gave me the impression as if trying to prove that they can play really fast and technical, but on the other hand the compositions on this album haven't got a melody that will stick into your mind and will make you listen to them again and again. The only song that has something to say is the instrumental “Haita Di Lupi”. If you are fans of Manticora, like me, it's better not to purchase this release cause it will really disappoint you. This time they hit the bottom and released a mediocre album…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Red Harvest manage to combine alternative art rock with heavy black/death elements and I have to admit that the final result is good and sounds interesting! They are capable of creating a nightmarish and paranoid atmosphere with infernal riffs throughout the whole album. What's boring, according to me, is the rhythm part, which constantly moves from a slow to a mid tempo mood that tends to become tiring from a point on. I think the guys should add some speed and high tempo passages to their compositions... The production is very powerful and well taken care of, rendering the right essence and character to all the instruments. Heavy, industrial guitars sweep everything that stands in their way, whenever necessary, and imposing and bombastic keyboards complete perfectly the nightmare...

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

Lake Of Tears are considered to be a big chapter for the atmospheric/gothic metal music. Personally, I have never listened to them before, so I don’t know much about them and I will judge this release as objectively as I can. I only hope the fans of the band can forgive any mistakes of mine. I can't say that I've noticed any atmospheric or gothic parts on “Moon And Mushrooms”. I think that the band here tries to combine their metal influences (mainly METALLICA and SENTENCED) with rock and sometimes alternative rock touches. As an atmosphere I can compare it with the "Load" and "Reload" albums of METALLICA. It was nice to listen to this album, but I don’t think that is one of those that will make me listen to them again. I believe that only the fans of the group will find this album interesting, the rest I am sure you have to check other releases first... 

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

That’s a pleasant surprise I must say! Gothic metal is not my favourite kind of music. There are one or two songs from some bands that I can sing alone, but rarely, I enjoy listening to a whole album. Beloved Enemy seem, though, to know my tastes better than I do, because “Enemy Mine” is an album that I enjoy very much to listen to. I believe the secret of their success is that they never forget that first of all they are a metal band and upon this foundation they add their influences from other genres. This release has a lot of variety and that’s a big plus. As for influences to name a few, I'd say: SISTERS OF MERCY (this is their main one and most important), BILLY IDOL, ROB ZOMBIE, TYPE O NEGATIVE (listen to the song “Lorraine” which is my favourite by the way) and DANZIG. Also, I am amazed with the vocals of their singer Dead L-vis, who combines the rock ‘n’ roll attitude with some operatic touches (this guy must do a song with VOLBEAT!). Finally, the CD also includes 2 video – clips which are very professional and impressive. Almost cinematographic I can say. I could never believe that gothic metal can have such a rock ‘n’ roll attitude. Buy and enjoy :)

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Why every time I listen to bands like Frontkick stupid American comedies with college boys and girls come into my mind? The music of this band is happy punk rock that sometimes flirts with pop rock in order to become catchier and attract even more listeners. I can say that they will easily earn airplay from many radios, since their rock is not so dangerous, but I don’t believe they have the elements that will make them a band that can endure the test of time. Just a product to be consumed by teenagers and since my teens have been long gone, I’ll pass… 

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

There is no artist around the world that doesn’t dream of a time when he/she will create a work that will make people notice and appreciate them. A work that will have the strength to endure the test of time and sometimes even win them. Well, Virgin Black I can say with all modesty and objectiveness, have manage to release an album that can be described as breathtaking, imposing and at the same time dark and poetic. The melodies and the symphonic parts haunt you and you have the feeling that darkness surrounds you and there is no glimpse of hope. A release that not only is one of the best in its genre (atmospheric doom metal) but it also has the power to overpass the boundaries of all music genres. An album that al the people that have a good taste in music will appreciate! I think that this release is at the same time a eulogy and a curse for the band. A eulogy because they managed to create a masterpiece and a curse because it will be very hard to surpass it. No matter what I am saying, “Requiem – Mezzo Forte” is a proof that even the darkest stars can shine very bright…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

From all the new rock bands around the world, I think that The Trews are the ones that bothered me the less. As a matter of fact, I can say that I had a nice time listening to them, since they differ from all these bands parading on our TV screens. The difference is based on the fact that this band has a sound that is rooted in the blues and 60/70’s rock (especially Jimi Hendrix) and also they have some soul touches (check out the song “Cry”). The only thing that doesn’t fit in their sound is that they try to add some more commercial and alternative rock parts in their music. Thank god, though, these are few and I hope in the future they wipe them out. All in all “Den Of Thieves” is a nice work and the friends of rock music have to check them out…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Demonical is a new band from Sweden. They formed back in 2006 and after only a year we have in our hands their debut album “Servants Of The Unlight” which was released before a few days through Cyclone Empire. Despite the fact that the band has only one year of existence; the members of this band have previously been in CENTINEX. CENTINEX was one of the most underrated Swedish death metal bands. Of course Demonical follow the same path and offer us a more brutal and raw death metal with guttural vocals. Most of their compositions are well worked and the band had added an ONSLAUGHT cover for the track “Death Metal” which closes the album. Believe me if you push the play button on your CD player for the next thirty five minutes you will be transferred to Demonical’s world; where the death metal will be the top priority. Last but not least, I would like to add that their drummer is also a live member for the death metal band GRAVE. Even though when I saw the cover of this album, I thought it was another black metal release; Demonical have made the difference!
Site: www.demonical.net
Label Email: [email protected]
Promotion Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

It is truethat  Angelcorpse are back with their new album after eight years. Their latest album was back in 1999. “Of Lucifer And Lightning” is the title of their work containing nine tracks and more than thirty five minutes of a pure blasphemous black metal assault. From the opening track Angelcorpse are here to conquer the metal scene one more time. But now they are more dark and extreme than in their previous attempts. The whole album is a punch in your face with well worked compositions, good enough ideas but above all a heavier sound. The band has achieved to make it, maybe because seven years is a long period. Gene, Pete and John have given more than their 100% on this album. Everyone in his section has put all their energy and creativity for this album. You have been warned prepare for battle!
Label Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

When a band has played more than 400 shows it is definitely something that you should notice. The band has shared the stage with groups like GOJIRA, DAGOBA, TEXTURES 100DEMONS, KNUCKLEDUST and many more. H-Tray formed back in 1997 and they have released a demo CD, a maxi CD and now their debut full length album “Distressing Report” through Jerkov Records. On this album H-Tray has included twelve tracks and almost forty five minutes of pure hardcore music with some metal elements too. Most of their songs have three and four minutes of duration and keep the musicianship on high levels. From the opening track H-Tray has managed to put all their energy inside their well worked compositions and for a moment you can imagine being in one of their live shows. Even if most of their stuff is a little bit extreme with aggressive vocals they can keep a few melodies inside the whole album. Fans of hardcore music should keep an eye for this band from France!
Site: www.h-tray.com
Band Email: [email protected]
Label Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

This band's music is surely a riddle and difficult to describe. Not because they play something extraordinary or strange, but simply because they combine many different sounds. So here you can listen to power metal mixed with atmospheric/gothic and even symphonic metal. The good thing with them is that they somehow manage to keep the balance between all these influences and create catchy melodies and songs that keep your interest. To give you some clues, I can tell you that they sound like a dark combination of bands like EDGUY (their 2 recent albums), KAMELOT and THERION. A very good album indeed and somehow they gave me the impression that they will sound even better if you listen to them whilst driving your car in a highway. They have a freshness and inspiration that is too rare for our days. 

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

A few months ago, I heard some songs from Asteroid when I received their split CD with BLOWBACK. Now, their label Fuzzorama Records supplied us with their debut self titled album. In this work, Asteroid has included eleven tracks and almost an hour of pure psychedelic space rock. This album was recorded in Bombshelter Studios (TRUCKFIGHTERS, WITCHCRAFT) and the vocals were recorded in their personal studio. Another thing is that Asteroid has dual vocals and this thing gives something different to the final result. Their compositions are well worked with some very impressive ideas and of course above all the feeling of rock music is everywhere. From the first note, you can be sure that Asteroid will give you the best they can. Just be prepared to accept their challenge to travel through their wonderful music world and you won’t be disappointed. Definitely the fans of space and psychedelic rock should buy this album!
Label Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

Is there anyone out there who has never heard of Hatesphere from Denmark? I'd be surprised, since Hatesphere have climbed up the hierarchy in a short period of time and have settled amongst the top and most prominent bands of the extreme music firmament! Presenting us two years after the release of their previous work their new and fifth in the row musical endeavor, Hatesphere prove to be a really talented and skillful band that can transubstantiate anger, disdain and aggressiveness into powerful, catchy riffs and a rhythm section that can set your soul in flames! Now some may call them a death/thrash metal band and they'll be right, some others might label them as a hardcore act and they too will be right. Personally I can't say they belong to one genre more than to the other, but I guess you get the clue of where they walk musically speaking. Now "Serpent Smiles And Killer Eyes" is a killer piece of work that will give you much pleasure and plenty of headbanging hours provided you aren't looking for anything pioneering or super-original... Enjoy!

Christine  Parastatidou

I always admire the Finnish metal scene, both the underground and the mainstream. So every time I receive a package from a band from this country, I am curious to hear it. This time is the turn of Gladenfold. This band formed back in 2003 and they have released so far two demo CDs. “In Somno” is their latest work, an EP with five tracks and almost twenty five minutes of pure metal music. Actually their music walks in the paths of heavy/speed metal with harsh and a few clean vocals. To have a picture of their music, imagine a band combining heavy metal with death metal vocals mainly along with some clean ones too. Generally, Gladenfold have written an EP where you can find from extreme moments to more melodic ones. The thing that impressed me is the two axe men of this band. The guys have done a very good work in this section and some of their riffs are remarkable and stay in your mind for some time. Now, I don’t know if Gladenfold are ready for the big step, to write an album, but I am sure, if they continue the hard work, they will definitely have some good results in the near future!
Site: www.myspace.com/gladenfold

Antonis  Maglaras

Generally, I am not so interested in the atmospheric/doom metal genre. This happens, because I believe that most of the bands give so much attention to prove how dark they are than to create really dark tunes. Mothernight, though, are one of these exceptions that managed to keep my interest intact throughout their whole album. Their sound is mainly rooted in the BLACK SABBATH legacy and from there they expand their sound towards more modern sounds like EVANESCENCE (a few touches) and PANTERA (the song “Infect Your Soul” is a perfect proof of what I'm saying). Except for all these the band is lucky enough to have a great female singer, because the way she sings spices up the final result, by giving it a bluesy/rock touch. Personally I liked the following songs: “Another Chance?”, “Resurrect Me” and “Hunger” which strangely enough all have an oriental tune in them. A good and decent album that deserves to be listened to. 

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Kenjiro is a new band from the United Kingdom. Actually they are the rising force in the rock scene of London. “Unleashed” is their debut EP which was released before a few weeks through Dotanuki Records. Actually Kenjiro is a power trio that will rock your soul if you hear their work. This EP has three tracks and fifteen minutes of pure rock straight from the hearts of the Kenjiro members. If you want to feel a fresh air in the rock scene with well worked compositions and interesting ideas inside their songs then for sure you should purchase this work. Even if they are young, even if this is their debut work, the band has done a great work. I am sure they have spent lots of hours in their rehearsal place and now they are ready to rock the world. A rock power trio from London straight to you that will combine their personal vision with your dreams and their abilities and energy with your thoughts! I wish the band will record soon their full length album in order to allow us to have a bigger picture of their music.
Official Site: www.kenjiro.co.uk
Band Email: [email protected]
Label Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

Behind The Veil is a heavy metal webzine. I think this is obvious, so we rarely make exceptions and present non-metal releases. This only happens if the aforementioned albums are up to some standards and qualify as high class, quality works. So, now I'm in the pleasant position to present you Niko, a Greek who resides in Nashville, Tennessee and delivers a great and emotional mixture of pop/rock sounds. I always say and firmly believe that music is above all emotions and can create images inside our minds and this is what this band stands for. The emotive, whispering interpretations of Niko take you along and overwhelm you with their passion and prove what a great vocalist he is with a really warm voice that can reach your soul with its nice hue. The music is mainly pop/rock ballads like I said, with some traditional Greek music additions in some songs, something that offers more depth and beauty to the compositions. What I'm presenting here isn't one work only, but it's actually songs from "Voice", "Heart Of A Warrior" and "Journey Within", which are still incomplete and the full "Love" album. All the songs move on the same wavelength and yet show us that this band has managed to create a really personal and characteristic sound. Niko have wholeheartedly won my appreciation and support, so if you find this sound appealing I think you should give them a listen! They surely deserve it, plus you can download all their songs from their site for free. Get acquainted with Niko's world and dive into a sea of emotions...
Email: [email protected]
Site: http://NikoOnline.com

To write lyrics inspired by the music of the northmen, doesn’t instantly make you a Viking metal band and Wolfchant might have some Viking and folk touches in their sound, but they are mainly a power metal band that uses harsh vocals. I can find more similarities with the sound of FALCONER and BLIND GUARDIAN rather than with the sound of BATHORY for example. I think the fans of power metal music that can tolerate or like harsh vocals and like the mythology of the Scandinavian people will like this group. The others, shouldn't even bother, cause I am sure that you will be quite disappointed. I had a nice time listening to them and the only thing that needs fixing in their sound is that they have to add more variety to their compositions. Not bad and I think that in the future they can give us even better albums. Try to listen to them (note: I mean the power metal fans)…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Faun isn’t an unknown band for me. I follow them since their second release. This German act formed back in 2002 and since then they have released three albums and a DVD. As far as the DVD, I haven’t had the chance to watch it, but I believe they have done a great work. “Totem” is their fourth album and was released before a few days. On this album you will find eleven tracks and fifty minutes of a very beautiful musical combination. As a band Faun has influences from gothic, folk, medieval even ambient music. They have included all their influences inside the machine with the name Faun adding their personal touch and we have the result that we can hear in this album. Each track of Faun is a beautiful journey to unknown lands. Their compositions are well worked with wonderful ideas and definitely Faun has found their personal sound, which is also very characteristic. If you hear one or two of their albums then you will recognize every song when you hear it. As far as the lyrics they have written them both in the English and German language. Last but not least, I would like to write a few words about the package. It is one of the best packages I have ever seen, a top quality digi-pack with a thirty two pages booklet. A must have album for all the fans of this kind of music!
Site: www.faune.de
Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

"By our hands your time is due"... This is the welcome notice on this CD's cover and it pretty much sets the ground for what's in store for us as soon as we push the play button. Laethora is the project of DARK TRANQUILLITY's guitarist, Niklas Sundin along with the help of some of his friends from THE PROVENANCE. And what do we get if we mix melodic death metal with gothic? Brutal death/grind is the answer, though I bet this isn't what you expected to read! Well surprisingly their death/grind has a really pure and organic sound with aggressiveness and intensity being to the maximum! This might not be the most original album you'll listen to and I'm sure this wasn't the original intention of the band members anyway. Laethora aim to write interesting music that can accompany you in your most extreme times. In fact the more I listen to this release the more depth and beauty I find lying in subtle layers... Strangely enough Niklas has managed to infuse the compositions with some really beautiful and fragile melodies that bring to mind something from DARK TRANQUILLITY's dark aesthetics and extremest aural assaults. If you consider yourselves to be deathsters, then you must get this album immediately!

Christine  Parastatidou

Even if Maple Cross has a history that begins in the 80s I first got in touch with their music from some demos in the early 2000 and with their new album “Next Chapter”. After a few years of preparation, Maple Cross strikes back with a concept album. “Heimo” is the title of their new album which was released through Verikauha Recoreds. Actually Heimo, is the name of the grandfather of Marco, the singer of Maple Cross. Heimo, fought back in the WWII and the lyrics of the whole album are mainly from the battles that the grandfather of Marco took part. So, the whole concept deals with war. From the artwork to the lyrics and the music, everything here revolves around war. Musically Maple Cross walks in thrash metal paths with a lot of elements from death metal. “Heimo” has twelve tracks and almost forty five minutes of duration. In each track, which is also a different story, you can hear the music that is intensely connected with the lyrics. Marco and the whole band has done a great work with this album. Their compositions are mature and well worked with very impressive ideas and above all, “Heimo” is an album full of aggressive moments like war really is. The fans of thrash/death metal should hear this album not only for the music but also for the concept.
Site: www.maplecross.net
Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

I will give to this review the title two lies and one truth. Lie number one is that during my research on the net about the band I have come up many times to the description heavy metal. Something that is totally bullshit, since Poison The Well play punk rock with many old hardcore influences. The second lie comes from the label of the band. On the back of the promo CD they write that this album is very complicated and experimental that the narrow confines of a major label could not contain it. Please somebody inform them that hardcore and especially punk rock music started back in the late 70’s early 80’s. The truth is that all the songs in this “experimental” release sound pretty much the same to one another with a few changes in the tempos and a singer that sings in the same way from the start till the end of the album. You see they are so monotonous even for a punk rock group. So don’t buy all this thought-provoking and experimental shit that the label wants to sell to you and move on to another review where you might something more interesting than this release.

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

One more band that I follow since their second release is the Italian Kingcrow. Before a few weeks the band released their third album “Timetropia” through Lucretia Records. In this work the band has included twelve tracks and almost forty five minutes of a progressive metal assault. The band spent three years from the release date of their previous album in order to be ready for their next step. For me, a progressive album is like walking on a razorblade, you can cut yourself really easily, so you can get bored from a progressive album or you can have your mind all the time set on the album because the band achieved to keep your interest with all the things they have included inside their work. Kingcrow has made this possible, each track of their album is something new, each track on their new album is a new quest that you want to be a part of. When the band wants to be melodic, they have melodies, when the band wants to be a little bit more aggressive they are. All in all, Kingcrow has written an album that is at the same time both complex and easy to listen to. An additional note is that “Timetropia” was mastered at The Plant Mastering Studios by John Cuniberti (Joe Satriani, METALLICA). Fans of progressive music come closer!
Site: www.kingcrow.it
Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

Well it's impressive how flourishing the folk black metal scene is lately... More and more bands that belong to this genre release their albums and Nerthus from Austria are amongst them. I had heard many nice comments about this band so I expected their fourth work rather anxiously to find by myself what this band is all about. I can say that I was rather disappointed by what I listened to and things didn't sound better after giving "The Crowned's Reunion" more chances... Being a folk black metal band it's natural to have lyrics that deal with medieval and historic themes, but unfortunately the medieval elements are mainly reduced and confined in the lyrics section. The folk elements aren't so intense and the black metal genre has prevailed over everything. The melodies contained here are nice and the structures quite interesting, but perhaps it's the long duration or the drum machine -I can't tell for sure- that make the whole result sound too plane and ordinary in my ears. No changes, no nothing that would make their compositions sound more appealing other than a few medieval sounding samples. Personally I can't recommend this release, unless you are huge fans of this band...

Christine  Parastatidou

Shadowlord comes from Holland and they aren’t a new band in the scene. They formed back in the middle nineties and so far they have release a demo CD, a mini CD and their debut album. “Batavorum” is their second album which was released last year. In this work they have included eight tracks and a video clip too. The band has seven members with dual male and female vocals, two axemen and so on. From the opening track and throughout the album, Shadowlord walks in symphonic black metal paths with some elements from death and thrash metal too. Actually if you listen carefully to their music you will hear all their influences. Their compositions are well worked even if I believe some times you can lose your attention. I think that they can write even better and well tight songs in the future. The fact that they have two singers gives them the ability to make their music arrangements more theatrical. I am sure that the fans of DIMMU BORGIR will adore the stuff from Shadowlord. I don’t know how far they can go but at least they offer as an above average album!
Site: www.shadowlord.nl
Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

Viking metal like epic metal is a genre that applies to a few people. Many bands have used this term to describe their sound in order to hide their incompetence to create nice music, but also there are a few bands of this genre that can reach out to a much larger audience of the metal music, simply because they have the gift to be creative. Manegarm is such a case. Their Viking metal sound is blended with lots of classic metal influences (mainly IRON MAIDEN, FALCONER and RUNNING WILD) along with some folkish touches (mainly SKYCLAD) and black metal outbreaks (“Genom varldar nio” and “Vargsternen”  are probably the most extreme tunes of the album). Good melodies, heavy riffs and lyrics sang in the Swedish language are the vessels that will travel you to past ages, where the things seemed to be simpler and yet more violent. “Vargsternen” shows a band that is in a very creative mood and I believe that they deserve to be checked out. Probably, one of the most interesting releases of the Viking metal genre I have listened to lately. So, push the play button on your stereo and let the saga begin…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Before two years, I had the pleasure to review the debut album from Steve Thorne. It was the “Part One: Emotional Creatures”. Before a few days, I had the chance to receive the second album, the second part of the concept. Sometimes you feel that the words aren’t enough to describe what you hear inside an album. But I will start a little bit different now. First of all, I will mention the guest musicians that you will be able to listen to on this album. So we have: Tony Levin (KING CRIMSON, PETER GABRIEL), Geoff Downes (ASIA, YES), Nick D’Virgilio (GENESIS, SPOCK’S BEARD), Pete Trewavas (MARILLION, TRANSATLANTIC), Gavin Harrison (PORCUPINE TREE) and John Mitchell (IT BITES, ARENA, KINO). Definitely all the fans of progressive rock will have to go straight to a record shop and buy this album. We can say that Steve Thorne has done something incredible and at the same time he managed to unite musicians from the most well known and original prog-rock bands. Through the eleven tracks and the fifty five minutes, which is the duration of this album, you will be able to travel across the progressive rock land with the incredible ideas, the well worked compositions and finally one of the top-5 progressive rock albums of this year. For one more time Steve Thorne spent two years to finish this album and he has done a great work! I feel too weak to write more things about this monument. Let the music speak by itself and do yourselves a favor, go and buy this masterpiece!
Site: www.myspace.com/stevethorne

Antonis  Maglaras

We all know that the Swedes are renowned for their musicianship and they are reputed for the quality of their underground scene. Flagellation is a band that consists of some well known musicians who play in various bands in literally all kinds of metal genres. However with this band they have set their target to be brutal death metal with a great deal of the famous Swedish melodies and a progressive touch in the structure of the songs. This EP presents us a tight band with members that have mastered their instruments and offer us flawless and high class compositions with complex themes, without showing off. The 4 songs plus 2 intros opened my appetite for some more since these guys have the ability to combine in a perfect way brutality, melody and technique! It's a pity that we had to wait for ten whole years since their formation to listen to their first EP, but at least it was worth it! I'm expecting a lot more from these guys in the future!

Christine  Parastatidou

Toxic Virgin comes from Germany and they have been together since 1995. So far they have released three albums and one EP. “Mad Desire” is their latest work, a mini CD with five tracks and almost twenty minutes of pure hard rock music. From the opening track Toxic Virgin give us their personal vision of power rock with a powerful female singer and the whole band doing a very impressive work. Their compositions are well worked, it seems that the band knows what they want from their music and they can make their arrangements sound nice. Personally I expected something more from a band that has more than a decade in the rock scene. Actually Toxic Virgin didn’t make me want to hear their album more than the times I needed to write these lines. I hope on their next album they will be more creative.
Site: www.toxicvirgin.de
Email:[email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

Do you listen to music only for your amusement? Then don’t try to listen to this album. Shining do not play an outgoing music that you will listen to with your friends whilst drinking beers. Their sound is so depressive and introverted that demands your full attention and the courage to visit the dark part of yourselves. Their sound is more a stimulant that provokes you to find more about your inner self. Some describe their music as black metal. Well I believe that their sound and the whole result has something poetic and is closer to what I call genuine atmospheric metal and not pseudo gothic shit… I can imagine that this is the album that a suicidal person could listen to before the last click of the trigger… If you seek for challenging sounds, then keep a notice for this release and enjoy the “bittersweet” depression and the catharsis through it that Shining can offer you…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Russia is a huge country; definitely it has a lot of bands. Comatose Vigil is one of these bands. They formed back in 2003 and they have released one demo and their debut album in 2005. Two years later through Solitude Productions they give us their newest EP “Narcosis”. In this work the band has included two versions of “Narcosis”, one with English lyrics and one in their mother tongue plus a bonus track. So actually we have one track with fifteen minutes of duration. Musically, now, the band walks in doom metal paths but slower than doom metal, it’s called funeral doom metal. Definitely it isn’t easy to hear this kind of doom metal because sometimes you think that you hear the same thing. If the doom metal isn’t so popular imagine something slower and heavier than doom metal. We must admit that funeral doom metal isn’t for all the fans of metal music; you need clear mind in order to follow the band and their compositions. So if you aren’t into this kind of doom metal, you should listen to something first and the if you like to purchase the work from Comatose Vigil. 
Site: http://comatosevigil.com
Band Email: [email protected]
Label Email: [email protected]

Antonis  Maglaras

Many bands use the word "berserk" and its derivatives as a moniker, so I guess things can get pretty confusing. The Berserk we are dealing with are the ones that come from Spain, formed nearly a decade ago and have 4 full length releases, including this one. Musically now what else would you expect, from a band bearing this name, other than black metal? Black metal with anti-christian and pagan lyrics that has its fair share of harshness and blast beats, but it's mainly more melodic and typical. No innovations here and like I said Berserk offer us a rather ordinary sound with the typical rasping vocals, pounding drums, a few catchy riffs and nice dark melodies. The thing I didn't like at all are the clean vocals that sound quite dissonant and out of tune. All in all, this is a mediocre album that can apply only to the die hard black metallers. Personally I found it pretty boring from a point on, but I really think they have the potential to move forward. Inspiration and character are the keys!

Christine  Parastatidou

Infernoise comes from Spain and more specific from Madrid. “Hellrider” is their latest release, a mini CD with three tracks and eleven minutes of pure metal music. From the opening track the band offer us a great energy and an aggressive sound. The band walks in the thrash metal paths but with a modern sound. The vocals are really extreme and raw which sometimes reach the death metal boundaries. The thing that impressed me from the first time was the energy that the band could transfer through their work to the listener. I mean that if you hear the stuff from Infernoise and close your eyes then you will imagine being inside the mosh pit in a live show of Infernoise. Now the band are putting the last additions to their album. I am sure if their album has all the good elements that this mini CD has then it will be a blast for our ears. All in all, I am really impressed by them; I will wait to hear more songs in the near future from Infernoise. Keep up the hard work!
Site: www.infernoise.com
Email:[email protected]

Considering that these guys move to the path of the Gotheburg melodic death metal genre, they sound quite old fashioned. By that I mean that their sound is more into the spirit of the 90’s and has many similarities with the early era of DARK TRANQUILLITY mainly and IN FLAMES. Add to the above a good dose of METALLICA influenced riffs and you pretty much got the picture. Now you might ask, what more or different they have to offer us compared to all those other bands of the same genre? Well, first of all their sound has something nostalgic and secondly they have great melodies that help them built a quite emotional music. I have to say they have convinced me that they play the music they love and plus they don’t add any metalcore elements to their sound which at least means that they don’t follow blindly the trends. Moreover the production is great and clear.  People that like this kind of sound and they are bored of listening to the new stuff which are full of hardcore elements, will have a great time with them.

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Swiss death metallers Requiem have been around for almost a decade and they chose this year to release their fourth full length work which presents high class music with sharp lyrics that have the power to create a fuss with their obvious political intimations. Requiem offer us brutal death metal that has its base mainly on the American scene, but you can also trace some references to the old school Swedish death metal scene as well. Lots of blast beats, sharp guitar riffs, themes that stick to your mind, a concrete rhythm section and a singer spitting out disgust through his guttural vocals is pretty much what you should expect from "Premier Killing League". The production is superb, left in the hands of the expert Andy Classen and the cover artwork shows everything their lyrics are referring to! Now if you'd like me to mention any bands in specific to give you a clearer view, then they have to be DISMEMBER, VITAL REMAINS, CATARACT, OBITUARY and the likes. This is a very good album that all the death metallers will enjoy, only keep in mind that it's quite typical without any innovations. I'm saying this for all of you who only look for pioneering bands with innovative sounds and not for really good headbanging music.

Christine  Parastatidou

There are blues guitarists, jazz guitarists, metal guitarists, etc, but Daryl Stuermer is a... "beautiful melodies" guitarist!! He has a fantastic accuracy, a fantastic guitar sound, a superb technique and of course amazing melodies!! On this instrumental record either he plays fast or slow and even some other times his tempos lie somewhere in the middle. The main point is that this album really "flows"! Let me give you one more example: I don't want to brag, but I'm a good guitar player. However, if I had to pick the same note with Daryl, everyone would notice the difference. And if I had to play 5 notes of my choice and Daryl 5 of his, I would have my guitar shoved up my ass and would've been kicked out of the place! I strongly believe that this is a great experience for everyone who digs guitar playing and wants to listen to astonishing melodies. It would be hard though to choose which song to listen to again and again... Man this is great!!!!!

Dimitris  Pantsiopoulos

The 7th seal of apocalypse has just been opened for me and awaits you to open it as soon as you get your hands on Lord Belial's... 7th official full length release... Is it a coincidence? I think not... What they're trying to do is imply the total devastation and disaster that will fall upon us, as soon as their creation is unleashed! These are the feelings you'll get and what you'll think as soon as you listen to this album. Musically now I think Lord Belial have gone a long way since their formation in 1992 and they have evolved their sound and their musicianship a lot. Their music now walks somewhere between black and death metal with the boundaries not being well determined. However it's true that the black metal genre prevails with its demonic and hellish atmosphere. What I liked on this album is that the songs don't sound the same, but there is quite some variety both in the patterns and the rhythms. There are mid paced songs, but there are also raging holocausts of evilness pouring out of blast beats and down tuned guitars. There are songs that base themselves on melodies and dark atmospheres and there are other tracks that have no space for melodies, but only smell of pure hatred and anger! Another thing that has impressed me is the classic heavy metal themes that have been added to some songs, making them more interesting and multi-layered and the great guitar solos that reveal a well worked album from a skillful band that can create both technical and extreme compositions. The production has been done by the band along with Andy LaRoque's contribution, so it's very good and slightly noisy, something that makes the end result sound even more extreme! The artwork is also superb and fitting to the band's sound and to this album's lyrical content. Now many have compared Lord Belial to BATHORY and it's true that there are some similarities, but if I had to mention just one band that they resemble to, then this could only be DISSECTION.

Christine  Parastatidou

Definitely not my kind of music. Usually, I enjoy listening to the female fronted symphonic metal bands while I am with friends drinking my coffee and let the music play at the background. It is very rare such kind of release to draw my attention in order to put it in my CD player and listen to it willingly on my own. Imperia is a different kind of story though. You see they have all these elements that a friend of atmospheric metal likes to listen to, but there are also some details that make this release differ from all the rest that move on the same path. I can’t explain it with words, but Imperia seem to have the talent to turn the clichés of their genre into something new without following the trends. Probably the best release I have listened to for this year from a female fronted atmospheric/symphonic metal band. I recommend it even to people that are not fans of this genre. Simply poetic and at the same time they have some folk moments in their music that give an exotic scent to the final result.

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

The German based band Obscurity, that shouldn't be confused with the numerous other same titled bands, exists over a decade and up to now they have only released 3 official albums. This means that they aren't in a hurry, but on the contrary they prefer to take their time in order to make sure they can create the best possible result. Their direction isn't hard to determine since this quintet delivers straight in our faces pure black metal and their sound clearly has its roots in the past and the more old fashioned sound in particular. So don't expect to listen here to modern sounding black metal, but the old school, quite primitive one which has at the same moment and epic atmosphere and many Viking metal touches. Personally the only drawback I can trace is the production. It's not good enough, meaning that noise and mud must be present in a black metal release of course, but I think here they're overdoing it, making it hard sometimes for me to understand the patterns or riffs lying behind. If you don't mind this and the fact that the band sings all the lyrics, on this album, in their mother tongue, then I guess you will like "Schlachten & Legenden". 

Christine  Parastatidou

From heavy rock to stoner and from punk to core and even to a little bit of ambient is what you're about to listen to on "Fueled". This release combines lots of different styles, but sadly nothing good comes out except for a couple of tunes and some cool riffs. The songs that had something good and groovy are "Kill Kitty" and "Drive With Me". The rest of them had good riffs here and there, but didn't satisfy me. The fact that Stephen Pearcy has some good ideas gives us a hope for the future though...

Dimitris  Pantsiopoulos

Urgehal is a Norse black metal band formed 15 years ago, that released their debut album in 1997. Ever since they have been releasing albums every 2-3 years, more or less, and now they felt the time was finally right for them to release a best of compilation containing songs from the band's whole period. So, you can find in here songs from all their albums, but the most important thing is that they are in a previously unreleased form, since they are included here as rehearsal versions. There is one new track though featured here, something revealing the band's new direction, which doesn't differentiate at all from their past musical style. So, if you like Norwegian black metal and you adore bands like DARK THRONE or BATHORY, then this is a release you will definitely cherish. Besides, if you already are fans of the band, then this is a good chance for you to have some rare material...

Christine  Parastatidou

Here is the new album of Visions of Nightwish… oops I mean Visions Of Atlantis. The album is entitled “Trinity” and probably with this the band wants to say that this is their third album amongst the other things. I know that this might tire you, but it is so obvious that even a deaf can realize that Visions Of Atlantis copy without bashfulness the Finnish band NIGHTWISH. However, these guys are more stuck into the first period of this great band and I mean especially the “Oceanborn” album which is very good for them, but somewhere in the middle of the album there are a couple of tracks that will remind you the modern period of NIGHTWISH (I mean “My Dark Side Home” and “Wing-Shaped Heart”). Now you might say that, by repeating their similarities with NIGHTWISH (oops I did it again hehe), I didn’t like “Trinity” at all. Well, on the contrary I had a good time with it and there are some moments on the album that made me sing along. After all, you don’t need to be original in order to compose good music. It just needs inspiration and love for what you are doing. And this band seems to have all this in their third album and because of that they offered us their best release up to now…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

I don't know much about VNV Nation and actually this is the first time I listen to their music, so I can't say much about them other than that they are not a metal band. In fact they have nothing to do with rock music in general, so this promo isn't in my field of expertise. "Judgement" is the band's new album and here I had the chance to listen to 2 full songs plus snippets of other 3. What I got to realize from these 17 minutes of music is that VNV Nation's sound could be defined as synthpop with many 80s references and influences and with moments that reminded me of PET SHOP BOYS. I'm not the right person to judge their music. I can only say that it sounds good to my ears for their genre, but you have to check them out for yourselves if this music applies to your taste.

Hmmm, tough review this one... You see Night Ranger on this album play hard rock that sometimes sounds extremely heavy and there are other times that they overdo it with the melody to the point that you think that they are an AOR band (keep this genre away from me). As a general aspect I can say that the good points on this release overcome the bad ones. Without being something extraordinary, the band performs well all the songs and I can say that they pass the exams with a quite good mark. So, if you don’t have demands and just want to listen to good relaxing rock music, then Night Ranger will fit you just fine, but on the other hand if you need to listen to something more, then I hardly believe that this album is made for you. Well, I won’t tire you much and I’ll give them a …

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Raintime is one of those hard to define bands, but nevertheless it's been a real pleasure getting acquainted to their music! This Italian outfit is here to shake the stagnant waters of our beloved music and make a statement through their sound. Now, their sophomore album, "Flies & Lies", came 2 years after their debut "Tales From Sadness" and reveals a fresh and innovative sound from a band with a pioneering mood that is here to stretch the boundaries of their beloved metal genres to their extremes. Let me make myself clear here... Raintime isn't a typical sounding band simply because they manage to combine in the most effective and direct way both their melodic/technical and their aggressive influences. The end result is really smooth and homogeneous and soothing for the soul, consisting of elements from melodic heavy/power and death metal. The compositions and song arrangements unravel themselves on a progressive background and structure that not only doesn't confuse you, but it adds up to the songs' quality. The progressive layer is present, but there are no show offs here, just pure music straight from the heart and the conflict between the melodic vocals and the harsh, raw ones creates sheer beauty! Other than that the production is powerful and crystal clear, a natural thing since responsible for it, is Tommy Hansen and the cover artwork is simply marvelous! One last thing I want to mention is the guest appearance of Jacob Bredahl (HATESPHERE) and Lars F. Larsen (MANTICORA) that give an extra boost to the songs. There are no downsides on this album and I'd advise you all to get it immediately! Don't waste your time in other trendy bands, Raintime are here to astound you!

Christine  Parastatidou

STRATOVARIUS's singer after all the problems he was confronted with in his band, the band that made him known to the worldwide metal scene, decided to concentrate on his personal group, cutting a new album 3 years after the “Coldness” release. There are no changes in the music destination of the album in comparison to the previous ones. The majority of the songs are more in the heavy metal style, but there are also some songs that reminded me intensively of STRATOVARIUS. This is not necessarily bad, since this is the strong point of Kotipelto, his excellent voice is just what is needed for such songs. The melodies and the vocals are successfully “married” in each part. Kotipelto all these years has shown his value, as he has the ability and the gift to make a song stand out… The result is good, not something special or different though. For those who have already heard some of his past works, it's sure that they know what to expect from this release. 

Jim  Konstantinidis

I suppose those of you who are into rock, stoner rock and  psychedelic music have heard Brant Bjork's name before and really respect it since he is considered to be a pioneer, reinventing those styles through a more modern perspective. As you all know he is famous for his bands KYUSS and FU MANCHU mainly. After some solo attempts and various contribution to rock music in general, he embarked with his new band to create special music from the heart. The end result is what we hear on "Somera Sol", the band's sophomore release. Those of you who already know this guy's past endavors should already know what to expect... rock music with a lot of groove, boogie and stoner elements, quite many psychedelic additions and his sound mainly deriving from the 60s and 70s, drawing direct influence from Hendrix and the likes. I can't find an obvious downside here, only the fact that the songs sound too the same and too flat to my ears. I've listened to this album many times and there were moments I felt as if I was listening to the same song over and over again... Besides personally I like the music to have some outbursts of power and emotion, to have more nerve. If those are things you don't mind about, then check "Somera Sol" out. If you aren't sure yet, listen to some samples before...

Christine  Parastatidou

In their second album X-Piral present us a different image, a more delicate and complicate one to a point that if you compare it with their debut release it makes you think that we are talking about a different band. In the “Hunters” the band combines the modern northern European metal sound (late NIGHTWISH/SONATA ARCTICA) with the U.S. sound (mainly NEVERMORE) along with a progressive metal twist. After listening to the album, my first impression was that they band sounded more complicated and technical, but with the exception of 2 or 3 compositions I cannot say that their album has the elements that will make me listen to it again and again. It sounds too common with other releases of our days and it applies specificcally only to the fans of modern melodic power metal. It might sound bizarre, but I prefer their debut album “Poison Eyes” where the band sounded more primitive and direct. I have the opinion that this is  a transitional album for the band and I will wait for their third release to see if they can manage to create a more personal sound…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

I have to be honest with you... I'm really disappointed by the majority of the releases I listen to from the big and well known metal labels with a few bright exceptions of course. So, more and more I start appreciating the underground scene and the smaller labels, cause they release pure and true albums and they have a passion for what they do, without profit being their main reason for existence. Now David Shaw is an artist that has really astounded me with his talent and his music's directness. All the songs included here speak straight to the heart with their beautiful melodies, the amazing riffs that stick to your mind and the catchy sing along choruses. David Shaw is responsible for everything from the songwriting, to the execution and the production of the songs and he deserves my congratulations, cause he managed to create a multi layered album that won't tire you a bit! However, we shouldn't neglect the important contribution of his good friend Steve Cone, who co-produced "Walkin' On A Wire", played all the guitars, helped with the drum work and contributed on the bass on "Shade Tree Mechanic". If hard rock and melodic heavy metal is what really runs in your veins, then you shouldn't ignore this album!!
Site: http://www.RoundTripMusic.com

Christine  Parastatidou

The German power metallers with their previous release “The Circle Of Life” disappointed many of their fans worldwide, as this album was far from what they had offered us until then, maybe their worst in my opinion. So, their next step should be more careful. The band seems that took this message and did the right forward step and the result is the present album! From the first seconds you receive a well-worked album, in the known way of the band’s music past, full of melodies and choir refrains… The album is neither bad nor the best these Germans have done till now, but it’s surely far better in contrast to the previous… thing. With simple and little words, 12 songs in total, both mid-tempo and up-tempo compositions, just for their fans and especially for the disappointed ones…

Jim  Konstantinidis

The metal scene of Canada is one of the most qualitative around the world. The bands that come from this country have the ability to mix the influences of the U.S and European metal scene in such a unique way that most of them manage to create a characteristic sound. Shatterpoint are no exception to what I wrote above, since their sound combines thrash metal influences both from the U.S. scene (bay are thrash mainly) and the European (there are moments that strongly brought to my mind of SODOM), however they have a sound that makes them easily recognizable. “Dead Percedence” is their first full length album and if I compare it with their debut E.P. “Consequences”, I have to say that the band kept all those elements that I liked in their first release, but now they have become even more aggressive, darker and they have a raw production that smashes bones!!! By the way you will have the chance to compare both releases since on this album the band except for the new tracks, also offer us 4 songs from their E.P. as a bonus. I believe that the thrash metal maniacs must not lose the opportunity to purchase this release. So for more info visit their label's website: www.powerplayrecords.com or send an email to them: [email protected]. You can also visit the band's site: www.shatterpoint.netORwww.myspace.com/shatterpoint

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

One more release from Germany is the present work, from the band of the guitar player Rolf Munkes (MAJESTY, VANIZE, EMPIRE), their third in the row. As it is known, Razorback’s music style is a mixture of hard rock with heavy metal songs, with the first idiom to be sovereigning. The album moves on the same way with the previous works of the band, not offering something further… The fans of the style might find it interesting. Personally it left me untouched… 

Jim  Konstantinidis

Fifth album for this band from Norway and this one introduces us a new line up. I would dare to say that this album signifies a new beginning for Griffin. First of all they have a new guitarist, Roar Naustvoll, who is only 18 years old and really amazes you with his skills. Also the new singer Rolf Bakken has a warm voice and I can say that his way of singing is influenced by great vocalists like DIO and Tony Martin. The compositions now combine melodies, skillful playing and a few but nevertheless killer solos. Nothing here seems to happen on purpose to impress the listener. The band seems to know that in simple things lies beauty and that’s exactly what they do. The album simply flows and when it ends you want to listen to it again from the start. The only mediocre moment of this release is the song “Crown Of Thorns”. Musically now you can say that they are “relatives” of bands like RIOT, ASTRAL DOORS, CASUS BELLI (especially the second album of this Greek band) and of course on their speed – thrash moments they will remind you of good old METALLICA. A very good album indeed…

Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis

Syrach make a powerful come back 10 years after the release of their debut album and they seem determined to get you down with their sickness, with their passion for doom metal. Unlike the majority of the acts in Norway, these guys have set to create really dark and melancholic music that smells of bitterness, devastation and death! Their doom/death metal is enriched with a great deal of riffs and melodies that derive directly from the classic heavy metal sound, thus making their songs more accessible even to those who don't dig this kind of music that much. Now to give you some more info on the band, I have to say that the production is great, serving the compositions properly and responsible for the end result are Herbrand Larsen (ENSLAVED), Ice Dale (ENSLAVED, I, ANDREY HORNE, etc.) and Bjørnar E. Nilsen (BLACK HOLE GENERATOR, VULTURE INDUSTRIES). The artwork is very good, it has the ability to instantly help you get into the mood and was created by Aaron Stainthorpe (MY DYING BRIDE). Some guest vocals on various songs, spice them up, especially the ethereal and really warm voice of Silje Wergeland (OCTAVIA SPERATI). I think the doomsters all around the world should give these guys a listen!
Email: [email protected]
Site: http://www.syrach.com OR http://www.myspace.com/syrach

Christine  Parastatidou

This is the first single from the new Magnum album. It includes a radio edit version of the songs “Like Brothers We Stand” and “Your Lies”, both included in their new release “Princess Alice And The Broken Arrow”. I insist on what I said in the presentation of their new release and I will repeat it once more: This is a very good work that respects the history of Magnum. So it's better to buy the full length album where you can find even greater songs than “Like Brothers We Stand” and “Your Lies” which by the way is my favorite song from Magnum’s latest release. A good rock album that is worth to give your money in order to purchase a copy…

What can we get if we mix the American and the Swedish sound and filter it through an Australian approach and persepctive? A holocaust!!! This sums things up pretty neatly for Intended Victim, a four piece outfit from Australia, whose scene I respect and support. It's a pity that most people in Europe and the U.S. neglect this country's underground scene, since I think it's one of the best and most powerful. The more I listen to the "IneVitable" the more I love it, simply because it contains some of my most beloved elements and genres, in a very special and unique way that bears the band's mark. Now imagine a mixture of the more melodic Swedish death metal scene with its American counterpart and add to this a great deal of black metal, especially in some vocal parts and riffs. Did you think this was just it? Well guess again! Intended Victim have also got some really beautiful guitar solos and they all prove to be really skillful musicians with a flawless technique and a strong bondage amongst them! So, if you like the death/black metal sound, the progressive and concrete rhythm structures and the elaborate solos (you will also listen to some shreddings here), you'll get the best of it all in this release!!! Intended Victim have churned out one of the best albums I've listened to for this year!! Believe me, you have to get your hands on this CD at once!!!
Email: [email protected]
Site: http://www.myspace.com/intendedvictim2

Christine  Parastatidou