Wastefall - Soulrain 21 (SleaszyRider Records)
Originally released in 2004, the second album by Greek prog metal band Wastefall, Soulrain 21 has now been remastered by Yannis Manopoulos (Thelemite) and re-released as a 20 year anniversary version. Led in 2024 by Domenik Papaemmanouil (vocals/guitars/keys) after they went on hiatus in 2008, they reformed in 2013 with a new line up.
They are now revisiting this album sees them again delving into 21 Students who lost their lives in worst car accident in Greece. Domenik is now forging his own path looking for live allies to get Wastefall back on the stage but obviously this album has the line up from the time.
Don't let the Nu-Metal influences that come through on Soulrain (record scratches) and Stunned To The World put you off, Wastefall are a prog metal band just using the sounds of the time time to make their prog contemporary, shifting riffs, chugging rhythms and some Russell Allen-like vocals come on Stunned To The World, mirroring what many of the big prog players were doing around this time.
Empty Haven adds some Nevermore melodicism as it shifts towards church organ driven Lullaby For The Gods something that's got some of those early 2000's synths sounds, the drama brought back on the building Lesser. This is a very musically complex, emotionally dense record, written about a horrific incident, it's a concept record but also a tribute this who lost their lives done with some excellent prog metal fans of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Shadow Gallery or Nevermore will lap up.
Soulrain 21 deserves revisiting as it's an excellent prog metal record, made better with the modern remaster, if Wastefall are using this re-release to highlight where they're going in 2025 then I'll be waiting in anticipation. 9/10
Stormcast - Tremors In The Ether (Self Released)
Cypriot/UK based melodeath band Stormcast were formed in Nicosia in 2007 and have been steadily building a fanbase and recording since then. They didn't release a debut until 2014 after playing MetalDays on 2013 then rapidly followed it up in 2018 after some line up changes. Now led by Mike Angastiniotis (vocals/guitars) they entered and won the 2019 Brighton Metal To The Masses.
So with all that behind them they have set about releasing their third album Tremors In The Ether, Mike refers to it as their most mature album yet and that's obvious from Gods From A Stranger Land which has some orchestral swells and haunting female vocals while Kings Of The Everlost is a total blitz at the end, full of shifting proggy rhythms and Gojira-like fret slides. They have embrace modernity too though, with the synths that build through the title track.
Mike's vocals are brilliant, growled and clean while his guitar playing, alongside Diogo Jones is similar to the Heafy/Beaulieu of Trivium on Oceans, intricate and muscular hand in hand it's got influences from melodeath, metalcore and Swedish scene, the guitar duo backed by Panayiotis Chrysostomides' bass as Jack Wrench provides the session drums, keeping a double kicking percussive part even on the lighter moments of Collective Incompetence.
Tremors In The Ether is definitely a mature record from Stormcast, it's also their best record, modern, meaty and brimming with technical prowess, Stormcast show the full spectrum of their talent with this third studio album. 8/10
Scarflood - Scarflood (Self Released)
Only three years in existence, Rethymo based band Scarflood know their way around a riff and on their debut album there's plenty of them for those of you that love your metal with an alternative edge then you'll be banging your head to tracks such as The Wrongdoer and Safer On The Cross quite readily.
Influenced by bands such as Chevelle, 10 Years, Sevendust and Godsmack, they are an alt metal band driven by the thick rhythm section of bassist George Kourakis and drummer Antonis Petridis, they bring some proggy moments to Reset Reality shifting the pace as they bring syrup grunge to Shadows Subside.
Nick Marinakis punches out the guitar riffs and provides the rough vocals too, the AIC acoustics of Dirt Road sit comfortably in the middle of the record. Antonis Pk gives the melodic leads and arpeggios on the choppy Gale and the tough Bones Don't Lie. A relatively new band on the scene, Scarflood impress with their debut. Brash but emotive alt metal from Crete. 7/10
Empty Mirror - Deus Profanus (Self Released)
Something a bit more gothic now from Greece's capital. Athens band Empty Mirror have been through the ringer a few times since forming in 2020. The line up has changed a few times since they first arrived but they have released and EP (Echoes Of Eternity) in 2022 and have now followed it up with Deus Profanus which is touted a debut album but at 6 tracks and 30 minutes I'd consider it to be EP but hey let's get into it anyway.
Featuring some heart tugging violin from Johanna Von Der Vögelweide of Feuerschwanz, Empty Mirror also features two vocalists (male and female), two guitarists, a rhythm section and a keyboardist, it sounds big moody and evocative, the pouring rain and spoken word brings you into the record Luminous Child starting the record properly with some dramatic goth metal, soaring soprano vocals against lower croons/growls.
For the rest of the record not much changes, the metallic elements sit in harmony with the classical piano and acoustic moments. It's gothic symphonic metal that was so popular in the late 90's and Empty Mirror is a great example of it. 7/10
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