Dol Theeta - Monad (Self Released)
Monad is the second album from Greek electronic music composer Thanasis Lightbridge's second project Dol Theeta, the others being Dol Ammad and Dol Kruug. It's his progressive/symphonic band featuring performances from singer Kortessa and guitars/bass from Demian. Unlike the previous record, Monad is much more introspective, resulting from the long periods of isolation during the pandemic, it's mch darker but cut through with hope, the concept dealing with the power of one, how solitude and doing things by yourself can result in the best results. Lightbridge has always been someone that relies heavily on his influences, from the opening track Umbilical, there's lots of Jean Michel Jarre style oscillating synths as well as plenty of those lush Vangelis (R.I.P) soundscapes, Remember bringing this along with some Laibach-like industrial tinges,
With the synths being the lead instrument for all of the songs, Demian's guitars are the driving riffs built underneath, but he does get to show off with heavy riffs and some solo sections as well. Vocally Kortessa has a broad vocal, shifting from ethereal and haunting to dramatic and powerful, making Modus Operandi have a lot of similarities to Eric Serra but also bands such as Nightwish on Enchanted, where the operatic vocals are utilized well, the throbbing Monolith also has them with touches of Klaus Schulze's (R.I.P) work in the Krautrock field. Quicksand Portal goes in heavily with the samples and tonnes of Danny Elfman creepiness as We Die Alone has The Prodigy-like percussion. The 8 tracks on this record are all quite expansive, as Lightbridge continues to forge his own unique sound within the metal realm. 7/10
EphemeraL - From Our Deepest Nightmares (Self Released)
Nighttage and Nightfall, two of the biggest melodic death metal bands ever to come out of Greece, so it's only right that traces of both bands can be found in
From Our Deepest Nightmares the debut album from Thessaloniki band EphemeraL, a band named after a major artery but they go for the juglar vein with these 10 tracks. Formed by Elias who handles the growls/grunts, bass, orchestrations and additional keys and keyboardist Angel G.
They formed in 2019 and have released 1 EP so far, though from there to here, they have shown a major refinements to their sound as this record skillfully balances the symphonic elements with the extreme metal style. Much like the Children Of Bodom or the two Greek leaders of the genre I mentioned earlier. The Nightfall influence itself is heard on The Aftermath particularly as Nightfall vocalist Efthimis Karadimas lends his roar in conjunction with Elias, who just seems to take vocals and writing here. The rest of the band is comprised of Angel G along with Agis Tzoukopoulos on drums, Tasos Stoidis on bass firming up the blasting backroom. On guitars we have Jim Gaianos (lead) and Thanasis Salagiannis (rhytmn) and these six men produce melodeath that has both an anthemic quality and also a viciousness, it's Melodeath with emphasis on the melo, the symphonics and synths used very well, Darkness & Decay veering into synthwave.
The lead guitars have a classic metal quality as well. These melodic elements that herald the arrival of guest vocalist Angel Wolf-Black on Till The End Of The World, or the use of keys on the COB-like Astral Ballad are just as effective and impressive as the grinding doom and blastbeats of All Men Lie, All Men Die, there's even something totally left field on Your Own Shelter a 7 minute prog metal. I will admit that it does slow a little too much in places but for at least 8 songs they do this synth heavy style of Melodeath well. I'll be interested to see where they go from here. 7/10
Stygian Oath - Midnight Flames (Stormspell Records)
Comprised of Panos Tsartsalis (bass), Apostolos Tzotzis (drums), Haris Vavalidis (guitar), Alexandros Kyriazis (guitar) and Akis Daflis (vocals), Stygian Oath are a traditional heavy metal band from Thessaloniki. Midnight Flames is their debut and it's the sort of album, denizens of the Up The Hammers festival (from this past weekend) would lap up in their droves.
Heavily influenced by the NWOBHM scene legends such as Iron Maiden, along with Teutonic terrors like Accept and the wider European trad metal sound. Midnight Flames packs a multitude of influences into the nine tracks. Vavalidis and Kyriazis link up for some slick dual guitar harmonies on the stomping Beyond The Grave, which descends into solo dueling at the end while Tzotzis and Tsartsalis keep a steady chug going. The horror, fantasy and battle themes are sung well by Daflis who brings the histrionics of Kiske with the rougher edge. His voice is not perfect but 90% of the time he's spot on blending well with NWOTHM sound on Midnight Flames.
Speaking of the title track it's got a Maiden-like gallop to it, Under The Gun continues with the Maidenisms, Onward To Victory meanwhile is from the Helloween sound, these inspirations are unmistakable but Stygian Oath to make them their own, never straying too deeply into pastiche, in fact for me the only real let down is final song Holy Warrior where you can hear where that missing vocal 10% of the voxal hit rate went, it's probably the worst song here and unfortunately is what brings the record home. Other than that though Stygian Oath are a credit to the Greek trad metal scene. 7/10
Rotting Flesh - Ancient Hymns (Sleaszy Rider Records)
An ominous, intro called Awakening comes at the start of the fourth full length from Greek atmospheric black metal band Rotting Flesh. The synths swell, doors creek, whispers are spoken but then it seems to end. After which we get the title track, built on a dual guitar attack and harsh vocals.
The fact that it doesn't really follow the intro, means that it loses a little bit of the atmosphere as, if it wasn't for the growls and screams, you could think that Rotting Flesh were an old NWOBHM band with a horror name. Now there have always been rumours that this Thessaloniki based band have name that is a combination of Rotting Christ and Septicflesh, which totally makes sense when you listen to the record, as they are trying to have both that blackened death and cinematic style of both bands.
Unfortunately they never quite pull it off in the same way leaving much of the album languishing in a mid pace dirge, occasionally throwing up an acoustic interlude or an atmospheric nod, but no matter how many of these appear in tracks such as Haunted By The Guilts the main body of the song is one repeating riff, as is Black Heresy. Only with songs like Time Has Ended do they approach the grandeur of some of the Greek extreme metal heroes. These Ancient Hymns are listenable but don't convert you to the cause totally. 6/10
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