Triumpher - Storming The Walls (Floga Records)
I expected epic heavy metal, I got epic heavy metal, bassist/vocalist/main songwriter Mars Triumph is the unholy union of Joey DeMaio and Eric Adams in one body, playing each note like a black arrow into the heart of false metal and using his voices to sing of victories won and battles yet to come.
Yep Athenians Triumpher sound like Manowar. As close to Manowar as you'd care to want to get to, the machismo oozing off every single note played here the blood of their enemies sliding down the sword from the swelling orchestral and guitar spiral that kicks off galloping rager The Thunderer, to the dark clouds gathering for the epic title track, all keys and synths by producer George Emmanuel to add cinematics.
It's hard to believe at times this is a debut album, the songs are well composed and anthemic True Metal with NWOBHM, Power Metal along with Thrash too, choruses that demand shouting in unison, riffs to bang your head to and as much muscle as Pyrros Dimas. The difference between Triumpher and Manowar being that the Greeks use two guitarists but they still play on ten throughout.
Apostolos Papadimitriou and Christopher Tsakiropoulos are the guitarists wielding their axe to cause devastation and like a clarion call towards the battles continued on this record, shifting between solos and rampaging riffs at will, especially on the dive bombing thrash of I Wake The Dragon, the artillery barrage coming from drummer John "Maelstrom" Votsis on Mediterranean Warfare.
Usually I'd rag on a band for being so closer musically to another, they do also have some Mercyful Fate influences on The Tomb as well. I was just having too much fun listening to Storming The Walls. 8/10
Riffobia - Riffobia (Floga Records)
Shredding like it's 1985, Trikala based thrash band Riffobia come back with their self titled third album, their first since 2016. If you like your thrash metal that's on the side of evil, with dark atmospheres and a hearty salute to anti-commercialism, anti-religion, horror and the occult then Riffobia will be have you turning up the volume.
Opening intro The Divine Infinity and closing track Soul Collector both cast those black magic spells of Slayer on Seasons Of The Abyss with the exploding dive bomb solos Slayer and evil intentions that were always trademark's of the legendary band.
Riffobia with their name may perhaps give the impression of being a beer swilling sloppy thrash band but their music is quite technical, huge influences from Kreator in the vocals and the songwriting, they've even got a song called God Of Hate. A good thrash metal album will rally against the ills of society and cause a riot, Riffobia do just that with this self titled record. 8/10
Beyond Perception - Guile EP (Self Released)
The new EP from Beyond Perception is a 20 odd minutes of heavy groove metal that will be loved by fans of Pantera, Prong and Crowbar as hardcore, thrash and groove are pushed through your speakers in the angriest way possible, given a Southern sludge metal style too. Having been delving into heavy riding groove since 2004, Guile is their first music from the Greek band since their last studio album in 2017.
So it's the band returning with a renewed passion captured by Fotis Bernardo. A track such as Spare Chains is the exemplar of how Beyond Perception do business as swaggering riffs unfold in to technical leads, the EP closing with the heaviest track Shellshock Blues the haunting vocals of Chrysa Tsaltampasi weaving in an out of the crushing sludge. Most definitely back in business, Beyond Perception sling riffs like a group of fisherman sling nets and they land every time. 7/10
Green Yeti - Necropolitain (Self Released)
Athenian trio Dani Avramidis (bass), Michael Andresakis (guitar/vocals) and Giannis Koutroumpis (drums), are the noise behind Greek band Green Yeti. Necropolitain is their third album and if I could describe their music it would be woozy psychedelia meets mind melting stoner doom, captivating you with desert rock exploration and the heavy slow builds of bands such as Sleep or Bongzilla.
The riffs insistent but never overwhelming, just laying down a steady groove, building into scaling solos, alongside the repeating grumbling rhythm section as the vocals growl, snarl and sneer when needed. Distortion and reverb abound from this trio as the run times get longer when we head towards the final song, the distorted and fuzzy One More Bite. Dirgy, stoner doom, that keeps consistent pace and power but bubbles with anger. Necropolitain is a riff-filled expedition through desert, stoner doom from the mists of the Aegean. 8/10
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