New epic heavy metal from Eat Metal Records in Athens. The Lorekeeper from Stygian Path is their debut album, produced/recorded/mixed/mastered by Mr George Emmanuel it's a massive cinematic record that will appeal to fans of Blind Guardian and Greek legends Warlord. They've only been a band since 2022 by my reckoning but they are ready to take you on journey through epic lands, sword in hand on your trusty steed.
From the galloping Tides Of Time which is where bassist Manos Karachalios and drummer Alexandros Adamopoulos can show their speedy chops though in the middle the tone shifts towards acoustic fireside lilting, this is where the Blind Guardian comparison is at it's strongest, as well as on The Wanderer where Panos Babilis becomes very like Hansi Kürsch, which is only a positive in my eyes.
Despite only being 7 minutes the shift in tone on this one makes it seem much broader in sonic scope. It's not the longest track though as both the Manowar-like Rhapsody XXII: The Eagle And The Lion and the moody Unholy Land where guitarist's Giorgos Machairas and Dimitris Sdralas are able to utilise electrics and acoustics, swaying between them with drama and power, the solos soaring over huge orchestral expanses.
Stygian Path don't show any fear with their music, performing a song in French, The Lorekeeper is an album that brilliantly showcases Stygian Path's storytelling metal. Love it! 9/10
Dragon Skull - Chaos Fire Vengeance (Eat Metal Records)
Big, muscular heavy metal from Greece, another from Eat Metal Records, this one again draws from a Germanic band but instead of Blind Guardian it's Grave Digger, alongside Omen and Grand Magus. Heavy power metal that has its roots strongly in the NWOBHM but with a bit more bombast.
Lyrically it's more battle metal, axes and broadswords lifted high to defeat the enemies of false metal. Riccardo Iacono of Moorcock inspired band Domine joining Dragonskull vocalist Argos Labos for a double dose of macho roaring. Argos' vocals on their own are great for this style of musclebound heavy metal though, booming and gruff similar to Joakim Brodén of Sabaton.
The band are made up of the rhythm section from George Voudouris (bass) and Theodore Stamatiadis (drums), cooking on gas the entire record from the galloping Brethren, the bouncy Dragon Rider and especially the marching Skull Crusher, they lay down a rock solid foundation for guitarists Panos Vlachopoulos and Christos Brintzikis to work with.
They provide some fist clenching riffs on War Drums then inject speed on Nampat and Shield Maiden with some of the good old widdly twin axe attack. Classic metal always sounds good to my ears and Dragon Skull follow up their EP with a great debut album. 8/10
Grotesco Karma - Devil's Menuet (Self Released)
Grotesco Karma are an Avant-Garde metal band born from the brain of George Constantine Kratsas, the Athens based guitarist has been plugging away at songs for a number of years and now they have been compiled as Devil's Menuet.
George is a guitar player and plays the bulk of the music on this record, his style is taken from the Djent/prog school of palm muted riffs, a few crunchy breakdowns and shredding solos that indicate a high level of virtuosity.
Grotesco Karma are more than a Djent band though, and it's more than a onena project too. Nikitas Mandolas adds the drums and George's co-writer is Mora Hecate who is in charge of the lyrics, vocal arrangements/improvisations, these are brought to life by Astraea Aetheros.
There's a very broad range of styles here, George orchestrating the whole album with strings as they bring in some Balkan/Traditional Greek music with the addition of Oud (Tasos Seremetis), Lyre (Hierotas) and Clarinet (Dennis Theodosis).
One man's vision, realised fully by his and others virtuosity. Grotesco Karma are a unique act from a very diverse metal scene. 8/10
Halocraft - The Sky Will Remember/To Leave A Single Wolf Alive (Self Released)
Giannitsa based post rock band Halocraft have been busy. Since their 2021 album they have written and recorded enough material to release two full albums back to back. They play experimental and exploratory post rock with a kaleidoscopic musical pallette that draws from Explosions In The Sky and God Is An Astronaut.
These two albums will have entering into a cinematic experience where the band base their music on ethereal post rock but also bring in some other elements that make it their own, yes there is a lot of content but because the music is instrumental, it flows easily, combing the songs into a panoramic soundscape of repeating guitar chords, a rhythmic bottom end and spacial moments of atmosphere.
As journey like as Naxatras but without the heavy psychadelic organs, both of these albums are worth your time as they do often launch into space rock but equally Halocraft are not retro. It's music that is forward thinking and prolific, but doesn't sacrifice quality for quantity. 7/10
From the galloping Tides Of Time which is where bassist Manos Karachalios and drummer Alexandros Adamopoulos can show their speedy chops though in the middle the tone shifts towards acoustic fireside lilting, this is where the Blind Guardian comparison is at it's strongest, as well as on The Wanderer where Panos Babilis becomes very like Hansi Kürsch, which is only a positive in my eyes.
Despite only being 7 minutes the shift in tone on this one makes it seem much broader in sonic scope. It's not the longest track though as both the Manowar-like Rhapsody XXII: The Eagle And The Lion and the moody Unholy Land where guitarist's Giorgos Machairas and Dimitris Sdralas are able to utilise electrics and acoustics, swaying between them with drama and power, the solos soaring over huge orchestral expanses.
Stygian Path don't show any fear with their music, performing a song in French, The Lorekeeper is an album that brilliantly showcases Stygian Path's storytelling metal. Love it! 9/10
Dragon Skull - Chaos Fire Vengeance (Eat Metal Records)
Big, muscular heavy metal from Greece, another from Eat Metal Records, this one again draws from a Germanic band but instead of Blind Guardian it's Grave Digger, alongside Omen and Grand Magus. Heavy power metal that has its roots strongly in the NWOBHM but with a bit more bombast.
Lyrically it's more battle metal, axes and broadswords lifted high to defeat the enemies of false metal. Riccardo Iacono of Moorcock inspired band Domine joining Dragonskull vocalist Argos Labos for a double dose of macho roaring. Argos' vocals on their own are great for this style of musclebound heavy metal though, booming and gruff similar to Joakim Brodén of Sabaton.
The band are made up of the rhythm section from George Voudouris (bass) and Theodore Stamatiadis (drums), cooking on gas the entire record from the galloping Brethren, the bouncy Dragon Rider and especially the marching Skull Crusher, they lay down a rock solid foundation for guitarists Panos Vlachopoulos and Christos Brintzikis to work with.
They provide some fist clenching riffs on War Drums then inject speed on Nampat and Shield Maiden with some of the good old widdly twin axe attack. Classic metal always sounds good to my ears and Dragon Skull follow up their EP with a great debut album. 8/10
Grotesco Karma - Devil's Menuet (Self Released)
Grotesco Karma are an Avant-Garde metal band born from the brain of George Constantine Kratsas, the Athens based guitarist has been plugging away at songs for a number of years and now they have been compiled as Devil's Menuet.
George is a guitar player and plays the bulk of the music on this record, his style is taken from the Djent/prog school of palm muted riffs, a few crunchy breakdowns and shredding solos that indicate a high level of virtuosity.
Grotesco Karma are more than a Djent band though, and it's more than a onena project too. Nikitas Mandolas adds the drums and George's co-writer is Mora Hecate who is in charge of the lyrics, vocal arrangements/improvisations, these are brought to life by Astraea Aetheros.
There's a very broad range of styles here, George orchestrating the whole album with strings as they bring in some Balkan/Traditional Greek music with the addition of Oud (Tasos Seremetis), Lyre (Hierotas) and Clarinet (Dennis Theodosis).
One man's vision, realised fully by his and others virtuosity. Grotesco Karma are a unique act from a very diverse metal scene. 8/10
Halocraft - The Sky Will Remember/To Leave A Single Wolf Alive (Self Released)
Giannitsa based post rock band Halocraft have been busy. Since their 2021 album they have written and recorded enough material to release two full albums back to back. They play experimental and exploratory post rock with a kaleidoscopic musical pallette that draws from Explosions In The Sky and God Is An Astronaut.
These two albums will have entering into a cinematic experience where the band base their music on ethereal post rock but also bring in some other elements that make it their own, yes there is a lot of content but because the music is instrumental, it flows easily, combing the songs into a panoramic soundscape of repeating guitar chords, a rhythmic bottom end and spacial moments of atmosphere.
As journey like as Naxatras but without the heavy psychadelic organs, both of these albums are worth your time as they do often launch into space rock but equally Halocraft are not retro. It's music that is forward thinking and prolific, but doesn't sacrifice quality for quantity. 7/10
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