The Magus is a bit of lengeend in the Greek extreme metal scene, we’ve covered all this before, on previous album ΒΥΣΣΟΔΟΜΩΝΤΑΣ, but he co-founded Necromantia and was also a member of Rotting Christ, so two out of ‘Big Three’ of Hellenic Black Metal ain’t bad as they say.
After the death of his Necromantia co-founder Baron Blood in 2019, he formed his solo project The Magus as an extension of the Lucifer praising, anti-dogmatic scene he has been a part of his entire career. The Magus himself takes vocals and bass here joined by long time conspirators El on guitars and Maelstrom on drums.
Daemonosophia represents a “journey into demonhood” strongly influenced by the Infernal Triptychon, it’s the idea so six is three is one, united under one unholy union in direct opposition to the trinity of the Christian faith.
Daemonosophia represents a “journey into demonhood” strongly influenced by the Infernal Triptychon, it’s the idea so six is three is one, united under one unholy union in direct opposition to the trinity of the Christian faith.
Unless you’re really into this stuff and subscribe to Crowley et al then I guess it would all be an ecumenical matter, but be aware The Magus take this seriously and like the Christian metal bands out there, the conviction on the other side is just as strong. It’s these beliefs that brings out the theatrical/devotional side of the band allowing them to go into broader styles than just black metal.
So a record rich in Satanic and occult teachings, played by genre leaders as a follow up to an already well received debut? Daemonosophia is going to be good right? Yes if you’re a Hellenic Black Metal fan you’re going to love this record, however it’s more than just black metal, these are occult soundscapes, diverse in stature but still potent.
So a record rich in Satanic and occult teachings, played by genre leaders as a follow up to an already well received debut? Daemonosophia is going to be good right? Yes if you’re a Hellenic Black Metal fan you’re going to love this record, however it’s more than just black metal, these are occult soundscapes, diverse in stature but still potent.
From gothic haunting female vocals on the title track or the macabre vaudeville of La Llorona Negra, to the glacial creep of The Era Of Lucifer Rising, which is a reimagining of a Thou Art Lord song, there’s depth to the record beside the ferocious blasts of black metal. These are still there on such as Pseudoprophetae or the more melodic Magia Obscura through to chuggy blackened death of The Chapel Of Iniquities, but even they feature layers of musicality over raw nastiness.
The Magus returns with more sermons to Mephistopheles, a grand conjuring, through cinematic framing, Daemonosophia will have you embracing your inner demon. 9/10
Sneaky Mustard - This Will Explain Everything (Self Released)
Sneaky Mustard are a Groove Alt/Prog metal band from Athens. They live by the motto of "weird riffs, big choruses” and there are plenty of those on their debut full length This Will Explain Everything. They've released an EP on 2018 but after a long time they finally show what they can do for more than five tracks.
On this album the foursome of Nikos (guitar), Stamatis (vocals), Dimitris (bass) and Manolis (drums) play music where virtuosity and left field sound merge with heavy grooves, they're compared to the likes of Tool, Audioslave and Nothing But Thieves and this eclectic collection of influences mirrors the myriad of sounds they use in their music.
Be it grunge/alt rock tones, math rock oddness, prog metal and even just some good old riffs Sneaky Mustard mange to lasso all of these things into one place adding a few curve balls for anyone who gets too comfortable. From the stop start opening of Full Thrust that wanders into some dreamy psych meets garage rock, Sneaky Mustard starting as they mean to go on with music that makes you never take anything for granted.
The slickness of the production and in particular the vocals gives them quite an American sound which is where they pitching their music, there's some QOTSA on AM Calls and the woozy All We Are Is What We Are, moving into ambient post rock on Scathel3ss while Aftermath is a fit for radio with it's emotional sound of pop.
On This Will Explain Everything, Sneaky Mustard deliver some very weird riffs and big choruses, just like they promise. If groovy alt progging is what you get down with then don't let them sneak by. 8/10
AmongRuins - Advent Of Chaos (Theogonia Records)
AmongRuins are another entry into the ever growing list of Greek bands playing Melodeath. With Nightfall and Nightrage the genre leaders, AmongRuins draw from bands such as Insomnium, Wolfchant and others, merging dark aggressive styles with brighter melodic elements.
The Magus returns with more sermons to Mephistopheles, a grand conjuring, through cinematic framing, Daemonosophia will have you embracing your inner demon. 9/10
Sneaky Mustard - This Will Explain Everything (Self Released)
Sneaky Mustard are a Groove Alt/Prog metal band from Athens. They live by the motto of "weird riffs, big choruses” and there are plenty of those on their debut full length This Will Explain Everything. They've released an EP on 2018 but after a long time they finally show what they can do for more than five tracks.
On this album the foursome of Nikos (guitar), Stamatis (vocals), Dimitris (bass) and Manolis (drums) play music where virtuosity and left field sound merge with heavy grooves, they're compared to the likes of Tool, Audioslave and Nothing But Thieves and this eclectic collection of influences mirrors the myriad of sounds they use in their music.
Be it grunge/alt rock tones, math rock oddness, prog metal and even just some good old riffs Sneaky Mustard mange to lasso all of these things into one place adding a few curve balls for anyone who gets too comfortable. From the stop start opening of Full Thrust that wanders into some dreamy psych meets garage rock, Sneaky Mustard starting as they mean to go on with music that makes you never take anything for granted.
The slickness of the production and in particular the vocals gives them quite an American sound which is where they pitching their music, there's some QOTSA on AM Calls and the woozy All We Are Is What We Are, moving into ambient post rock on Scathel3ss while Aftermath is a fit for radio with it's emotional sound of pop.
On This Will Explain Everything, Sneaky Mustard deliver some very weird riffs and big choruses, just like they promise. If groovy alt progging is what you get down with then don't let them sneak by. 8/10
AmongRuins - Advent Of Chaos (Theogonia Records)
AmongRuins are another entry into the ever growing list of Greek bands playing Melodeath. With Nightfall and Nightrage the genre leaders, AmongRuins draw from bands such as Insomnium, Wolfchant and others, merging dark aggressive styles with brighter melodic elements.
They follow up Land Of The Black Sun with new record Advent Of Chaos, refining what they do as a band to create songs that really display their talent as a band. AmongRuins call Advent Of Chaos a "dark, cinematic journey through loss, rage, and transcendence" so by bringing in Christos Mitros on keys, they are able to give these songs the extra gravitas they are trying to achieve.
From the first moments of Frozen To The Core, you can hear that AmongRuins are band who want to prove that they can hang with the big boys. That first track is a slow burner, the clean atmospheric guitars leading to chugging riffs and guttural vocals as orchestrations crest in the background. The keys playing vital role in the increasing competition between the blistering death blasts of A Symphony Of Loss and Chained and clean melodies that come in the solo sections that come on Red Divine and the modern heaviness of Night Mother.
There are more guests with George Prokopiou (Mother Of Millions/Poem) adding vocals to the dramatic Open Wounds, where AmongRuins go further down the prog path, which they can do with relative ease. While Christianna of Elysion joins on Into The Flame, blurring the lines between Melodeath and the symphonic/power metal sound. Both singers countering each other and merging well and adding to the already excellent vocals of AmongRuins.
From the first moments of Frozen To The Core, you can hear that AmongRuins are band who want to prove that they can hang with the big boys. That first track is a slow burner, the clean atmospheric guitars leading to chugging riffs and guttural vocals as orchestrations crest in the background. The keys playing vital role in the increasing competition between the blistering death blasts of A Symphony Of Loss and Chained and clean melodies that come in the solo sections that come on Red Divine and the modern heaviness of Night Mother.
There are more guests with George Prokopiou (Mother Of Millions/Poem) adding vocals to the dramatic Open Wounds, where AmongRuins go further down the prog path, which they can do with relative ease. While Christianna of Elysion joins on Into The Flame, blurring the lines between Melodeath and the symphonic/power metal sound. Both singers countering each other and merging well and adding to the already excellent vocals of AmongRuins.
If a style of melodeath where they don’t always follow the rules but respect their influences sounds like a bit of you then I suggest welcoming the Advent Of Chaos. 8/10
Leatherhead - Violent Horror Stories (No Remorse Records)
Mercyful Fate, Overkill, Helstar and early Queensryche, Greeks Leatherhead owe a lot to these bands. With Violent Horror Stories they take lyrical inspiration from 80's schlock B-Movies and Video Nasties, framing them with some razor sharp speed metal.
Signed to No Remorse Records this is the second full length album from Leatherhead and while they don't mess with the formula too much of their debut album and their EP, they double down on the aggression here fitting the horror metal sound, Dreamcatcher for instance begins with a creeping bass before the frantic gallops kick in to a constantly shifting rhythm.
Through screaming vocals, plenty of rough and ready, gallops and drum beats along with dive bomb happy guitars, Leatherhead rip through Thrashers such as Summoning The Dead and Incubus while Children Of The Beast and Something Evil (This Way Comes) has a flair for the dramatic, the hope theming strongest here.
Clean the head of your VCR, put it in and press play, these are Leatherhead's Violent Horror Stories. 7/10
Leatherhead - Violent Horror Stories (No Remorse Records)
Mercyful Fate, Overkill, Helstar and early Queensryche, Greeks Leatherhead owe a lot to these bands. With Violent Horror Stories they take lyrical inspiration from 80's schlock B-Movies and Video Nasties, framing them with some razor sharp speed metal.
Signed to No Remorse Records this is the second full length album from Leatherhead and while they don't mess with the formula too much of their debut album and their EP, they double down on the aggression here fitting the horror metal sound, Dreamcatcher for instance begins with a creeping bass before the frantic gallops kick in to a constantly shifting rhythm.
Through screaming vocals, plenty of rough and ready, gallops and drum beats along with dive bomb happy guitars, Leatherhead rip through Thrashers such as Summoning The Dead and Incubus while Children Of The Beast and Something Evil (This Way Comes) has a flair for the dramatic, the hope theming strongest here.
Clean the head of your VCR, put it in and press play, these are Leatherhead's Violent Horror Stories. 7/10
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