READ SOME OF THE LATEST REVIEWS OF POWER/SPEED/ EPIC/PROGRESSIVE/DOOM/HEAVY/HARD ROCK CD'S
(As a start,I've included some older reviews published in Steel Conjuring #2
and received a 'Steel Conjuring Favorite' award,which means that if you
are into true metal then you should definitely buy them!)
Axehammer “Lord of the Realm”
Sentinel Steel-1998-CD
Axehammer is the pleasant surprise of this issue.One of the best CD’s with material from bands that have long before disbanded.Something worth mentioning is that Sentinel Steel
Records’ releases are a guarantee for great metal and I think that you should buy its releases without second thought. For more info about the past of Axehammer, check the interview featured in this issue.There’s a total of five tracks included in this CD plus 3 songs with slightly worse production from Axehammer’s demo tapes.Every song in this release is a killer one and only dissapointing moment in the whole CD(or should I say irritating) is the vocal solo of Bill Ramp,
at the end of ‘Lord of the Realm’(the title-track).But,all in all,Ramp’s vocals are really outstanding;a great blend of Eric Adams from Manowar and Biff Bruford from Saxon!No further words needed for this metal masterpiece,that has already become one of my favorite CD’s.Also,I should say that the opening riff of ‘Princess’ is exactly the same with the opening riff of ‘Unborn’ from the Greek true metal legends and one of the best bands of all time Crush(eternal hail!!!!).This CD is in the true sense of the word a ‘Steel Conjuring Favorite’. Available by:
Sentinel Steel Records,P.O. Box 123,Rockaway, NJ 07866,U.S.A. Phone/Fax:+973 691 5859
Manos Koufakis
Castle Well “Helpless”
Self-financed-1997-CD
My friends from Germany released one helluva album in 1997!11 heavy metal anthems that rank them among the best German metal bands and they surely deserve it after all those years of struggling in the underground.You can read the interview with Castle Well in this issue for
additional info about the band and its plans.If you haven’t added this jewel to your collection,
then I urge you to do it as soon as possible.Castle Well play German Metal with an Exxplorer
attitude,plus some pomp rock elements.I won’t give you any song favorites of the CD because
every composition stands on its own.Write to Castle Well at:
Frank Schrange,Weiherstrasse 39,D-61479, Schlosshorn,
e-mail:100325.2345@compuserve.com,
Web:http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mlottra/caswell.htm
Manos Koufakis
Custard “Kingdoms Of Your Life”
Point Music-1997-CD
Fantastic Teutonic Speed metal is what Custard deliver in this CD.Really the best CD of its kind this time(along with Drakkar). Imperiously vocals, guitars that spit incandescent steel
and speed solos and tight rhythm section.I don’t think there’s something more that you could
ask to like this album!Among the fast tracks of the record there’s a very sentimental ballad
that with its great melodies will surely be appreciated by all of you.I must note that in two
of the songs of the CD,the singer is the bass player of the band,Michael Maquardt(bass).If I
had to choose the best tracks of the album I would say: ‘Imprisoned’, ‘Kingdoms of your life’,‘Failed Mission’.
Costas Organopoulos
Dawn Of Winter “In The Valley Of Tears”
Iron Glory Records-1998-CD
Dawn of Winter are here to prove with their debut full length CD that to transmit sad feelings to the listener you don’t need to use female vocals,keyboards, violin or whatever. For those who don’t
know,Dawn of Winter is the band of Gerrit P. Mutz and Jorg M. Knittel,that play in Sacred Steel(Crusaders of the metal....faith). Pounding, monolithic doom metal songs influenced by the forefathers of doom(Black Sabbath) and posterior bands like Saint Vitus can be heard in this CD.Gerrit sings great and Jorg’s guitar spits heavy riffs.I’m certain that this release will satisfy even the most demanding fan of doom metal.Finally,here in Greece there are a lot of guys that criticize Sacred Steel and on this opportunity I’d like to say to those guys that they mustn’t have got the fact that the future
of metal can’t be based on the new elements mixed with it(though some of them are welcome), but in heavy metal itself!On true metal bands like Sacred Steel and Dawn of Winter.If they don’t like what these two bands play,they’d better follow other musical directions and stop stubbing the real bearers of heavy metal.Management and booking:
Mind Music,Postfach 662,71606 Ludwigsburg, Germany,Fax:+49(0)7141290123
Costas Organopoulos
Days of Yore “The Mad God’s Wage”
Thunder Production-1997-CD
Like a thunder came the debut of Days of Yore in 1997.What we have here is one of the most hopeful bands of our music.I believe that words are very poor and I would suggest to anyone that hasn’t heard them,to find by any means their CD in order to understand what I’m saying.If you already have it,then I’m sure that you’re feeling as I do.First of all,the packaging of ‘The Mad...’ is one of the best I’ve ever seen.Apart from the small CD-booklet,there’s an extra 36-page book decorated with excellent drawings,narrations and lyrics that enter you in the the dimension of this CD.Let’s get to the music of D.O.Y. which is as impressive as the CD packaging.Taking as a starting point the vocals,I would say that Jerome Parent is the first reason for D.O.Y. standing out of a great number of bands and that is because he sings in a very paranoid,malicious,stormy way and I can’t help but connect his voice to some of the evil creatures depicted in the booklet.The guitar work of Sylvain and Martin Giguere is the second reason for D.O.Y. originality.The listener is surrounded by storming,epic riffs and is whipped by super sonic melodic and weird solos that in combination with the vocals they created a nightmarish persecution atmosphere.The fact that bass and drums are computer programmed didn’t annoy me(only in a few parts maybe e.g. the beginning of ‘Clash at dawn’).Besides,the problem now is solved with the coming of two new members.I guess what the drummer has to come through in an impending D.O.Y. live show!!!The intros finally are well-done and they contribute their part to the concept.I think that this CD is an absolute necessity for most of you.I’m sure that in the future,D.O.Y. will drive us crazy with their next albums!HAIL!!!
Days Of Yore,1899 Michel,Thetford Mines, QC,Canada,G6G 3K8
Costas Organopoulos
Destiny’s End “Breathe Deep The Dark”
Metal Blade-1998-CD
‘PICK YOUR LIMBS FROM THE FLOOR YOU FUCKING POSERS!!!!!’, that’s what I
firstly shout when I listened to ‘Breathe Deep The Dark’ because Helstar are back!!!Yes, they’re back under a different name more ferocious than ever,a step beyond ‘Nosferatu’.Well,to avoid any corrections,Helstar still R.I.P. but Destiny’s End is a band that sounds so much like Helstar that makes you think that they come directly from the ashes of them.If we take into consideration the fact that James Rivera is the singer of Destiny’s End then I think that most metal fans will abandon their nostalgic trip to times when James screamed his guts out in songs like ‘Angel of Death’, ‘The King is Dead’, ‘Baptized in Blood’ etc.This album is strongly recommended or should I rephrase it:You are forced to buy this CD,unless you want to find yourselves pierced from one side to another with a heavy metal drill!‘Rebirth’,‘Breathe Deep The Dark’, ‘To Be Immortal’, ‘The Fortress Unvanquishable’, ‘Where do we go?’ are metal anthems that will be mentioned in the future playlists of the best metal songs of 1998.Is this review enthusiastic or not?Believe me I wasn’t bribed by Metal Blade to write all these things.I’m glad that Destiny’s End found the path to success that early.All they need is an equally great follow-up. They have what it takes to destroy the 70% of today’s bands,the sharp riffs,the outstanding vocals and a good budget to keep going.I can hardly wait to see:James Rivera,Dan De Lucie, Perry Grayson,Nardo Andi,Brian Craig playing in my country their metal hellfire.Destiny’s End is better than the simply good New Eden and I wish them good luck with their endeavors. Hammerfall and Dickinson?Sorry,I won’t take.Bring me a double Destiny’s End!
Contact:Destiny’s End,P.O. Box 1048,South Pasadena,CA 91030-1048,U.S.A.
e-mail:dan@destinysend.com
perry@destinysend.com.
brian@destinysend.com
Check the interview for the web adress of D.E. (he,he that’s a trick to make you read the interview).
Manos Koufakis
Embargo “The Red Tide”
ATM Records-1997-CD
Embargo came back with their third album in 1997,that has totally amazed me.It contains
9 speed compositions that are the definition of headbanging.Raging drums,great vocals,flowing
energetic riffs and steady bass comprise a vivid atmosphere that takes the listener by storm. These four Germans seem to have understood what speed metal is all about.In the future I’m sure that they will make us talk about them with the best words.When you find their CD grab it at once and I’m certain that their CD will declare an embargo to your hi-fi by not letting any other CD play in your CD player.I can hardly pick ‘The Red Tide’, ‘Find,hit and kill’, ‘My battle’, ‘Mighty’ as the best ones of the album.Contact adress:Christian Sauber,Talpromenade 10B, 90765,Furth,Germany
Costas Organopoulos
Grave Digger “Knights Of The Cross”
G.U.N.-1998-Picture Disc/CD
After the huge success of ‘Tunes of War’,Grave Digger come back and take our heads
with their new concept album,dealing with the fall of the battalions of Templars.Great
raging compositions with a great deal of choir parts and volumnosity guitar riffs,plus the
well-known vocals of Chris Boltendahl.Explain to me,is there something else that could
cover the demands of a power metal fan more than this album?Molten metal!!How else could
I characterise tracks like the title-tune, ‘Monks of War’, ‘Lionheart’ etc.This band delivers
lessons of how should true metal sound.Let’s note that the cover is majestic and that the digipack version of the CD contains a great cover of ‘Children of the grave’ from Black Sabbath.The
future of Grave Digger is very lucid as their next album is going to be conceptual again and is
going to be about the Trojan War.
Costas Organopoulos
Hellhound “Ice Age”
Maximum Metal-1998-CD
Probably,this is the best CD of 1998 to me.If you don’t have it,you’d better get it;if you have it, you’d better listen to it for the simple reason that it’s METAL ON METAL!!!Hellhound is not a new band.Actually,they don’t exist anymore and this CD is something like an anniversary release.They were formed in California in 1981(!!!)and disbanded in 1988.According to the booklet of the CD they were a very cult outfit
of the time,especially in speed metal circles.They put out one of the most legendary and promising speed metal demos, ‘Submit or die’.If it hadn’t been for this re-release I would never learn about the existence of the band,but I’m glad that this CD gave me the chance to know a truly talented and inspired maximum-early Exodus-like metal act.
The album features 12 tracks and it is absolutely recommended.The best track of 1998(though written way back) is the sacred metal anthem ‘From the Ruins of Yesterday(After The Ice Age)’.Those 5 guys kill!Really smart riffs, excellent rhythm changes and vocals that remind me of Baloff from Exodus.Sometimes big words are kind of pointless,let’s let the music talk! Leave the music press in its misery,presenting
the new album of Slayer or Pantera!Hellhound is ten times heavier than anything else I’ve heard lately.DIE POSERS DIE!!!Note:The cover artwork of ‘Ice Age’ is exactly the same with the cover of Magnum’s ‘Mirador’ and Trouble ‘In the beginning’(bootleg).What’s going on?!!!
Available by Hellion Records.
Manos Koufakis
InnerWish “Waiting For The Dawn”
NMC Music-1998-CD
I feel like complaining for the situation in Greek heavy metal.In the last issue of Steel
Conjuring we had interviewed five bands and now only three.And that’s not incidental,as most newcoming Greek metal bands are very average.Bad productions,lack of interest and the most important is that Greek bands have virtually stopped sending material to fanzines!Just check the interview of Four Seasons and you’ll understand what I’m saying. To put fuel to the fire,I must say that there is no Greek traditional heavy metal band in the entire Greek metal history with more than 2 CD’s out(Flames is the only exception,but they are a thrash band).This means a lot and mostly it shows that Greek bands don’t take their job quite seriously.I won’t be surprised if in the next issue
we have no Greek bands interviewed.And I think that the common excuses should stop
as there are other countries,Brazil for instance,that they have the same problems with
us if not worse!Some years earlier I thought that the Greek metal scene would be the
next big think after the German,Swedish and Italian ones but now I don’t think so.Thank
god there are outfits like Airged Lamh,Mystery, Sorrowful Winds,Clairvoyant,Reflection and
Powerdrops,Powercrue and of course InnerWish (and a dozen of other ones-I didn’t omit them
in purpose) that keep the metal flag high. ‘Waiting for the dawn’ is one of the best Greek
metal releases for years now and for sure a classic lyrical true heavy metal CD.The line-up
in the CD consists of 6 musicians while now there are only 4 left and the band is experiencing
member finding problems(once again indicative of the unpleasant situation in Greece).In W.F.T.D. there are 9 compositions that make me proud that I still support the Greek true metal scene. ‘Spacerunner’,‘Lord of Truth’, ‘Last thing I Remember’, ‘Carry your Cross’, ‘Ready for attack’(fucking heavy metal brilliance-classic-classic!!!!), ‘The Waves of Destiny’ and the title track are songs that even a great foreign metal band could hardly compose.The singer and main composer of InnerWish who sadly left the band is a real apocalypse in Greek heavy metal.One of the ten best Greek singers I’ve heard the last ten years.But I’d like to be strict towards InnerWish and tell them that if they don’t get back in action soon,they don’t deserve the good words and the support of the fanzines.Because they shouldn’t forget that there are some guys out there (including me) that anxiously await for their
next move.I have also seen InnerWish playing live once and I think they are great performers, although their drummer isn’t as good as it is needed for a heavy metal band with great potential.Also,you must bombardize InnerWish with letters and ask them to make a reprint of ‘Waiting for the Dawn’ since there aren’t any copies available(as they had pressed only 500) and that’s a shame!Come on guys don’t fail us like other bands did in the past.There’s no adress available(something very negative of course)
but here’s the adress of their company:
NMC Music,Korai 38,18345,Moshato, Athens, Greece,Tel/Fax:(00301)9414853
Manos Koufakis
Jacob’s Dream “Jacob’s Dream”
Self-financed-1996-CD
Get it while you can pals!!!PURE HEAVY/POWER METAL FROM OHIO. If the state Ohio doesn’t
ring a bell to you,then you must be newbies in heavy metal!This six- member-talented power metal act put out a tremendous release two years ago(that was re-issued).Listen to molten metal tracks like ‘The Violent Truth’ and ‘Raping of Innocense’ or tremendous ballads like ‘Sarah Williams’. You must have already read a lot of good comments on this CD,so there’s no need to write more about.One of the best self-financed CD’s of the last 5 years,featuring great compositions,superb musicianship and a fair production.The riffs of J.D. are deadly and they showed that they can move from slow-paced rhythm to thunderous like tracks with amazing easiness.Another classic CD of the nineties!
Jacob’s Dream,231 Eastcreek Dr.Galloway,Ohio 43119,U.S.A.
Manos Koufakis
MX “Super Hero”
Railroad Records-1994-CD
If you wonder why such an old CD is presented here,I have to say that it’s a quite unknown and obscure CD and with this review I hope to give you some extra info
about the past of MX.Well,‘Superhero’ is an 11-songer album and one of the latest of MX.At first I had listened to ‘Take me to your leader’ new CD from MX which I didn’t like and when I listened to ‘Superhero’ I didn’t pay the necessary attention and I jumped to the conclusion that it’s a very average album!But I was fucking wrong!‘Super Hero’ is great!Not only good but great and I think you should contact the band and order it at once!The Maiden-ish intro of ‘I am man’,the opening track of the CD,turns into a tremendous composition, with a great chorus. ‘Riding On the Edge’ follows and it’s one of my fave MX track. Actually,this CD touches perfection. There’s only one average song called ‘Little Miss Divine’ and I think that 10 very good songs out of 11 are enough to call this CD a metal classic.The last weeks I’ve been listening to it at least twice a week something that rarely
happens with CD’s! ‘Go for what you know’ is a track that only big bands can compose and it’s
probably my favorite from ‘Super Hero’.Contact the band at:MX Alien Abduction Fan Club,
P.O.Box 45473,Atlanta,Georgia,30320,U.S.A. e-mail:radical@inetnow.net
“Made of Metal and man I stand,created by the evil ones,Deathlords sent me through a portal of
time,I’ll destroy everyone,Got here with the Baron’s help,I’ll always live for Shroud,Fight against the Circle of Truth,My laughter is heard loud.”-Lyrics from ‘Scudface’
Manos Koufakis
October 31 “The Fire awaits You”
R.I.P. Records-1997-CD
My friend King Fowley formed October 31 a few years ago. Already known in the underground death metal circles with his band Deceased he decided to make a turn towards traditional heavy metal with ‘clear’ vocals and as a devoted fan of old-school obscure and mainstream heavy metal he created a classic U.S. metal devastator with many early Slayer elements.This is a definite ‘Steel Conjuring Favorite’ and the raging trio of October 31 destroys all the posers with compositions like ‘The Warlock’, ‘Salem’s Curse’, title-track,‘Lost City’(great Warlord like metal anthem), ‘Voyage To Infinity’, ‘A million Goodbyes’ and a raw,very heavy cover song of Witchkiller’s anthem ‘Day of the Saxons’,but here I agree with my friend Nick Varsamis and I would prefer ‘Riders of Doom’ or ‘Beg for Mercy’ getting covered.Well done King, Brian, Jim.U.S. heavy metal reigns supreme with vanguards like October 31,Skullview, Nightcrawler, Cauldron Born, Destiny’s End,etc. Go immediately and read the interview I had with King in this issue and check for yourselves that he is a metal maniac(and a devoted splatter/ horror freak!).Bye or Die in the ‘Lost City’!
Manos Koufakis
Powerdrops “Seven Feelings”
Self-financed-1998-CD
After two demos and a 7’’,Powerdrops put out their first CD that contains 7 real dynamites of inspired and energetic heavy metal. Based on German metal sounding bands, Powerdrops kick the balls of everyone who thinks that Greece exports only good black/death groups.The harsh vocals are very good and the 80’s sounding guitars and the concrete rhythm section lead to a chilling heavy metal rite.The production is very good as well as the booklet that comes with the CD.I hope Powerdrops in the future to keep amazing us with their albums.Contact the band-they are worth it!
P.P. Germanou 15,Nea Filadelfia 143 42,Athens
“WE HAVE TRUE METAL TO GUIDE OUR LIVES,OUR HEARTS KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT,
ALWAYS WE’LL STAND HIGH AND LOUD.”
Rhapsody “Emerald Sword”
LMP-1998-mini LP/mini CD
Before you die-hard metallers complain about the Steel Conjuring Favorite in ‘Emerald Sword’ read the following lines.Well,everyone that knows me well,is aware of my dislike towards overusage of keyboards in heavy metal,or
the reigning of keyboards over guitars and how negative I was towards the debut album of Rhapsody called ‘Legendary Tales’ which I haven’t listened to more than 7 or 8 times because I was mad that they completely violated
the original demo versions of songs like ‘Warrior of Ice’ and ‘Infernal Fury’ etc. and pumped them with keyboards.Also,I like better the first singer of Rhapsody than this one.Why am I saying all these things?Because I fucking like the new
first sample of the forthcoming album ‘Symphony of Enchanted Lands’.Isn’t it
strange?Some may say that it’s not heavy metal but a studio product destined for Top Tens and $$$.Ok,I won’t disagree but this doesn’t mean that the music isn’t great!!!It may not be heavy metal but it comes from the heavy metal
circles!Ok,I decided to put off the blinders myself and enjoy Rhapsody’s music and the talent of Alex Staropoli(keys) in composing great music.I can understand why metal fanzines are not too supportive to Rhapsody and that’s because they escaped too early the underground circles depriving the pleasure of being known
only among a few devoted metal fans.I can’t explain otherwise such reluctancy towards such divine music!All three tracks of ‘Emerald Sword’ are splendid compositions that for sure after a lot of years,when they will have surpassed the exiguity of a temporary situation they will be regarded as classic ones.Even ‘Land of Immortals’ (originally on their demo) is quite different than the demo version and I can’t say if it’s better or not but only that it’s different.Just that.I have listened to ‘Emerald Sword’ so many times and it’s already taken a place among my favorite picture discs of all time.And remember one thing:This review is made by someone who adores Satan’s Host,S.A. Slayer,Purgatory, Blacklist,Carnage,Sinister Angel,Have Mercy, Overlorde,Rellik,Hammerwitch etc. and I think this means a lot to those who know what is the musical style of those bands.The vinyl
is limited to 5000 copies(limited my ass!!!) and even if you don’t hurry you can get it!If the new album of Rhapsody is as good as this first sample,then we should be talking about one of the best albums of the decade.
Manos Koufakis
Skullview “Legends of Valor”
R.I.P. Records-1997-CD
Skullview kicked off in 1997 with this incredible CD called ‘Legends of Valor’.8 songs of tremendous strength are included in this CD. ‘BANG YOUR HEAD OR DIE’ is written at the back cover of the CD and it is true as if while listening to Skullview’s CD you don’t headbang, then you’re pitiful!I won’t describe how the instruments of Skullview sound but I will let the band members introduce themselves: “Earthquake” Quimby Lewis-vocal plague,Dean Tavernier-guitar fire,Dave Hillegonds-guitar violence,Joe Garavalla-Drum Assault and Peter Clemens-Bulldozer Bass.It’s been quite a long time since I last heard so tight,steel heavy metal played so powerfully.I dream of Skullview playing live and I’m going insane!HEADBANGERS WAR-A NIGHT OF METALKILL.SKULLVIEW POINT THE METAL SIGN UP HIGH FROM INDIANA,U.S.A. AND WE SALUTE THEM BY CRYING:HAIL CONQUERORS OF STEEL!!!
Skullview,c/o Dean Tavernier,P.O. Box 2364, Valparaiso Indiana 46383,U.S.A.
Costas Organopoulos
Slauter Xstroyes -3 Song Sampler from ‘Free the Beast’-
Monster Records-1998-CD
I’m not the appropriate person to review this CD,so you may doubt the validity of this review,but I don’t fucking care.In Steel Conjuring #1 we had presented, ‘Winterkill’,the debut album of this glorious Chicago
quartet and I literally deified it!Slauter Xstroyes is one of my favorite metal bands of all time.Their riffs can tear you apart,the structure of their songs is seminal,the guys play METAL WITH BALLS OF STEEL!What else do you need.This is a three song sampler from their forthcoming unreleased album ‘Free the Beast’, originally recorded in 1988.First song is ‘Free the beast’ and at maximum speed the nightmarish prologue turns into a metal thunder that
slits your throat in two.The opening riff is a killer and after that a flow of rhythm/riff changes follows and some of the most unexpected arrangements take you to the metal
heaven.My friend Dennis,must be very lucky having seen this band playing live!Anyway,
the next track is called ‘Blood in the streets’ and the ala ‘Silent Scream’(Slayer) intro transfigurates into another metal anthem.John Stewart is insane,he sings as if he has
witnessed the end of the world,he tries to battle all the other instruments of the band and
in the end he stays alive for the third and final(unfortunately) blow called ‘Metal’s no sin’.
I will give you two marbles about the song:i)it lasts 10 minutes,which means ten full minutes
of Slauter metal mania,ii)it’s heavy as all the members of Crowbar!‘Free the beast’ CD will be
out shortly.Drop me a line at my adress or contact Monster Records(see advertisement or last page) if you’re interested in a copy of that forthcoming CD.And to clear out something, Slauter Xstroyes is a band that is going to be hated by the majority of Stratovarious, Nevermore,etc. fans for the simple reason that they play brutal,genuine,100% male metal and not merry tunes for birthday parties or ‘cool’ metal clubs........to paraphrase Slauter themselves I must also say that they managed to create an imaginary city in my mind,not made of wood,but made of HEAVY METAL STEEL!!!!!
Buy or fucking die!
Manos “Lost in the City of Sirtel” Koufakis
Steel Assassin “From the vaults”
Self-Financed-1998-CD
GET YOUR FUCKING HEADS BANGING!!!!I just finished listening to “From the vaults” for 10000.....th time! If you love
true epic bombastic kick-ass metal then you’d better hurry and send your cash to Phil Grasso,ex-bass player of Steel Assassin and now leader of Madd Hunter.This album is a masterpiece, comprised of songs previously unreleased (except ‘Executioner’ which was featured in Metal Massacre VI compilation) and ranks
among my top Cds of all time.What should I mention first?The unbeatable imposing vocals of Doni Escolas or the sharp as blades of steel riffs of Kevin Curran and Mike Mooney?The bass of Grasso hits you in the head and the drum playing of Michaelowski is precise and heavy as needed. In some songs the bass is handled by Steve
Bunker,a necessary mention for info hunters.The tracks that send me to a metal hell everytime I listen to them are ‘Spartacus’ (ultimate
epic/steel masterpiece!!!!!), ‘Cobra’(not the average Stallone film,but a metal purgatory with an oriental intro),‘Falling Steel’(Major Warning:
every song witht the word ‘Steel’ in its title is a ripper-guaranteed!),‘Demon Hell rogues’(speed metal assault),‘Heavy Metal Soldiers’ and of course ‘Executioner’.Steel Assassin had everything to become the best:The rage of Purgatory,the displacement of Nuthin Pritty,the riffs of S.A. Slayer.RAISE YOUR SWORDS AND PREPARE FOR BATTLE!!!!
Available by G.M.E.-look last page.
P.S.I don’t give a fuck about Metallica,new Iron Maiden,Stratovarious,Nevermore,Dream Theater and other ‘Super Market’ bands.I can live the rest of my life with bands like Steel Assassin(R.I.P.) ‘cause STEEL IS ALL I NEED!
Manos Koufakis
Syris “Unseen Forces”
a-b-s Records-1998-CD
One of the ten best metal shredders of 1998 is for sure this CD.Syris is a 4-member US power metal band that 2 years ago released its debut called ‘Syris’. Unfortunately, the
band suffered the loss of one of its main composers,Scott Payne(R.I.P.)’Unseen Forces’ is definitely an album that will please Scott from ‘up there’ where he is watching his mates doing their best.The sound of Syris has hardened a lot more since their self-titled debut and now every track of U.F. is more raw,direct and thunderous!Syris have accumulated a lot of Mercyful Fate parts that are evident in tracks like ‘Angry at the world’ and ‘Broken Soul’(especially the beginning of that song is like ‘Melissa’) and they also came up with a killer-production that balances between agressiveness and heaviness. The lyrics of Syris are well-made and I really enjoy tracks like ‘Unseen Forces’ and ‘Last Reign’ which combine perfectly great lyrics and strong feelings.Each one of the eleven songs of U.F. is more than good and I really headbang every time I listen to it.I only advise the band one thing:Do not become agressive because your sound is already one breath far from agressiveness.I hope to see you keeping on the metal path and not end up like Nevermore.For the rest of you reading this review,go and get this CD,because you won’t hear many bands composing tracks like ‘Captured’ and ‘Intruder’. Well-done Syris!
Contact:Crazy Life Music,P.O. Box 22 02 11,45067,Essen,Germany.
Internet:http://www.clm.de
e-mail:record@clm.de
Manos Koufakis
The Lord Weird Slough Feg
“Twilight of The Idols”
Doomed Planet Records-1998-LP(The CD version is expected soon by another label)
That’s It!Not the German metal mag,but the new/ 2nd release of the Celtic/folk
metallers from U.S.A. My friend Rob Preston dared to put it out on vinyl and he did very well!FUCK OFF CD’s!VINYL RULES!The cover of ‘Twilight of the Idols’ is very strange and reminds me of a still of an old adventure game called ‘Monkey Island’,ha,ha.The back cover is excellent with the weird usage of colors giving a special dark tone to the drawing.For more info about T.L.W.S.F. you can read the interview with them in this issue.The vinyl has turned to leaking liquid from the constant playing and my turntable started complaining as for quite a long period it played the same sides of the same album!Well,let’s get serious,I doubt it whether T.L.W.S.F. will be welcomed by the majority of metal fans and that is because every composition of the album is very idiosyncratic. As a first conclusion,after having listened to the LP a lot of times,I would make that it is obviously better than their debut,with superior production and one of the most obscure and successful cover-tunes of all time.T.L.W.S.F. covered ‘Wizard’s Vengeance’ from Legend,a legendary U.S. cult epic hard rock band that in 1979 put out a self-financed album called ‘From the Fjords’ and today it’s completely dissapeared and only if you have a lot bucks or big ass-luck you can get it!To be honest,I can’t say that there’s a single band that could make a better cover than the magic/divine original track but it’s more than true that the frenzied trio did an outstanding cover and indirectly allied with October 31 and other bands that are opposed to playing covers of well-known songs.Don’t you get it?We are fed up with Iron Maiden,Saxon, Purple,Sabbath covers! Play something else! Thank god there are bands like T.L.W.S.F. that show the way and become a band quite ahead of its time that is going to be hated,backstubbed, laughed at but all these are very common for pioneers.Insane vocal lines,exciting rhythm section,precise guitar work and original compositions (Brocas Helm meet Thin Lizzy while Jethro Tull pass by) like ‘Brave Conor Mac’, ‘Highlander’, ‘The Wickerman’ (my favorite from the album), ‘Bi-polar Ice Wars’ etc.This album is a clenched fist against the establishment of the ‘big’ record labels and stupid silly Stratovarious type bands and furthermore it’s a step beyond for U.S. metal that displays its teeth to its antagonists.This album is not offered for modest reviews,you will either love it or hate it.It is available by the adress of
Doomed Planet Records,look advertisement, and to contact the band see the end of the interview where there’s the adress written.
Manos Koufakis
Veni Domine “Spiritual Wasteland”
Metal Massacre-1998-CD
Veni Domine is one of my favorite bands that came out the last years.After the divine ‘Material
Sanctuary’ in 1995 and the re-issue of ‘Fall babylon fall’, ‘Spiritual Wasteland’ finally arrived!Having listened to their first two albums,my expectations for this CD were great.At first,when I listened to it,I didn’t much like it but I kept listening to it because that is what had happened with the first two also.So,after a while I came to the point to listen to this CD unstoppably.It’s true that you need to listen to it a lot of times to understand the aesthetic of Veni Domine.I would describe their style as doom metal ala Veni Domine.Scary, solemn atmosphere dominates this album for 61 minutes that this CD lasts.The vocals of Fredric make me say once again that he is one of the best singers I’ve ever listened to.The drums are great, with that particular Veni Domine sound and the keyboards are nightmarish.The guitars still play a starring role in V.D. music and all these
things lead me to the conclusion that this CD is another personal favorite just like their 2 previous efforts.I should also note that the Wahlquist brothers produced this CD.
Costas Organopoulos
