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WAMPYRINACHT - "The Cloven Hoof" mini-lp, limited edition (500 copies)
WAMPYRINACHT is a side project of VORPHALACK. All three members of VORPHALACK is in and also Lucifers Child. I think they have one demo ("Darkest Sunset") out before and this is their debut-lp and what a debut? This is good. Really good I must say. The music style is some kind of oldschool black metal with two lead vocalists both growling and singing more normal. On some points it reminds me of SODOM, but I'm not sure? This is quite original. The nice thing about that all members from VORPHALACK is here is that you know that yopu get really well performed music. And this is no exception. After a quite long intro the first metal song starts, and it kills. A lot of cool solos, riffs and melodies both by Necrolord and the ex-member Aragorn, Cool vocal parts by Count Stracht and Lucifers Child, Awesome keyboard parts and female vocals. This is really some times quite slow music but in so depressive mood that you want to go and hide. But sometimes the drums speed up totally to max and blasts as hell. The really cool stuff of this lp is the many moods that are expressed through the music like the totally excellent clean vocal parts in "The Cup of Immortality". The mini-lp contains the intro and four killer black metal masterpieces. This is a release from Melancholy Promotion and the design and package is really good with lyric inlay and info about the songs. This is a realese that I think that every metaller should own. Buy now!!!

Sum Up: 4.5


FIENDISH NYMPH - "The Sibyl of Elikona" 7" vinyl single
It was a while since I heard something from FIENDISH NYMPH and this ep comes as nice surprise. This ep contains two songs which I can't say which is the best one of them. The first one, "The Drowning of Syring" is a really nice black metal tune with good music, whispers and their famous black metal screams of agony. Also of course there are the faboulous female vocals. Side B starts with the title track which follows in the same vein as the first with keyboards and all the stuff. This song also has more female vocals and spoken parts and the even more ancient hellenic feeling with the slow parts which are played with ancient instruments (or keyboards using that sound anyway) and these parts are so fucking good and atmospheric. If you have heard their side project DAIMONIA NYMPHI you know what I'm talking about because that lp follow that same ancient feeling that the slow parts of this ep. The package and design is really good with good layout and glossy paper and lyrics inlay card. I think that this is released by the German label Solstitium Records and the sound quality and mix is superb.

Sum Up: 4.6


MACABRE OMEN/GODBLOOD - "The Waltz of the.../A Funeral" split 7"
This is a release from 1998 I think from MACABRE OMEN's label Daimonion Productions. Ok the Rhodian black metallers MACABRE OMEN is first out on this ep with the song "The Waltz of the Nereids, of the Dryads, of the Nymphs" and it's quite nice with good chord changes and nice melodies. However some of the riffs seems to be too hard to play for MACABRE OMEN so they sometimes come out of beat. But overall this song gives a nice impression and atmosphere and after the little piano outro you really want to hear more. The sound quality is not so good especially the guitar sound is too much distortion pedal and too little amplifier. Also the programmed drums are too low in the mix sadly.
On side B the Cypriotic black metal band GODBLOOD kicks off with their thrash-black attack "A Funeral". This song was later re-recorded and released on their debut cd too. This version feels more aggressive but not as good as on the cd. Not as well played and maybe one of the guitars are a little out of tune too, but that's only charming. This song is a killer with excellent riffs and evil vocals. The production on this song is better than the MACABRE OMEN song but still nothing special. The layout and design are both ok.

Sum Up: 3.5


VORPHALACK - "Under the Sight of Dragon" 7" vinyl single
This a really old release but I think it's so good so I have to review it here. This is the first official release of the now legendary black metal band VORPHALACK. Released in 1992 through Molon Lave records this is a true classic. The ep contains of two tracks, "Hall of Death", opens with with clean guitars followed by the midtempo black metal of VORPHALACK. This song has so many good thrash black metal riffs and the right atmosphere that make you shiver of lust. And a really cool heavy metal solo too. The other song "Obsessed" is also a great black/death metal song which starts off with a great keyboard organ intro which later turns into heavy death metal riffs and growling vocals. All musicians that were on this recording except Lord Alatoth is now out of the band. But I really like the musicians on this 7". Especially the guitarist Than who totally kills. Maybe the best guitarist that Vorphalack ever had, if youre not counting todays awesome guitarist Necrolord. The sound quality on "Under the sight of Dragon" is ok in despite that it was recorded in Greece in 1992. And the package design is nice with a nice drawn picture of a dragon and sorcerer....

Sum Up: 4.3


INVOCATION/MEDIEVAL DEMON - "Homonymous/Night of the Infernal Lords" split 7"
This a split seven inch with INVOCATION and MEDIEVAL DEMON. INVOCATION is first out with their "Shadow over Innsmouth" which has a great intro riff followed by also good music. On this song the vocals are more in a death metal vein than what Iīve heard from this outfit. Also there is good keyboards whirling over the guitars. And some riffs are galopping like old-school Maiden, really cool. Overall this is a really good song.
On the other side MEDIEVAL DEMON starts off with the title-track "Night of Infernal Lords". And this is good, primitive black metal the way I like it: Buzzing guitars sounding like angry beeīs, simple structure, simple keyboards, oldschool drumming and real grim vocals. Their second song is a synth/keyboard affair which is quite good but it doesnīt really fit on this black metal 7". Overall a good seven inch with two of the best underground outfits of Hellas today. Buy!

Sum Up: 3.9


"Beyond the Grave" compilation LP
This is a compilation LP that was put together at the guys at DARK SIDE RECS. The twelve inch includes both death and black metal bands and has quite good production. The first songs are quite lousy death metal and it isnīt before NORDORīs "Inside the Clouds" is on that you wake up. NORDOR has always released quality music and this is no exception, good work. Next song is "Fallen Temple" by REGENT, and I canīt say itīs great but itīs interesting anyway with furious speed and cool breaks. The last song on side A is DEFAULTERīs "Land of Prophecies" and this is one cool song with a clean guitar intro followed by great melodies and riffing, cool vocals too. Side B starts off with the reknown group DEVISER who here performs "Consumed by Darkness". Cool keyboard intro followed by powerful black metal music and vocals. Good song. Next song that is interesting on this side is CHAINED AND DESPERATEīs selftitled song which has soft though heavy music. Iīve always liked CHAINED AND DESPERATE because they perform quality and honest music. The last song is really boring with bad mixing crappy sound. So "Beyond the Grave" maybe isnīt the best compilation but it has itīs highlights which is good. My tip for everyone is to first look up the "Ancient Tragedy īzine"īs Compilation tapes which is always cheaper. A plus to "Beyond..." is that they realeased it on LP. DO NOT SUPPORT THE DEATH OF VINYL!

Sum Up: 2.5

Contact: Nick Spetzos P.O. BOX 807 38, 18510, Piraeus, GREECE


ROTTING CHRIST - "The Mystical Meeting" 10" maxi single on picture disc vinyl
This is a quite recent release from the Kings of Black Metal. And itīs a good one. On side A thereīs three covers with especially one thatīs standing out; KREATORīs "Flag of Hate". Itīs an excellent cover where they succesfully add a more rotting feeling to the classic. Also last song "Pleasure to Kill" is great. On the other side thereīs two Rotting Christ songs. First out is the awesome "Visions of the Dead Lover" which is a brutal black metal symphony the classic RC way with a lot of keyboards and riffs that only RC can make out. The second song is the classic "The Mystical Meeting" from the "Passage to Arcturo" EP. And what can you say about this. Itīs a classic song from a classic album and this version is even better than the "Passage..." one. But I guess thatīs quetion of taste. This 10" is a must for every greek metaller around and the fact that is on pictured vinyl doesnīt make it worse. In fact I think itīs one of the most beautiful picture discs ever. This is a must BUY!

Sum Up: 4.4


ETHEREAL - "Dominion" 10" maxi single limited edition vinyl (300 copies)
So this is ETHEREAL. Iīve heard promising words about this group so when I heard this was rather dissapointed. Bad production and quite boring music with a few exceptions as the bridge in "A Gathering Nocturnal" which is cool actually and the instrumental songs are OK. But the coolest about this release is the techno/industry/metal song "Individual" it is really great. If they started playing songs like "Individual" out on the clubs even I maybe dared to dance. I think ETHEREAL are one of those "like them or leave them" kind of group and unfortunately I belong to the latter group.

Sum Up: 2.0