SLEASZY RIDER'S 1ST METAL FESTIVAL – OBSECRATION, SNOWBLIND, WOMB OF MAGGOTS, HELLFIRE

The new year entered with a very interesting festival in Athens that was held by Sleaszy Rider records, a new label from Greece which has already signed many new bands and also older ones. 7 bands were ready to welcome a grand heavy year! The chance for everyone to watch 7 bands live, the low price of the ticket and the cd that was offered along with the ticket were the main factors that leaded everyone to An club.

There was no delay and Hedon Cries hit the stage starting a long night full of heavy metal and beers! The band performed 5 songs (one was a cover to Paradise Lost's – Embers Fire) and their performance was more than a warm-up. With good sound in their side Hedon Cries filled the place with their melodies which other times remind of Dark Tranquility and others of My Dying Bride. They are one of the very few Greek bands who have this sound. It is really hard to have (good) influences from My Dying Bride. They left the stage have impressed the fans and especially their singer with his tremendous vocals.

5 minutes later Diva Noctua Entropia followed. The band is into black metal and the producer of their debut album will be Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ. Their style is into Norwegian black metal the Emperor style with vocal which remind me of Cradle Of Filth. They had good and interesting ideas but the fact that their songs were long in time (not suitable for a live show) and that they need to fill better their ideas was a disadvantage for them. Nevertheless, the audience paid attention during their show and seemed to be satisfied.

The next band, Sound Of Silence, is an old progressive/power Greek metal band which had released only a demo back in 1993 that had sold over 2.000 items!!! I had not the chance to listen to them before and during their show I was amazed! A great band with excellent musicians who performed excellent music! Most of us were looking their bass player all the time who was like teaching bass guitar… Very stable as a band with a sound that was very good again they managed to excite all of us. Highlight of their performance was the excellent cover to “A Touch Of Evil” (don't ask me from which band…). I think we should all wait for their album which is about to be released soon.

Welcome to the thrash zone! Hellfire is one of my favorite Greek thrash metal bands and I think they will be a greater name in the future. Unfortunately they had some problems with their second and the result was that the one guitar was down. So, with only one guitar actually, they spread their thrash dynamites! If I remember well 4 or 5 songs from their debut album “The birth of the nuclear age” and a cover to “Angel Of Death” which was pretty good. My only instance is that they didn't perform “Crystal Age” from their same titled demo! They left the stage and everybody was satisfied I think except their one guitarist…

It was Womb Of Maggots' turn to show us their skills! The band had just released their debut album and what is noticed is their weird sound. They have influences from many metal genres and this is positive and negative too for them. Personally I am not satisfied at all with their performance. They had changes many parts of their music because the could not play some electronic sounds there are in the album and what I really think they should change is their drummer. She ( yes she!!!) does not have the demanding skills for the band's music I think and that was obvious in their appearance. They had problems with the sound too but in general they managed to excite us in some moments like the “Orgasmatron” cover. I expect to see them more improved next time.

As their set came to an end it was the time for Snowblind to enter the stage. Their music is into classic heavy metal and they were very tight as a band. The sound was good this time but what didn't sound well to my ears was the vocals. They are in the way that either you adore them either you hate them. I am into the second one! They played many songs from their debut album, which is the first album Sleaszy Rider released, and a cover to “Thor” of Manowar. As I said, their music is fine but I dislike their vocals. Sorry guys, but this is my opinion. But I think that whoever likes classic metal should listen to them because they may like the vocals.

Anyway! It was time for the headliners of the festival. One of the oldest Greek bands with cult releases of the past… Obsecration. The band is into death metal the American way with many brutal parts. While they were playing their songs many people were banging their heads all over the club and with sound help them a lot they managed to play very well. I think they deserved the headliner position in the billing. Extreme death metal with a very good drummer and great vocals. The festival has reached to its end and we all were happy for this great heavy metal night that had just began as we walked towards a metal club for beers and even more metal…