Do you know a band, coming from Melbourne, Australia, named Shadow of Nyx? Well, it is time to check their strange name, since their symphonic power metal (with a progressive metal touch) is more than satisfactory, especially for the fans of the genre. “Melodis” is the band’s first official release, and I must say it is a collection of five songs, for which they should be very proud of. Produced and mixed by the renowned musician/producer Bob Katsionis, mastered by Nasos Nomikos, this debut EP is full of interesting music ideas and fine melodies, beautifully arranged in four songs plus an instrumental one. What makes me happy with this release? Apart from the aforementioned melodic hooks, I like very much Sarah Light’s warm voice and the catchy vocal lines, the whole, brilliant guitar work of Tim Goodman (especially the joyful solos), the incredible keyboards (atmospheres and solos) and of course, the way all these things are incorporated in every track of this EP. “Melodis” has no weak moment and will send you to the stars – listen for example to the title track, “No More Tears” and “War of Necessity”, it is a matter of time to get lost in this joyful maze! Shadow of Nyx have made a fantastic beginning with this EP, and promise even better things for the near future. I am sure that the Aussies will realize what they are saying with “Melodis”. This is how another female fronted metal adventure starts! Don’t you want to see/hear for yourselves?

♦ 7,5/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Helestios stand at the point, where death metal, black metal, doom metal, power metal and epic metal meet. Helestios belong to the new hopes of extreme metal, they arise as a new force in the world wide scene, a new force, which seems unstoppable and unbeatable. This band, which has its stronghold in the UK, was formed by Latvian vocalist/guitarist Henrijs Leja and Greek guitarist Stylianos Angelis in early 2020 and after a nice debut, “Your Pain Tastes Good”, they unleash their fury with a new album, “Road To Ecstasy”. This sophomore album looks like a well-kept secret, it’s like a hidden treasure in the fields of extreme metal, which features all the virtues of different music styles and nuances of metal. I believe that the basic ingredient of Helestios is their massive and sharp guitar riffs, which accompanied by a galloping, heavy as hell, rhythm section, create an incredible result. And if you add to all these the band’s groove and the dark atmospheres, you get remarkable, classy and irresistible songs, which stick to your mind! My personal favorites are “Sanctuary”, “Fight”, the title track and “Visions”, yet, all the songs of the album are brilliantly interesting! “Road To Ecstasy” takes us on a dreamy heavy metal ride, which proves adventurous and unforgettable. All you have to do is show your trust to the band and let these guys do their fine job. I am absolutely sure you will take this wonderful road, because ecstasy is already on the horizon!

♦ 8/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

Greek heavy/power metal band HellPass has come to the front with its debut album, “Gates of War”, and without exaggeration, I was taken by surprise! Because this album puts HellPass on the table of the contemporary heavy/power metal scene, including many really great moments of heavy/power metal grandeur! Let’s take things one by one. Firstly, HellPass has the skill to compose fine songs, which will be holding your interest from the first until the last note. Secondly, they give all their best for a successful result, they give their soul for a true, heartfelt outcome! And thirdly, they manage to create their personal style, musically speaking – of course, they cannot be 100% original, yes, they don’t avoid the clichés of the genre, however, they sound unique! So, HellPass has three important virtues – technique, feeling and character, which are wonderfully combined and lead us to a brilliant album, catchy, straightforward and passionate. “Gates of War” is ideal for all the fans of Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, Helloween, Manowar, Savatage, etc. and will satisfy everyone, who likes heavy, riffy, well-structured and well-arranged heavy/power metal. If I had to pick my favorite songs off this album, I would pick “Alter Nation”, “Burning Flags”, “Futura” and the title-track. The first full-length album of HellPass is the undeniable victory of a band, who knows what to do and how to do it. They aren’t reinventing the steel, but they give oxygen to their genre and can now look forward to much better days!

♦ 7,5/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos

If I had to describe The Mystery Plan with only some adjectives, I would say they are “mysterious, dreamy and adventurous”. These words set the soundscapes of The Mystery Plan and its new album “Haunted Organic Machines” and summarize the long content of this new release. However, words are so poor to describe music, especially when we are talking about The Mystery Plan and their musical efforts! “Haunted Organic Machines”, the band’s eighth full-length record, is a smorgasbord of different musical elements and styles, is a fusion of pop, electronica, dance music, lounge, ambient, psychedelia and space rock! I would dare to say that the songs of The Mystery Plan is the soundtrack of everyone’s dreams … Coming from North Carolina, The Mystery Plan compose music that takes us on various trips, write songs which mesmerize and hypnotize our mind. And mostly, they create hypnotic, dramatic and evocative atmospheres, where you drown peacefully. The sound production is superb and lets the artists express their selves musically and emotionally, in an album which has things to say and offer to the serious and demanding listener. I personally got into a psychedelic trip, with these songs as a time machine, which travelled me to the late 60s, then returned me to the contemporary music scene! Songs like “Big Bliss”, “Inner Space”, “Late Night” and the two versions of “What a Day” are a ascension to the stars of the night sky. Let the stars in the dark lead you to the big light.

- 8/10

Dimitris Zacharopoulos