Eldritch stand among the most iconic bands in the Italian prog/power metal scene, with masterpieces like “Seeds of Rage”, “Headquake” and “El Niño” marking their legacy. Unfortunately, in recent years, they haven’t quite managed to recapture the artistic triumphs of their earlier days.
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying they’ve become a shadow of their former selves, but they’re certainly far from the golden days of the ’90s and early ’00s. To make matters more complicated, they no longer have the one and only Terence Holler behind the microphone.
Under these circumstances, the Italian prog/power metallers visited Greece a few days ago for a short tour, kicking things off in Athens. Myth of Rock, eager to catch Eldritch live once again, attended their Athenian show. After all, it was only right to pay tribute to those glory days when we used to listen to bands like Eldritch, Vision Divine, Athena, Labyrinth, Rhapsody, and others. Besides, the mere presence of Eugene Simone (guitar) and Oleg Smirnoff (keyboards) on stage was more than enough reason to head to An Club that Friday night.
We arrived early at the basement venue in Exarchia, where two Greek bands — Negative Contrast and Herta — were set to open the night. I hadn’t seen either of them live before.
First up were Negative Contrast, who hit the stage with great energy and confidence. It was my first encounter with their music, and I must say, I really liked what I heard. They played with passion, intensity and drive, drawing us into their unique, atmospheric world. The vocalist, in particular, gave an outstanding performance, showcasing an impressive range and vocal power. Their alt/post/prog metal sound definitely requires some attentive listening, but I’m sure it will reward anyone who gives it the time it deserves. A very engaging half-hour set!
It was time for the second support act of the night — Herta. Formed in 2022, Herta are a groove metal band fronted by Konstantinos Togas (vocals, Nightrage). Despite being a relatively new act, they’ve already built a solid reputation, thanks in part to their impressive debut album “Crossing the Illusion”.
Their performance at An Club that night was absolutely electrifying. Razor-sharp riffs, crushing grooves, a thunderous rhythm section, and fierce vocals defined Herta’s assault — and by the end of their set, they had definitely won over some new fans. I also noticed clear progressive elements in their sound, while it was evident that the band knows exactly what they want and are determined to achieve it. I’m convinced they will — with Togas bringing his talent and experience to the forefront, and the rest of the band showing remarkable cohesion and precision. A few of their songs really stood out to me, and it’s obvious that Herta have plenty more to offer. If they keep going like this, the future is theirs.
And then it was time for the headliners. Eldritch took their place on the small stage of An Club and, without wasting a second, hit the gas. And that’s when the trouble began… The sound was simply awful. The guitars were muddy, the keyboards barely audible, and the biggest issue was with the vocals — Alex Jarusso’s voice couldn’t be heard at all, while his microphone kept feeding back. The result was a messy wall of noise in which the singer was completely lost. This wasn’t power/prog — it was pure cacophony. Naturally, the band’s mood dropped, already disheartened by the small turnout that night. Under these circumstances, it was difficult to even recognize some of the songs. Eldritch played material spanning their entire career, and it was clear that Alex Jarusso has a really good voice — if only the sound had done him justice. Thankfully, the ordeal didn’t last too long; the Italians played for about an hour and a half before wrapping up. When they struck the final notes, the audience applauded out of respect, though clearly disappointed that they couldn’t enjoy Eldritch with the sound quality and energy they deserved. The curtain fell with bittersweet feelings — a show we’ll surely remember, though not for the right reasons.
On our way home, we couldn’t help but think about what we’d seen and heard that night. Negative Contrast and Herta far exceeded our expectations, while the technical sound issues completely swallowed up Eldritch. What a shame. As for who’s to blame for that awful sound — better ask the sound engineers, not us.
P.S.: There are no photos from Herta’s live show, due to the poor lighting.
