Some months ago I had seen Social Scream and Jehovah on Death live in the small underground venue of Nomads Athens, so when it was announced that the two bands would play again, this time in the historic An Club, I was curious to see how much better they would sound. Together with them two new bands would play, Illusive Mirrors and Grotesco Karma, so another veil of mystery was added.
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
We arrived early at An Club to catch the first band, Illusive Mirrors, whose singer, Dimitra Koenka, returns to the scene after a short break. When Illusive Mirrors appeared on stage, few fans had already come, but that didn’t stop the Greek band, which started its set furiously and passionately. You could say that in the first song they were a little nervous, however, from the second song on, they performed confidently, with brio and finesse. I liked very much their songs, which have a melodic hard rock/metal style, especially “Stand Up” and “Save a Bullet” (an instant hit!). Dimitra’s vocals sounded powerful, the guitar was sharp and neat, the rhythm section was loud and speedy. This was their first ever live show, and we must say that Illusive Mirrors dove in deep waters and were superb! I am sure that this band has many things to offer in the near future.
Next band in the program was Social Scream. The band from Sparta has its own speed/thrash metal signature, with some power metal and tech metal elements, and this time I can say that they were a lot better than their previous live show. They sounded more prepared and focused, all members were bound together as a strong team and the result was very good. Their compositions were played precisely and sounded more interesting and complete to my ears, the band members had tons of energy and what the fans received was fine heavy metal tunes by a band with conviction and devotion. Social Scream is a chapter in the book of Greek heavy metal that needs to be discovered and read. Their albums are rich in heavy metal content, and now we can say that they are explosive in their live shows! Congrats, guys!
Then we saw Grotesco Karma taking over the stage. This Greek band is describing its music as grotesque/avant-garde metal with traditional/occult aesthetics, and that’s exactly what we heard from them that night! They play a mix of extreme metal with symphonic metal and gothic metal, a blending, which leads them to a unique sound. All the fans at the An club, which was half-full, seemed to like very much the songs of Grotesco Karma – i would like to note down the incredible female vocals, the frenetic guitar and the thunderous drums! The band’s pagan/occult style was evident in the music and the overall stage presence, yet they seemed more concentrated on the music and less on the image. Although it was my first encounter with Grotesco Karma, I found most of their songs fantastic and I am already looking forward to listening to their new release and to catching them at their next show!
And the night closed with Jehovah On Death, a newcomer band everyone is talking about! Jehovah on Death didn’t convince me the first time I saw them live, but things are now completely different. Having more live and studio experiences, the Athenian band has a bigger self-esteem, and that can be heard on stage! Their performance was furious and relentless, and the quintet really electrified us! I like their songs pretty much, they sounded really as a strong, dynamic unit and the music they produced was loud, vibrant and seductive. I won’t stand on the occult concept of the band, but I will underline their music beauty, the magic of their songs, which captivated the audience in An club. Jehovah on Death has released two nice Eps (especially the latest one, “Goyas’ Witches”), yet I am sure their first full-length album will be cataclysmic! The future belongs to the brave, and Jehovah on Death is a band, which shows exceptional bravery!
Following the final song of Jehovah On Death, we returned home brimming with memories, impressions, and music. It had been a night of truly enchanting performances by four outstanding Greek bands, showcasing the diversity and richness of the Greek metal scene.
