by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotopgraphy)
Day 2
Tserry Brandy: The second day of New Long Fest 2025 began with the punk rock sounds of Tserry Brandy. The sun was blazing, but that didn’t affect us. I didn’t find their melodic punk songs interesting, although there were fans who enjoyed them and danced wildly! Tserry Brandy have good elements in their sound, but need to focus more on their technique and work harder on their vocal lines. They have potential, they know it, and they can definitely get better!
Serement: And then, Serement followed. This band unleashed their full brutal force, delivering waves of excellent American death metal! My first encounter with them was fascinating, as their brutal death metal sounded extraordinary under the hot sun. Riffs, riffs, riffs… combined with great technique, raw emotion, and a sickening atmosphere. Serement showed everyone they are capable of amazing things. Brutal on!
Over 9000: The second punk rock band of the day, Over 9000, aimed for a melodic punk rock style with humorous lyrics and strong interaction with the fans. They definitely delivered a punk rock performance and connected with the audience, but I’m still searching for good melodies, and their humor didn’t quite land for me. Maybe it’s just me… Over 9000 have made a start, and if they keep working hard, they’ll surely improve in the future.
Killgrave: The next band delivered a death metal core sound infused with hardcore elements. Killgrave shocked us with their own material—songs that were a lesson in death metal. Of course, they can still work on their riffs and fine-tune their songs until they hit even harder, but they are definitely on the right path! The future belongs to this band—they hold their own perfection in their hands!
The Mystic Tension: After the death metal explosion, things calmed down with The Mystic Tension. This band has crafted a very interesting sound: heavy rock, groove rock, rock ’n’ roll, punk rock, and indie rock—all mixed together to create something really tasty. I had a great time with their songs; they showed a mature finesse and a wise spontaneity that I really liked! The Mystic Tension have found a way to make us happy and excited!
Vile Species: To be frank, I freaked out with this group and their one- or two-minute tracks. They play grind core, but their dull sound, lack of artistry, and harsh screams didn’t work for me. I respect grind core as a genre, but I don’t quite understand Vile Species’ grind core. Some people liked Vile Species, I didn’t—and the world goes on. New Long Fest goes on too.
AMKEN: … and AMKEN were there to deliver their great, ferocious thrash metal! I know this band well, and I’ve seen their professionalism and evolution from the debut to their sophomore album. They treated us to their brilliant thrash metal songs, and New Long Fest was set on fire! The mosh pit was packed, the thrash metal riffs soared sky-high, and our thirst for thrash metal was completely satisfied! It’s always a pleasure to experience AMKEN live!
Dephosphorus: It was my first time seeing this band on stage, and I can definitely say they appealed to me. Another grindcore act at this year’s New Long Fest, they brought their space grindcore insanity to the evening and satisfied many fans! Dephosphorus are good at what they do (especially Panos on vocals), and I’m sure their name will grow soon. This time, grindcore even sounded a bit more interesting to my sensitive ears, haha!
Pethainoun Sto Telos: The end of the Fest wasn’t near yet, but this band played like they were the headliners! I really enjoyed their catchy and passionate punk rock—I recognized songs and strong melodies from a band with so much to say and offer. Their raw emotion and tons of energy connected with the audience, who clearly had a great time with this talented group. Pethainoun Sto Telos were perfect, delivering a melodic punk rock recital!
Tiffany: The program had Tiffany playing before the headliners (Krotalias), and I can say Tiffany’s show was a surprise! We were invited into their “Baby Punk World” and had fun, even though I didn’t really like their noisy punk. The extraordinary female vocals were a bit unusual, and the guitars were somewhat messy, but overall, they gave a solid performance—their fans were excited, and the band unleashed a lot of energy!
Krotalias: The headliners of the second day, Krotalias, were awesome! They blend heavy/desert rock with melodic punk rock, sing in Greek, and it’s fair to say they’re a proud part of the Greek rock scene. In my first encounter with Krotalias, they were loud, melodic, and had excellent communication with the audience. There was even a pit, and we all applauded their musicality—Krotalias were the perfect epilogue to a great rock/metal gathering! I truly believe the Greek rock scene needs bands like Krotalias—they’re incredible to witness!
So, New Long Fest came to an end emphatically, with the amazing show by Krotalias. To sum up, I would say that we all enjoyed ourselves—we danced, we headbanged, we screamed! The only thing I would like to add is my wish that future editions of the fest include some classic/melodic heavy metal bands. So, I’d like to thank the organizers for this fantastic summer fest, and of course, all the participating bands for their fascinating live shows. We’ll meet again next year! Thank you, New Long Fest!
PS1: If someone asked me which band was my favorite among those who participated, I would say: The Vulcan Itch from the first day and Pethainoun Sto Telos from the second day!
