Some days ago, PowerCross, the newest project of Greek guitarist Spiros Rizos, presented its debut album at Temple in Athens, Greece. Two other Greek bands accepted the invitation of PowerCross to play with them – Nightkill and Thelemite. Myth of Rock was soon aware of this live show and didn’t miss the chance to enjoy a night of hot, steaming Greek heavy metal!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
The band that would open this heavy metal evening was Nightkill. Nightkill, which was formed a year ago, presented their material from their recently recorded debut album. They were well-prepared and passionate, and, having a nice, clear sound, they managed to warm up the audience. Led by charismatic singer Theodor Martinis, Nightkill performed their interesting classic metal songs, which are based on bright melodies and catchy riffs. It was my first encounter with this band, which gave us all a really positive impression and made us want to hear their songs again and again. Nightkill is capable of many great things in the future – they just have to keep up the good work, and the good results will start coming!
Then the baton was passed to Thelemite! The band of acclaimed guitarist/vocalist John Manopoulos has been giving select live shows following the release of their “Survival of the Fittest” album in 2023. The musical value of this third album showcases the immense talent the band possesses and its maturity as a working team. Comprised of members from Spitfire, Battleroar, The Silent Wedding, etc., Thelemite is now a killer heavy metal machine that, expressing the vision of Manopoulos, is going full throttle! And that’s exactly what we heard at Temple that night! They performed their traditional heavy metal loudly and cohesively, and didn’t just deliver the goods but thrilled everyone in the audience!
Picking their favorite songs from their two latest albums, the band from Athens roused enthusiasm among the fans and gave a heavy metal recital, influenced, as always, by the legacy of the legendary metal bands of the ’70s and ’80s (Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, KISS, Savatage, Manowar, etc.). Manopoulos’ lead guitar licks and solos were mesmerizing, and his vocals soared above the anvil-like rhythm section! We really enjoyed this top-notch performance by Thelemite, who shouted out loud that they are present, more inspired, heavier, and more melodic than ever! We also appreciated the fact that Manopoulos and company played many songs, with an almost headlining-length setlist! Thelemite was relentless and furious and gave us exactly what we wanted: classic metal!
Yet, the time for PowerCross had come. Without any delay, this newly founded power metal band stormed the stage, beginning with “Abyss of Knowledge”, the first track of their The Lost Empire debut! Spiros Rizos hailed us with the guitar in his hands, and John Britsas of Crimson Fire was there too, singing with his incredible voice over the foundation of a loud rhythm section as we experienced their melodic power metal sound, reminiscent of Stratovarius.
However, they didn’t play for very long, and their setlist was short, even shorter than that of Thelemite. Also, they weren’t as solid and cohesive as expected, and they didn’t avoid making mistakes. Nevertheless, PowerCross was confident in their playing; they conveyed their emotion and positive vibe to the fans and celebrated with us their power metal release, also covering the Stratovarius classic “Against the Wind” nicely. We all sang along and played air guitar, feeling super happy on this power metal occasion!
Nightkill, Thelemite, and PowerCross played their metal, bringing us to euphoria. The music was good, the performances were excellent, and a feeling of joy overwhelmed us. It was a night we won’t forget, full of metal tunes that will ring in our heads for a long time!
