by Dimitra Koenka and Dimitris Zacharopoulos

photos by Dimitra Koenka (@d.koenka_photography)

Opening the day were Korona Grammata, a Greek rock band carrying the spirit of classic acts like Trypes and Xylina Spathia. Their music is a mix of past and present, nostalgic yet grounded, modest yet powerful. Clean vocals, clear rock riffs and an overall authentic presence that felt honest and direct. Unfortunately, the gates opened later than expected, so the crowd was still gathering during their set. Yet those who were there early gave the band a warm response. The performance was sincere and their rebellious tone didn’t go unnoticed. A promising act that deserves a louder crowd next time.

Next came Achelous, and the mood shifted from mellow nostalgia to full-blown epic metal. The Greek metal warriors stormed the stage like an army ready for war. With massive vocals, razor-sharp coordination and thunderous riffs, their performance was nothing short of breathtaking. Every moment felt calculated down to the millisecond—intense and focused like a cinematic battle scene. Achelous have been rising steadily over the last few years, and it was obvious from this performance why: they’ve got the songs, the energy and the attitude. One of the strongest moments of the day.

And then Anorimoi! You never know what to expect, and that’s exactly the point. Their entrance alone, full of sarcasm, inside jokes and theatrical absurdity, had the crowd laughing and headbanging at the same time. Musically tight, vocally wild and with an explosive stage presence, Anorimoi once again proved that humor has a rightful place in metal. Their satirical lyrics, over-the-top antics and relentless connection with the audience made them one of the most entertaining sets of the day. We didn’t want it to end—and neither did the crowd, who sang, shouted and laughed all the way through.

Before W.A.S.P., we were treated to the unique energy of Skyclad, the UK folk-thrash legends who brought something different to the stage. Their mix of metal and folk, political lyrics and upbeat energy made for a truly engaging performance. Skyclad played many fan favorites from their long career, and treated us to a killer cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Emerald”, earning huge cheers from the crowd. Despite many sound inconsistencies, their chemistry and musicianship carried the set. It was a perfect warm-up for what was to follow.

The moment everyone had been waiting for. W.A.S.P. took the stage amid roaring cheers and delivered a powerful show. Blackie Lawless proved everyone wrong about the playback rumors, singing with passion and strength. The whole performance felt like a trip back to the glorious ‘80s — with big stage props, fire, and a theatrical atmosphere that thrilled the fans. The band played for about an hour and a half, offering many of their classic hits. Blackie was in great shape, both physically and vocally, and he gave everything on stage. The crowd was wild, singing and shouting throughout the set. One big surprise was that they didn’t play “The Idol”, even though many fans were shouting for it. That was a small letdown, but it didn’t ruin the experience, of course. W.A.S.P. gave us a solid and emotional performance, full of heavy metal power. A great night and a special memory for the Greek fans!

What we witnessed was diverse, emotional and loud. From Greek rock to epic metal, comedy-infused chaos, folk-tinged thrash and iconic heavy metal, it had something for everyone. W.A.S.P. might have had their struggles, but they stood tall and proud—closing the night with fire, drama and heavy metal spirit.

Το άρθρο ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL 2025: W.A.S.P., SKYCLAD, ANORIMOI, ACHELOUS, KORONA GRAMMATA – TERRA VIBE, MALAKASA, GREECE – 14/07/2025 εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)

As soon as I arrived, around six o’clock, the first metalheads had already gathered in front of the stage, waiting patiently. The bill of this festival day included Null ‘O’ Zero, however, it was announced that the Greek band wouldn’t perform due to health issues. That was a pity. So, we welcomed the first band, which was Corrupted Symmetry.

A Greek band, Corrupted Symmetry plays progressive metal and that’s what they did on the stage! At my first encounter with the guys, I must say that I liked their music a lot. They didn’t have the perfect sound, yet they showcased their own, high-promising songs. All the members of the band were skilled, especially the guitarist, whose technical prowess inspired awe. Also, the singer of the band was very confident and proved he could lead a prog metal band. I am sure that Corrupted Symmetry will be very successful in the near future!

After this prog metal beginning, we saw Typhus on stage, a speed/thrash metal band from Greece, which I have enjoyed live many times in the past. The quartet took their place on stage and started their furious metal attack, feeling comfortable, being mature and selecting some of their most interesting songs, but also giving us a taste of their upcoming release. I like Typhus, so did the audience, who seemed to have fun. The band’s ferocious riffs, the thunderous rhythm section and the extraordinary, high-pitched vocals were the main ingredients of an impressive live set. Typhus shall take advantage of their good momentum and relentlessly continue their maelstrom.

The time passed by and, as the sun was going down, we were getting ready for the special guests of the evening – Paradise Lost! Paradise Lost don’t need any introduction – the trailblazers of gothic metal were visiting again our country, to give a much-anticipated live show. Just think that many young metalheads in the arena hadn’t seen Paradise Lost before, and many others – like me – had many years to see the band in the act. So, when Nick Holmes and company got on stage and the intro of “Enchantment” started, everybody screamed with joy. And to our excitement, the setlist was a “best-of” one! The band played with passion and raw emotion, having a very good sound and a great mood! That was passed to the audience and a gothic metal celebration began in Terra Vibe! Paradise Lost showed that they still got it and they didn’t find it difficult to mesmerize their fans – even the excellent Bronski Beat cover of “Smalltown Boy” was greatly received by the metalheads in attendance! With “Ghosts” the English band bid farewell and left us.

The stage was transformed in minutes to host King Diamond and his legendary band! From the settings, you could understand that something big would follow. And yes, the one and only King Diamond appeared some meters far from us, under the sound of Uriah Heep’s “The Wizard”, with all the amazing musicians around him: Mike Wead, Pontus Egberg, Andy LaRocque and Matt Thompson! The Danish singer commenced his magical show, and what followed was … wondrous! I was excited because he had his voice in great condition and also because he interacted well with the fans, being friendly, funny and polite! The song selection was perfect, we listened to stuff from all the periods of King Diamond’s career – you can understand what happened to songs like “Sleepless Nights”, “Voodoo”, “The Invisible Guests” and “The Eye of the Witch”; all hell broke loose, King Diamond was giving a recital, he stole the show and we headbanged like maniacs under his command! Of course, the guitars of Mike Wead and Andy LaRocque were astonishing, the rhythm section was tight and thick, and Hel Pyre, the Greek musician on the keyboards and the backing vocals, was one of the connecting bonds between the artists and the audience. King Diamond’s performance was brilliant – he gave his all, impressing us and bringing us a euphoria! I still am not a King Diamond fan, but I agree that he was super at Terra Vibe, surpassing everyone’s expectations! What a great performer, what a night.

King Diamond, the master of theatrical metal, came back with “Abigail” and triumphantly said us goodbye! This Rockwave night was incredible – we experienced something extraordinary, we will never forget what we saw and heard. King Diamond is an icon!

Το άρθρο ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL 2025: KING DIAMOND, PARADISE LOST, TYPHUS, CORRUPTED SYMMETRY – TERRA VIBE, MALAKASA, GREECE – 10/07/2025 εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.