Valiant Sentinel belong to the hardworking, noteworthy bands of the Greek scene and are certainly one of the best power metal acts in the country. A few days ago, they released their second album, “Neverealm”, a release they celebrated in the best possible way with a live show at AN Club. V/K Project and Braveride were the special guests of this concert event, which that night became a meeting point for many metalheads. Of course, Myth of Rock was there as well, and below we bring you everything that happened in the city’s underground club.
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
According to the schedule, the doors were supposed to open at 8:30 p.m., but since the soundcheck had not been completed, they finally opened (at last) at around 9:00 p.m. The crowd that had gathered outside AN Club entered the venue, took their places, and shortly afterwards the first band of the night, V/K Project, took the stage. This is the live incarnation of the Billy Vass and Bob Katsionis project, Vass/Katsionis, under the name V/K Project. In this live setup, only Vass participates, as Katsionis was unable to take part due to time constraints. I really liked the two Vass/Katsionis albums, as they featured authentic, inspired, and emotionally charged prog metal, in the vein of Fates Warning, Queensrÿche, and Dream Theater. Moreover, I had heard the best things about the musicians Vass had chosen to bring the Vass/Katsionis material to the stage. With great anticipation, I watched the five musicians appear on stage, and without wasting time they kicked off their set. V/K Project performed songs from both albums, with good sound for the instruments, though unfortunately not for the vocals, which didn’t come through as loudly. The Greek progsters played with impressive technique and real soul, led of course by Vass, who showed great confidence and true star quality. At one point during the V/K Project set, Katsionis himself came on stage to loud applause, saying a few words about the project. It was a beautiful live performance (with the exception of the vocal sound) that will stay in our memories for a long time. It’s also worth noting that Katsionis’ absence was made less noticeable thanks to the strong performance of the musicians involved, and that the quintet even played the cover version Vass/Katsionis had done of Giorgos Dalaras’ “Xenos”.
The second band of the night were Braveride, whom we had seen live a few months earlier at the Golden R. Festival in Volos. That had been a good show and the first live appearance of Braveride with Mike Livas on vocals, who in the meantime has become a full member of the band. This second time around, Braveride were even better. At the beginning there was a small sound issue (the bass was too loud), but it was quickly fixed. Braveride played with great confidence, with Livas clearly bonding with the band and standing much more decisively on stage alongside the rest of the members. Hitting the gas pedal from the very first note, Braveride completely tore it up. Their epic power metal was delivered almost perfectly, and their cover of Manowar’s “Call to Arms” was absolutely killer. It’s clear that Livas’ arrival has taken Braveride to the next level. If they manage to capture in the studio album the same drive and passion they show in their live performances, there’s no doubt they will release a truly great record. The crowd had a fantastic time and showered Braveride with praise, something the band clearly felt, filling them with joy and pride. If they continue the good work, they will achieve great things in the future!
As soon as Braveride finished their set, the headliners of the night, Valiant Sentinel, took their places on stage. I really liked their new album, even more than their debut, as it features fantastic compositions. So, I was very curious to see Valiant Sentinel once again, especially after their excellent live show at Piraeus Club Academy last year. Dimitris Skodras (guitarist and main man of the band) led the sonic assault of Valiant Sentinel, who initially performed several songs from “Neverealm” and then moved on to a number of tracks from their debut album. The new songs sounded absolutely amazing in a live setting, with the band delivering them with flawless technique and an abundance of feeling. “War in Heaven”, “The Underdark” and “Myrkwood Forest” stood out as the highlights, while other tracks that really fired up the crowd were “King in the North” and “Victorious”. Veandok sang with power, showcasing his impressive vocal abilities, while the rest of the musicians played incredibly tight, like a perfectly tuned power metal machine. They enjoyed excellent sound, helped by the fact that they had their own sound engineer: all the instruments and vocals were clear and well-balanced, allowing the band to feel comfortable and perform flawlessly right up to the final note. Valiant Sentinel transported us into their magical, epic-lyrical world — a truly unique experience that will remain unforgettable. Once again, a knight appeared on stage, just like last time, swearing in the band members and even some fans! To wrap things up, it’s worth mentioning that the Greek power metallers also covered the theme song from the animated series Power Rangers!
The night came to an end in the most ideal way, and after giving Valiant Sentinel a thunderous round of applause, we headed back home. It was a cold night, filled with metal flowing freely — pure, clean, and blazing hot! A truly important evening for the Greek prog and power metal scene and its fans. We can only hope that such cultural, metal events happen more often!
