DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH- "Odes to the Gods"

Sometimes the band's name is self explanatory on what you are going to listen to.(Hope wont have to remind anyone,the classic JUDAS PRIEST album, that lend band its name)  So if you're in to the 80s JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, early HELLOWEEN, this is the album for you. A side project of THERION has the high level of musicianship and also the fan feeling all over the album. 

From the opening, in your face, all gun blazing heavy metal thunder  "Heavy Metal Shakedown", to the more "I'm in love with my car-QUEEN' I in its metal version "I'm in Love with My Tank" with clever lyrics and twin guitars ,they play Heavy metal. More complex, or epic as in " The Time Machine" or just plain, simple and heavy, ready for stadium sing along as in " Darkside Brigade" and "Intruder", DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH enjoy this album as a tribute to the artists taht made them ,what they are. It is touching to see well known musicians ,paying tribute to their musical heroes and genres by not covering but rewriting musical history, with new tunes ,that step on the marks of the metal Giants of the 80s. As the album title says, Odes to the Gods written and sung by their most loyal, faithful Defenders of their faith.

For those of you who have seen THERION and Thomas Vikstrom ending their shows with covers, you know the man's incredible voice and versatility. Here he shines once more in songs tailormade for one of the most charismatic metal singers in Scandinavia. As for Christofer Johnsson, his love for the golden days of 80S metal, JUDAS PRIEST AND IRON MAIDEN is undeniable, so add a bit of ACCEPT to the recipe and you have an album for the those of you who still cant get off the 80s and  want it new, heavy and fast.

7,5

 Song of the week- Serj Tankian - I'm Counting On You (Chris de Burgh Cover) [Official Music Video]

 

 101.558 προβολές  Έκανε πρεμιέρα στις 5 Σεπ 2025
Official music video for "I'm Counting On You" from the upcoming compilation album 'Covers, Collaborations & Collages' due 10/24/25. Pre-save now: https://createmusic.fm/coverscollabor...
Originally written and performed by Chris de Burgh.
Directed by George Tonikian
Edited by D.S. Bradford
Featuring Artwork by Vahe Berberian
Lyrics
The night is so wild, and downstairs the child,
Is sleeping, her spirit is free,
For more than an hour, I have walked in the rain,
I've been wondering what she will be,
But where are the heroes, where are the dreams,
That I had, when I was young,
Am I hoping in vain, just to think,
She could change anything?
Well I'm counting on you;
I'm counting on you to bring that sweet gentleness,
To your world and all that you do,
My generation is losing its way,
We don't know, what we're leaving for you,
So may there be millions who feel like you do,
Oh my love,
There is so much to know,
There is so far to go,
But you are not alone,
When this is your world,
And I'm counting on you;
Come to me, turn to me, give me your eyes,
When you see the mysteries of time,
Here there are those who just live in the past,
They will never let history lie,
And this sad little island is breaking my heart,
With its dark,
Shades of green,
And as hard as I try, I just cannot see why,
This should be
I'm counting on you,
There is so much to know,
There is so far to go,
But you are not alone,
When this is your world,
And I'm counting on you,
I'm counting on you

 

Quentin Tarantino, "Κινηματογραφικοί στοχασμοί"

 

Τι δείχνει η βία στον "Ταξιτζή" και στο "Όταν ξέσπασε η βία"; Μιμείται καλά ο Μπράιαν ντε Πάλμα τον Χίτσκοκ; Γιατί είναι σπουδαίος κριτικός κινηματογράφου ο Κέβιν Τόμας, και πώς σχετίζεται με τον παραγωγό Ρότζερ Κόρμαν;

Αυτές κι άλλες παρόμοιες ερωτήσεις περί κινηματογράφου απαντά ο Κουέντιν Ταραντίνο στο έργο του, "Κινηματογραφικοί στοχασμοί". Βιβλίο εν μέρει για μεμονωμένες ταινίες και την ιστορία της παραγωγής τους, εν μέρει για την παιδική και εφηβική ηλικία του σκηνοθέτη και την εξέλιξή του σε σινεφίλ, εν μέρει για την ιστορία του αμερικάνικου κινηματογράφου μετά τη δεκαετία του εξήντα.

 

Ο Ταραντίνο αξιολογεί ταινίες, κάνει εκτεταμένα αφιερώματα σε ορισμένες και πιο σύντομες αναφορές σε άλλες, μιλά για τη μητέρα του, που συνήθιζε να τον πηγαίνει να δει κάθε είδους φιλμ, όταν ήταν παιδί, για το κίνημα του νέου Χόλιγουντ και τη διαφορά των Σπίλμπεργκ, Κόπολα και Λούκας από τα έργα που αυτό έβγαλε.

Με ένα στιλ ζωντανό και άμεσο, σαν να μιλάει απευθείας στον αναγνώστη για τη μεγάλη του αγάπη, τον κινηματογράφο, ο Ταραντίνο διδάσκει διασκεδαστικά κινηματογραφική ιστορία και κάνει, επίσης ωραία, κινηματογραφική κριτική, δείχνοντας τιςκαλλιτεχνικές του αρχές, αλλά και τις αξίες του. 

 

Οι "Κινηματογραφικοί στοχασμοί" είναι ο Ταραντίνο ως δημιουργός και ο Ταραντίνο ως άνθρωπος. Είναι ένα βιβλίο που μας δίνει τη δυνατότητα να γνωρίσουμε καλύτερα έναν δημιουργό με ξεχωριστό στιλ, τεράστια γνώση της ιστορίας της τέχνης του και ακόμη μεγαλύτερο πάθος γι'αυτή.

 

Μαρία Θωμαίς Μπασμπαγιάννη

 CAPTAIN BLACK BEARD - "Chasing danger"

When the brand is Swedish and the genre is melodic hard rock, you know it's guaranteed success, most of the time. In 'Chasing Danger' CBB chased the success and hit bullseye. With hooks and choruses that are more addictive than sweat in the summer heat in Europe, the band delivers first class melodic rock. 

You have the BON JOVI influences of the first three albums, the West Coast influences, bands like TOUCH,DRIVE SHE SAID, but also HARDLINE, SIGNAL, TYKETTO, the classic melodies of STYX,LOVERBOY , some real 80s pop/Italo Disco injections to mellow the whole thing with groove and most and above all the songwriting of CBB.

 In modern AOR you have hit single machines like ECLIPSE and also bands like CBB who know how to develop a melodic riff to a more than decent tune. With standout tracks  "When It's Over",  "Piece Of Paradise" , and "Can't You See",  "Chasing Danger" is an exercise in melodic rock and good taste. It might be their   seventh album,and first with new singer Fredrik Vahlgren  but they deliver with passion and fire. Check them out if you don't have them until now.

7

 ELLEFSON-SOTO - "Unbreakable"

Album number two for the collaboration of one of the most underrated voices in Hard rock music, Jeff Scott Soto and ex MEGADETH bass player Ellefson. The combination may look awkward in the paper, but in reality it serves a lot the heaviest side of Soto. Don't forget his work with"Biker Mice from Mars", "SOUL SirkUS", his solo SOTO works and Malmsteen. 

The album is a killer of ,heavy riff, modern metal music (owes a lot to PANTERA,FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH) ,monster where the aggressiveness in the songwriting meets a more modern, low tuned, heavy riffing letting Sotto deliver his inner metal fan. There are stand out songs like "SOAB" and "Shout", up tempo but also with the Sotto pomp element combined with the more metalic edge of Ellefson and also some support from other artists at the vocal department in "Poison Tears" (featuring Laura Guldemond ofBURNING WITCHES) and "Vengeance" (featuring Tim “Ripper” Owens of KK’s Priest) ,the last as a double bass drum waterfall that crashes everything along its way."Snakes And Bastards" are among the stand out tracks, heavy,aggressive and grandiose, thanks to Sotto's melodic delivery, while "It’s Over When I Say It’s Over", has a catchy and dominating chorus. 

The duo Ellefson-Soto is joined by Italian guitarist Andy Martongelli and Paolo Caridi on drums , a modern, stripped down production to create a modern heavy metal album with an in your face feeling. 

For those of you who follow Soto alla around his career and have in mind the "Vacation in the underworld", this album comes as a colorful and meaningful addition to Soto's vast discography, showing his musical diversity and metal origin.

7

 

Daron Malakiαn and the SCARS ON BROADWAY-"Addicted to violence'

Nothing more, nothing less, than the always diversifying and experimenting Malakian, from the aggressive opener "Killing Spree", to the SOAD alike "Done me wrong" , with its eastern scales,with the more mid pace "Satan Husein" always chick in tongue, he proves old habits die hard. 

 

But as usual Daron challenges himself with a mid tempo, almost darkwave  epic and one of the stand out tracks "The shame game" shows the man and his band has no limits when it comes to create music as they envisaged it, beyond borders and genre limitations. A mesmerizing track that ooze fear and revenge."Destroy the Power" has an intense political message, sharp riffs and middle Eastern feeling, another winner, that grows slowly as does the main,middle East melody, covered in spikes. Malakian has an opinion and the courage to express it in a world that tries to shut up ,free spirits, talking about the power and the abuse of the mass regimes."Your lives burn" has a punk rock feeling and equally "disturbing" lyrics. "Imposter" has that metal feeling that had the work of Biafra with D.O.A, heavy ,staccato riffs, that are blended with the funky, rhythmic parts that SOAD incorporate to make metal a bit more "different" for the average fan, a unique blend that captivates the ear and make the listener , gaze with surprise,on what diversity, really means, in the days of plastic  music.leaving the lyrics as the final blow. 

 

 

Suddenly "You destroy you", a MOR song, that has nothing to do with the rest of the musical context of the previous songs, but has the violence (introvert this time) as a common denominator, giving a reason to let your hair down before the next act of violence. "Watch That Girl" moves in the same direction, more up tempo but with a 90s alternative feeling in it, a warning to lethal relationships and girlfriends. The tenth song of the album is "Addicted To The Violence", a self explanatory hand grenade that blows the rest of the listener to pieces, in an epic grandiose way, that reminds SOAD and FNM, in a mid pace, escalating paean.

 

An album that has its heart upon its sleeve, speaking Daron's truth with no fear or prejudice and becomes  even more vital after the assassination of Charlie Kirk

7,5

 Song of the week- DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG - Babylon (Official Music Video)

 

 46.212 προβολές  Έκανε πρεμιέρα στις 6 Σεπ 2025  DIERKS STUDIOS GMBH
Taken from the album "Babylon" (October 3rd, 2025)
🎧 Stream / get it here: https://datog.rpm.link/babylonYT
"'Babylon' is an absolutely worthy title track. Featuring a pounding, ultra-hard riff, plus the vocal melodies of Udo, Peter and Manuela that transport you straight into a fairy tale from "One Thousand and One Nights." The guitar arrangements and especially Mathias' solo guitar work support the imaginative atmosphere and drive the song to its absolute climax."
🎧 Stream / get the single here: https://datog.rpm.link/babylonsingleYT
▶ FOLLOW REIGNING PHOENIX MUSIC
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Web https://www.reigningphoenixmusic.com
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▶ FOLLOW DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG
Web: https://datog.de
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Music & lyrics by Udo Dirkschneider, Peter Baltes, Stefan Kaufmann, Mathias Dieth, Manuela Bibert & Sven Dirkschneider
Recorded & mixed by DATOG at Dierks Studios Cologne, Germany
Mastered by DATOG at ROXX Studios Solingen, Germany
Video produced by RCN TV Nuremberg, Germany
DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG are:
Udo Dirkschneider | Main Vocals
Peter Baltes | Bass, Main Vocals, Backing Vocals
Manuela "Ella" Bibert | Main Vocals, Backing Vocals, Key Instruments
Stefan Kaufmann | Guitars, Backing Vocals
Mathias "Don" Dieth | Guitars, Backing Vocals
Sven Dirkschneider | Drums, Backing Vocals
Lyrics:
Walk the world of wonders where every tale is true
Ride a magic journey that was made for me and you
Scent of jasmine lingers in the air
Time to find an ancient love-affair
Lonely heartbeats echo in the night
Mystic havens - fantasies ignite
Dancing in the desert where dreams are taking flight
Genies granting wishes in a thousand and one nights
Breezes rushing - fantasies unfold
Tales of love and passion to be told
Hear the mystic symphony of night
Gentle whisper - for your own delight
In one thousand and one nights
Where the holy gate's gonna be your fate
Golden treasures shining bright
For the Holy Queen of Babylon
Flying magic carpets are endless dreams of ours
Finding an oasis in glowing moonlit hours
Come on now be brave don't hesitate
Open up the empyrean gate
Rising higher faster in the sky
Feeling sure that we will never die
In one thousand and one nights
Where the holy gate's gonna be your fate
Golden treasures shining bright
For the Holy Queen of Babylon
Light and shadows dance in the stillness of the night
Come and take my hand live the fantasy of life
Still the jasmine lingers in the air
Everlasting ancient love-affair
Still our heartbeats echo in the night
Mystic shadows dancing in the sky
In one thousand and one nights
Where the holy gate's gonna be your fate
Golden treasures shining bright
For the Holy Queen of Babylon
#dirkschneider #oldgang #heavymetal #babylon #titletrack #udodirkschneider #stefankaufmann #peterbaltes #mathiasdieth #svendirkschneider #manuelabibert #dierksstudios #accept #rpm #reigningphoenixmusic