• Artists
  • Releases
  • News
  • Videos
  • Contact
  • About Us
ORDER / LISTEN:
  • Ltd. Pit-Art CD
  • Total Metal Shop
  • BandCamp
  • Spotify
  • iTunes
  • Amazon
  • YouTube Music
  • Deezer

Theater Of War

by DESERT NEAR THE END

Back

REVIEWS

Metal Archives

This album is fucking stupid.
No, seriously, it is. I mean, I like Iced Earth much more than the next guy (not a very popular band, really), but if you told me to picture IE gone the way of skullfucking deathrash, I’d tell you to fuck off with your obscene, revolting shit. Turns out, it wouldn’t be half-bad, and you would not be nearly as much of a tosser as you sound. But yeah, no, this stuff isn’t half-bad. Hell, it isn’t even a third or a quarter-bad. It’s pretty much all non-bad, in a way that makes me want to grit my teeth like a Rob Liefeld character and headbang hamsters into pudding.
Allow me to elaborate on the aforementioned silliness of this record; it is the result of a power metal outfit going a step beyond even Evolution Purgatory era Persuader. So, what I mean is that this is a power metal band actually blurring the line between their field and fucking death/thrash/extreme whatever the fuck metal, seriously and without making it sound like some tortured, patchwork abomination of stapled together metal tropes. It really is basically just Iced Earth style power/thrash pushed into the edge of Azathothian insanity; the guitar gallops are played at necksnapping speed while the drummer pounds with an intensity worthy of Behemoth or God Dethroned. Sure, they slow down a bit a coupla times, like at the beginning of “A Martyr’s Birth”, but that’s just to give a bit of a break to the drummer so that A) his arms won’t spontaneously combust and B) he can continue pushing whole bars of compacted cocaine into his sinuses. Because that song? Yeah, it doesn’t stay slow and quiet for very long. That is just not the way Desert Near the End wet their hands; less cold, precise scalpel, more swinging, bloodied flail.
There isn’t really much to speak of in the way of variety, and the journey’s pretty short, but this works out in the piece’s favour. If you made this thing longer it’d go from pleasantly intense to deafeningly tedious, and if you made it more colourful you’d dilute the pure, blazing wrath that drives it forward. Perfect length, perfect focus, really. If I gotta pick a highlight though? Definitely the titletrack, possessing the tightest, catchiest, most crushing riffs in an album nearly entirely built out of those. The part where it just drops into this huge, fucking, crushing, fuckin’… FUCK mid-paced groover will see you banging your head or will see you dead. Either is just fuckin’ peachy.
I’ve walked this whole mile without even mentioning the vocals, which is fitting, as they kinda deserve a space of their own. They sound like basically no one else I can think of, save for maybe a James Hetfield circa Justice trying to roar like Piotr from Vader. Yes, that also sounds like it’d be complete shit, but it fits the music like a scabbard does its sword. The few cleaner, softer passages are a lot more reminiscent of BG’s Hansi, though definitely coarser and less subdued, with the constant menace of imminent rage bubbling under the surface. The dude sounds furious, like some sort of mad god-sorcerer that has clouds of locusts coming out of his mouth every time he opens it. You can almost feel the way his throat reverberates from sheer intensity, but always in a strangely tuneful manner that sounds technically proficient without sacrificing any of the frothing insanity.
Do politely bugger off if you’re looking for anything melodically complex or poetically meaningful. Feel free to put your length in this piece of meat if you’re down for some blisteringly hot, sand-blasted madness in the shape of power metal as played by people whose entire bloodstream has been replaced with napalm and electricity. Okay, maybe the last song is a kind of pseudo-ballad in the vein of early Metallica, but it still fuckin’ rules so you can fuck right off and actually do something productive like listen to this album.

92/100
Xlxlx

 

Metalegion #2/2017

Nothing more normal than having a sort of ascension line when we are talking about of newer bands. The Greeks Desert Near The End have released the third album “Theater of War”, which sees the closing of a trilogy started with their debut “A Crimson Dawn”. If you had the privilege to follow them since the beginning, you will understand perfectly my initial statement because album after album there is a sense of progression. “Hunt for the Sun” already showed signs of going a little further but it’s with “Theater of War” that the trio completes the circle and embark not only on a vicious full throttle battle but also with a fabulous production to back it up, courtesy of Tue Madsen (already worked with bands like Dark Tranquillity, Gorefest or The Haunted) at Antfarm Studio. By going a bit more extreme with execrably fast bass drums (although they are programmed drums) they have soften even more the Iced Earth/power metal references that were prominent on the previous releases without dropping them at all. It sounds a bit confusing I confess, but that’s exactly what Desert Near The End are pulling out from their magician’s hat. A mixture of melodic elements of bands like Iced Earth (Alexandros has a melodic vocal edge that keeps reminding of Matt Barlow in albums like “Something Wicked This Way Comes”) and Blind Guardian with the thrash metal spirit of Kreator and Sodom with intense drum charges akin to what George Kollias does in Nile (really? I wouldn’t go that far but its incredible fast sometimes) and the drive of Vader. “Theater of War” opens with the intensity, perseverance and fierceness that only barbaric warriors could endure on songs like ‘Ashes Descent’ or ‘Faces in the Dark’ with fast riffing, brutal tempos and vigorous rhythmic patterns enriched by small details to create a strong impetus. Nevertheless the album is full of slow or mid-tempo passages like on ‘Point of No Return’, ‘Season of the Sun’ or ‘Under Blackened Skies’ that is abruptly cut in the middle to throw in a sort of “going into battle” guitar and drum pattern. What makes this third album an excellent choice for most metalheads (from power to death metal fans), is the ability of the band despite the constant brutal impetus and charge to slow down when necessary and create melodies and rhythmic patterns that are not only engaging, melodic but also touching. Horns up also for the vocalist, which unintentionally becomes also a highlight on the record.

8/10
RICARDO AZEVEDO

 

Slowly We Rot #10

Although the band is active since 1997 (unde different monikers though), and this is their third full-length under the Desert Near The End banner, I haven’t heard of them before and the beginning of this CD make me think I’m about to experience some fat and brutal Death Metal, but for my surprise that was not the case. DNTE’s music sounds ultra-oppressive and extremely heavy because of the low-tuned and mostly very fast paced rhythm section, an intensive, Thrash Death Metal like drumming which although programmed doesn’t sound synthetic at all, and a bulldozer-like bass line. The guitars are more on the traditional Thrash Metal path, with some epic parts here and there, and the vocals are clearly the ones that give this band a Power Metal feeling, but all is extreme and very heavy on this record, I’m impressed by the energy liberated by this Greek trio and also by the brutal take on Power Thrash Metal these guys managed to offer on this third album. CD comes with a 12 pages booklet featuring all lyrics, but I would have liked the cover artwork to be clearer though.

7.5/10

 

Metalphobia

Power Metal, I love me some Power metal. Today’s offering, hails from Athens, DESERT NEAR THE END were formed back in 2009 by two school friends, bassist/songwriter Akis Prasinikas and vocalist Alexandros Papandreou. ‘Theater Of War’ is the bands third album and the last part of their long running concept of a man searching for the sun.
Looking at the cover art I’m expecting good things, it shows a solitary hooded figure walking away from a burning city and into the sea. It’s dark and brooding and I think it sets the tone for the album well. Though the more I look at it, the more it looks like a Disturbed album cover. While not necessarily a bad thing, it gives you a good idea what the music is about. It could cause some confusion to the less aware.
Now let’s get into what we are all here for, and I have to say. My first impression could be summed up by simply saying “holy shit!” these guys are good in that “let’s get concussed in a pit” kind of way. The album opens with some Thrashy guitar work and a brutal drum beat, mix in Alexandros’s operatic and at some points growling vocals and you end up with a great sound, which I’m pleased to say forms the backbone for the album. This Thrashy goodness carries on for the first half of the album. It’s a great showcase of what these guys can do.
The second half starts with a pace change in the shape of ‘A Martyr’s Birth’. This song features a slower spoken word intro and a shift to something more ‘power metal’, there’s even a nice guitar solo in the back there for you guitar nuts. Sadly this is where things start going wrong; this isn’t a big gripe by any means. But I’m starting to notice Alexandros’s voice start to struggle. I can hear him falter during some of the more demanding sections. It’s not a huge problem, but it’s the kind of thing that once you hear it. You can’t un-hear it. Now we get to the last part of the album, things are changing again. The album sounds darker, you can hear the concept is coming to an end now. It’s a nice slow, sombre sound and I feel it rounds the epic concept they have told off well.
All in all, Theater of war is a bloody good album. These guys play well together and sound slick, you can hear all the work they have put into this epic concept. This is definitely a band to follow and an album that belongs in your album collection. My only complaint with the whole album is Alexandros’s voice, it sounds great when he’s on form. His growls and almost operatic clean sections worked well with the sound of the rest of the band. But sadly once or twice you can hear it strain. Other than that I loved it. And as soon as I can I’m going out and buying it, you all should too.

4/5
Craig Matthews

 

Metal Centre

To be outspoken, I know Greek’s Metal music as Black Metal, but of course the Hellenes can also offer for us other extreme Metal species. In the case of DESERT NEAR THE END, the Greeks hit very hard and dynamically with their third album, presenting a furious thunderstorm, that consists mainly of Thrash-Death Metal components with elements such as Hellenic Black Metal or even Melodic Death Metal as well as Power Metal.
Themes of Thrash are very aggressive and hoarse-screamingly, in style of SLAYER or KREATOR. On the other hand, the Death’s themes are both brutal but also melodious, in style of DEATH, like their short climatic solos. Also, some of the riffs are slightly marked with Greek Black Metal, although it is only a small breath.
Apart from sharp and stormy music, full of fast, heavy and energetic phrases, there are temporary slowingdowns, clean guitars motives and even clean singings, giving dark and melancholy atmosphere, epic Power Metal accent, or even a folk breeze for this wholeness (a little as ORPHANED LAND).
The album features an exciting power-ballad, typical of Thrash Metal style, full of aggression and melancholy, of course with clean guitar passages, climatic solos and rising tensions by dynamic riffs.
After the listening to the album, I am more and more inclined to say that the whole thing reminded me of Polish HELLIAS and despite all the musical influences, the whole thing is very coherent, with a significant superiority of very energetic Thrash Death Metal strokes, typical for 90’s of XX century.

8.0/10
Pavel

 

HMP #64

Desert Near The End to zespdi kt6ry istnieje od 2010 roku, ale jego muzycy tulaj;} si po greckiej scenie juz od 1997 roku. “Theater Of War” jest juz trzecim albumem tej kapeli i proponuje nam w&iekly, agresywny power/thrash me¬tal. Ogdlnie jestem zaskoczony, ze b dzie mi dane wysluchad ezfegos tak do- brego. Grecy owszem odwoluja si? do starej szkoly grania, robito wystarczajaco dobrze ale nie odzegnu jq siod wsplczesnej techniki i mocamego, miazdzacego brzmienia, dbaja o swoja melodyjnod ale tez od czasu do czasu grzmotna prawie blastami. Dawno nie slyszalem aby kto z taka fiiria prdbowal grad thrash ale z rowna zavvzitoscia chcial utrzymad si przy melodii. Kazdy z utwor6w wali nas na odlew, dzga sowkami czy miazdzy motorvka. Jedynie pocztek ostatniego utworu “At the Shores” daje nam trochwytchnienia. Nie oznacza to, ze kompozycje to jakie prostactwo, o nie, sprawy maj si z gola inaczej. Utwoiy ciekawe, kazdy z konkrnym pomyslem, gsto zagrane i przykuwajce uwag£. Sporo w tym tez melodii. Kazdy z instrumentdw pracuje na najwyzszych obrotach, atakujqc nas nie tylko moca ale i teehnika. Ciekawostk jest fakt, ze perkusja to sztuczny twr, co w oge nie rzuca siw uszy. Niemniej dla konkretnego rozwoju tej kapeli, obecni muzycy powinni zadbad, aby perkusista byl z nimi na stale. Muzycznych skojarzen jest bez liku, wnie zwiazanvch ze scenamerykahsk, ale trudno zdecydowad sif na kt6re€ konkretnie. Troch inaczej jest z glosem Alexandros’a Papandreou’a. bowiem dose czsto przypomina on wcieklego Hansi’ego Kursch’a. Niemniej Desert Near The End brzmi po swojemu, co nie wtpliwie jest jego duzym atutem. “Theater Of War” przypadl mi do gustu i byd moze jestem jeszcze w pe- wnym stanie euforii, ktora wywolala ta plyta. Jednak mam nadziej, ze intuieja mnie w tym wypadku nie zawodzi oraz, ze inni dostrzega to samo, czego Grekom niezmiemie zycz.

4,7
\m/\m/

 

IN EXTREMIS FANZINE #60

Nom de groupe à la con mais musique qui vaut le détour. Vu les blases des gaillards, je parierais 20 centimètres de mon anatomie qu’ils sont grecs (te précipite pas pour vérifier, j’suis pas pressé). La musique qu’ils proposent est un thrash plutôt moderne, le truc technique et brutal à la fois, un peu comme un Quo Vadis qu’aurait été biberonné au heavy-metal. La voix ne plaira pas à tout le monde, elle comporte de fréquents relents lyriques, chez moi ça passe sans accroc mais bon, pas sûr que tout le monde fasse preuve d’autant de tolérance. Perso impossible de lui en vouloir à ce type tellement il est bon, il a du coffre comme on dit chez les banquiers, mélodieuse et punchy sa voix s’impose pourtant sans problème dans un registre si pétaradant. Le truc qui me gêne par contre, c’est cette batterie surmixée en avant qui prend énormément de place (la patte Tue Madsen). Ok ça donne du peps, mais ça masque aussi la finesse du travail des gratteux. C’est dingue cette surenchère du gros son au sein des groupes “tendance”, pour moi ça ressemble à un concours de bites dans la cour de récré, ni plus ni moins. Gros besoin de s’affirmer au sein de la meute, beaucoup d’esbroufe pour pas grand-chose, c’est con parce que le groupe démontre un réel talent à pondre des compos tour à tour rentre-dedans ou plus intimistes, comme l’excellent “Season of the Sun” aux élans épiques appréciables. Autre piste qui dégage une aura unique, c’est “At the Shores” où l’ombre de Savatage plane comme un esprit bienveillant, déjà à cause du chanteur mais aussi aux diverses structures à tiroirs qui s’imbriquent. Mais cette batterie surgonflée c’est pas possible, c’est comme si elle était sur le point d’exploser à chaque blast, je t’assure faut aimer. Prends un titre comme “Point of No Return” par exemple, tout se passe sans problème les premières secondes : les riffs assomment pendant que la basse sonne élastique, mais dès que le batteur part en mode pulvérisateur, ç’en devient presque louche. Aussi peu de naturel dans le son des frappes, ça ressemblerait presque à de la techno pour dance-floors à transexuels. Et c’est comme ça tout du long, les musicos sont excellents, les gratteux te concoctent des mélodies aux petits oignons, le chanteur fait montre d’un large spectre, mais il y a cette batterie qui me gâche le plaisir à chaque fois. Alors j’y suis revenu plusieurs fois sur ce disque de malheur, en me disant que j’allais finir par m’acclimater, qu’à un moment ou à un autre mes oeillères de vieux schnok allaient tombées. Bein non, j’y peux rien si ces mecs sont doués mais ont des goûts de chiotte en c’qui concerne la prod.

 

Rock Hard #37/2016

Po takmer dvoch rokoch sa vydamm noveho albumu pripomma aj grecka kapela DESERT NEAR THE END. Kapela, fungujüca pod tymto menom od roku 2010, je vsakovel’astarsia, пакоко uz v roku 1997 fungovala pod näzvom STORMBRINGER, neskör v rokoch 2001 az 2010 fungovala ako THE EVENTIDE (jeden radovy album) a v tychto dnoch pod asi uz ustälenym näzvom DESERT NEAR THE END vydäva svoj treti album „Theater of War”. Novy pocin obsahuje osem skladieb, v celkovej dlzke necelych 45 minüt. V zahlavi rna kapela ako zäkladny styl uvedene thrash/power metal, no stretol som sa aj s oznacemm brutal power/thrash metal, no mozno by sa viac hodilo oznacenie extreme metal. Tak, ako tak kapela urcite vychädza, resp. zäklad jej hudobneho stylu tvori thrash metal, ktoryje miestami ciastocne doplneny o power vplyvy. Asi najvystiznejsia „skatul’ka” je asi predsa len ten extreme metal. Skutocne ostre a surove riffy a ciastocne priskrteny thrashovy vokal kapelu radi viac k tym tvrdsie zänrovym odnoziam, takze nie pre milovnikov „sladkych” nemeckych power kapiel. Na druhej strane, po kvalitativnej hudobnej stränke je citif power potenciâl, ktorÿ je vsak ponimanÿ skutocne „brutal” charakterom. Mozno sirsie spektrum fanüsikovskej obci nezaskodi a je len na kazdom, co sizichtvorbyvyberie.

3,8/5
KREMATOR

 

Pest Webzine

Although the band is active since 1997 (unde different monikers though), and this is their third full-length under the Desert Near The End banner, I haven’t heard of them before and the beginning of this CD make me think I’m about to experience some fat and brutal Death Metal, but for my surprise that was not the case. DNTE’s music sounds ultra-oppressive and extremely heavy because of the low-tuned and mostly very fast paced rhythm section, an intensive, Thrash Death Metal like drumming which although programmed doesn’t sound synthetic at all, and a bulldozer-like bass line. The guitars are more on the traditional Thrash Metal path, with some epic parts here and there, and the vocals are clearly the ones that give this band a Power Metal feeling, but all is extreme and very heavy on this record, I’m impressed by the energy liberated by this Greek trio and also by the brutal take on Power Thrash Metal these guys managed to offer on this third album. CD comes with a 12 pages booklet featuring all lyrics, but I would have liked the cover artwork to be clearer though.

7.5/10
Adrian

 

Rock Hard #356/2017

Als „Brutal Power/Thrash Metal“ bezeichnen die Griechen DESERT NEAR THE END ihren Stil, was durchaus zutreffend ist: Stellt euch vor, man würde einen Teig mit je einem Teil Kreator und Blind Guardian herstellen, den man dann in der Küchenmaschine Of Steel auf der Rührstufe „brachial“ miteinander vermengt und anschließend auf der Stufe „Höllenfeuer“ backen lässt. Ergo: Um „Theater Of War“ verzehren zu können, braucht man mindestens Beißerchen aus Granit.

7,5/10
STEFAN GLAS

Lords of Metal

Desert Near The End’s previous effort ‘Hunt For The Sun’ was kinda great and I was looking forward to its successor which has become ‘Theater Of War’ (yes, indeed this is including the grammatical / spelling fuck up in “theatre”). Its predecessor “Hunt For The Sun’ was a wonderful forceful power metal album in the vein of Iced Earth that even made me think Desert Near The End was one of the best power metal bands ever to emerge from Greece soil. ‘Theater Of War’ is a great follow up album for a band that somewhat changed their view on things.
If you adored the previous album you will be astonished with the giant step forward Desert Near The End made the past few years. The group has intermingled more pure fast-forwarded thrash elements within their power metal music, which almost leads to a new offshoot within the metal scene called powerthrash (freely interpreted by me after Messiah’s 1985 ‘Powertrash’ demo tape). What a great band Akis Prasinikas (bass), Alexandros Papandreou (vocals), Thomas Shaffer (guitars) and their drum computer have. Again, it’s called Desert Near The End and they are fucking mighty great!

89/100
Koen B

 

Scream Magazine #211/2016

Disse grekerne har eksistert i nærmere 20 âr, dog med for- skjellige besetninger. De har slitt i rimelig konstant mot- vind, og dette er kun deres tredje studioskive sä langt. Det later som en tung og litt mer ekstre mo ri entert versjon av nyere Iced Earth, og gutta har utvilsomt noe â by pâ. Det skurrer kanskje litt i det totale uttrykket, og jeg blir usikker pâ hva bandet onsker â oppnâ. Men det er definitivt elementer som faller i smak her.

Häkon Grav

 

Legacy #105

Was für ein Brett! Nach diversen Demos, Namensänderungen und Umbesetzungen veröffentlichen die Griechen DESERT NEAR THE END mit „Theater Of War“ nunmehr ihr drittes Album, und man hört den drei Bandmitgliedern und dem Studio-Drummer die gesammelte Erfahrung auf jeden Fall an, denn diese Männer wissen, wie man echten Metal mit Arschtrittfaktor schreibt! Schon der Opener ‚Ashes Descent‘ bölzt so unbarmherzig drauflos, dass sich die Nackenwirbel von ganz allein in Bewegung setzen und die Beine automatisch das Doublebass-Gewitter auf dem heimischen Boden nachspielen wollen. Dabei setzen die Hellenen jedoch nicht nur auf den Ballerfaktor, sondern haben echt alles im Gepäck, was eine geile Death Metal-Platte braucht. Das wären neben der schieren Brutalität auch Killerriffs, die übertriebensten Bolt Thrower-Kopfnickerwalzen, ab und zu eine Ohrwurm-Hook und in leichten Dosen zur Auflockerung auch mal ein akustisches Zwischenspiel oder ein melodischer Solopart. Bei ‚A Martyr’s Birth‘ wird anfangs gar die Gitarre gezupft, und Sänger Alexandros Papandreou beweist, dass er auch den Klargesang klasse beherrscht. Doch wer denkt, dass hier jetzt eine (Halb-)Ballade folgt, liegt gehörig daneben, denn nach einer Minute geht es wieder in die Vollen. DESERT NEAR THE END verbinden gekonnt musikalische Brutalität mit technischer Versiertheit an den richtigen Stellen und zwingendem Songwriting. Ein Album, das jeder Death Metal-Fan in diesem Jahr haben sollte!

12 Punkte
TFR

 

We Love Metal

Even with the flood of Metal that washes over us on a regular basis, I try to take the time to give a listen to nearly anything I come across that I might think will appeal. Without any research or reading of publicist write ups, I clicked on Desert Near the End’s album Theater of War. It’s a good thing, as this is a seriously compelling slab of Power/Thrash Metal that needs to be heard.
This Greek horde has been around for nearly two decades in one form or another, finally releasing their debut album in 2011. Now with the third installment of a loose concept on Total Metal Records, DNTE sounds to be hitting on all cylinders. Encompassing an ethic leaning heavily on Thrash Metal, the band comes at you head on with an impressive fury. Having gone through a number of incarnations, the band saw themselves forging a new path across the desert…so, Desert Near The End was the name.
The music of Theater of War is of sufficient intensity to induce rage even in the most hardcore Metalheads. Ashes Descent is pulverizingly good, with attention to speed and aggression paving the way for a killer thrash track. Point of No Return reveals a sludgy, Doom laden side of the band, slowing things down but remaining exceedingly heavy. Under Blackened Skies goes in a quite extreme direction with blast beats and wild riffing. The band also throws in a guitar melody at times that is almost Folk Metal in nature. This is one of the more unique and interesting tracks. A Martyr’s Birth leads off with something that sort of reminds me of a gypsy melody – don’t ask me why, it just does. Quickly DNTE launches into a Testament style, but not a rip off of any particular riffs.
Season of the Sun thrashes pretty hard with some lightning fast guitar work in conjunction with lots of high speed drumming. Changing things up mid-way through the song, DNTE brings all they’ve got and kicks some serious ass. The title track continues the sonic assault with a brashness and high level of aggression. The band’s approach proves to be varied enough to keep my interest, throwing in the occasional guitar melody and relatively subdued sections to act as a counterbalance to the heavy blasts of Metal. The mid-paced deliberate section near the end of the song is sure to spur some serious headbanging. I think the one let down is the closing track At the Shores. That shortcoming is primarily in the early part of the song during which vocalist Alexandros Papandreou sings rather than using his roughhouse delivery. He is certainly a better when he sticks to the Thrash style as he does during the second half of the song.
The promotional write up describes Desert Near the End being for fans of Blind Guardian and Kreator, as well as fans of Brutal & Extreme Metal. Not a bad summation since there seem to be elements of all of those to be found on Theater of War – well done melodies, Thrash riffs, and blisteringly fast drumming. While this album isn’t especially groundbreaking or stylistically unique, it is a solid effort and worth a listen for those of you inclined to the Thrash side of Metal.
I hear the sound in a Metal way.

Harley

 

Metal Hammer Greece №381

A deafening rebirth of the 90’s, a wave of fiery metal, full with passion and aggression.
The Athenians are not kidding at all, not that we had any doubt about it.
Their DNA is already defined by their 90’s influences so what was left for them to do was to demonstrate their own strong cards.
Smouldering anger, vicious expression, determination, vision, ambition… these are the first characteristics that comes in mind when I write about them.
They didn’t rest upon the good reviews they received for their previous albums, as they tried to surpass themselves. And they succeeded! For example Alexander’s vocals are noticeably improved and he has essence and wrath and when needed, in the more melodic parts, he shows a quality that very few in extreme metal possess, making himself a strong asset for the band. In many cases he brings Hansi Kursch in mind. On the other hand Akis continues even more focused than before to channel his way of thinking in the musical and lyrical planning of the album. And Thanos puts his own stone (at the shores) giving a mournful yet redeeming epilogue to the album.
We can’t categorize them under any specific genre because they blend together, successfully, many metal branches. When you try to put them under the thrash/power sign (which is their base), some doom/epic thunders, which brings in mind Primordial, comes crushing down. Also eastern folk elements as we know it from Orphaned land, enriches some dark moments and they fit perfectly. Even the cape of modern extreme metal covers, when needed, the soundscapes that the band creates. I’m speechless! It’s official, Desert Near The End enters the elit of the Greek Metal scene. Welcome them as they deserve.

9/10

 

MORE REVIEWS

http://www.rockarea.eu

https://www.insane-voices-labirynth.it

http://www.allaroundmetal.com

http://www.metalcentre.pl

http://www.friedhof-magazine.com

http://www.amped-up.be

http://www.greekrebels.gr

http://zwaremetalen.com

http://metallifer.blogspot.fr

http://noizzwebzine.blogspot.com.es

http://vampster.com

http://www.femforgacs.hu

http://metaleyes.iyezine.com

Copyright © 2021 total metal Records. All Rights Reserved.