Band : Suicidal Angels
Album title : Sanctify The Darkness
Label : Nuclear Blast
Distributor : PIAS
Release date : 20/11/2009
Release : CD

Formed in early 2001 when singer/ guitarist Nick Melissourgos was only 16, this Old School Thrash Metal act was then little more than a high school band, a means for some youth to spend time together…and it’s in that spirit that the band records its first 4-track (plus intro) demo United By Hate in July of the same years. However, after a couple of first line-up changes, Nick meets drummer Orfeas Tzortzopoulos, with whom he feels a unique musical and personal togethership. Things now get a more serious outlook. With their second demo Angel’s Sacrifice (a 3-tracker), the band starts promoting itself towards concert promotors and venues, and the first concerts are scheduled.

Third demo The Calm Before The Storm (recorded April 2004, it includes all tracks of the 2nd demo, plus 2 new ones) gets the band positive reviews in Metal magazines and fanzines throughout Europe, and their EP Bloodthirsty Humanity (actually a full-length bringing together the tracks of The Calm… with 5 brand new ones; released in September 2004 and re-issued as tape in 2009 by Greek label Alucard Records) fares even better. Meanwhile, the band tries to play live whenever possible, seeing that as the best learning experience…and shortly after a show in support of Tankard in October, the band expanded through the addition of guitarist Themis Katsimichas (first to help out with thei band’s first gig abroad in Bucharest, then as a full member). During Fall/ Winter 2005, the band records 4 new tracks for their Armies Of Hell EP, which gets distribution from Evil Records and hits the Greek record stores in early 2006, with reviews again being very encouraging.

In April 2006 bassist Christine (whom had actually hung on the longest up to that moment, baring Nick and Orfeas) hangs up her instrument, her role to be taken over by Sotiris Skarpalezos not long after. During Summer, the band plays a couple more gigs abroad (Germany & Poland), and in October the band sings a deal for their debut full-length with California-based label OSM Records. With all recordings done in Greece, and realizing that best results for mixing and mastering won’t be found there, the band doesn’t hesitate to send the master tapes off to producer Colin Davis in Los Angeles. In April 2007, Rotting Christ founder Sakis Tolis invites the SA to become part of Rotting Christ’s Theogonia Balkans Tour 2007, a chance to play their music seriously outside homeland turf, and an opportunity they simply couldn’t miiss out on, as it would see the band play a total of 9 shows in Slovenia, Hungary, Roumania, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece. The Eternal Domination album eventually started infesting Greece and the USA beginning July 16, and it wasn’t long before the rest of the globe got infected by the band’s music, with magazines and fanzines worldwide spewing their positive reviews. Things were now defenitely taking a certain stride for the band…

In May 2007 the band supported Kreator in Athens (Greece, not USA), and Mille Petrozza was só impressed by the band he would not only walk onto stage during his band’s set wearing the t-shirt SA had offered him before the gig, but also continue to support the band with comments at various occasions about SA being one of the best new Thrash Metal bands. In November of the same year, SA joined Massacre on that band’s European reunion tour, visiting several Western Europe countries for the first time, and getting positive response from audiences everywhere. Continuing to promote their album, the band toured with English Thrashers Onslaught in April and May 2008. Then time came to finally present the new album to a Greek audience, on May 11, 2008…and the Athens audience simply went out of the proverbial roof with enthousiasm. The band, knowing by past experience that the Greek Thrash fans are really the wildest and craziest in the world, didn’t miss on the occasion to record that night’s events (certainly a document meant for later use and release).

The band then takes out time to write new material for their second full-length, but they dó come out of the rehearsal room to play seconds when Nile passes through Athens in October 2008. Then, in December 2008, the bassist decides that SA is no longer a priority for him, and goes his separate way. In March 2009 the band enters the Prophecy and Music Factory studios in Germany where, under productional guidance of Mystic Prophecy singer R. D. Liapakis, they record the 11 tracks of this new album. Around the same time, the band participates in the so-called Rock The Nation competition, organized by booking agent Boomer Entertainment with help from all leading European Metal magazines (including the German, Italian, Spanish and Greek Metal Hammer, UK’s Terrorizer, France’s Metallian, Norway’s Scream, Belgium’s Rock Tribune, the Czech Republic’s Spark, and Holland’s webzine LordsOfMetal.nl) and with a recording deal with Nuclear Blast as ultimate prize. Although originally there’s only meant to be just one winner, SA eventually gets a tie with Sweden’s Steelwing (because the “professional” judges couldn’t make up their minds between the two) in September.

However, more little troubles would come along, as right after the recordings of the album, guitarist Themis was forced to leave the band due to the increased responsabilities on his work as trainee cardiologist. When the band announced that on April 10, a replacement was already found in the person of Vaggelis, whom would do his premiere show with the band on September 20 when the band played support to Legion Of The Damned! On June 31, the band shoots a video for the track “Apokathilosis”, the first for this album annd their third to date (I’m not sure whether it’s only for a special edition of the album, but at myspace.com/suicidalangels, the band reveals the album would have an enhanced part with 2 –two- videos!).

Meanwhile, a January tour will see the band travel through Europe (mainly Germany, but also gigs in Holland : Enschede’s Atak on Jan. 8 and Amsterdam’s Melkweg on Jan. 31, Belgium : Vosselaar’s Biebop the day afte, UK, France, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and Italy). Of course, you could make your acqaintance with the band’s furious Thrash style (certainly inspired by Slayer, as far as the lyrical contents go) by checking out the 4 tracks posted on their MySpace (only 2 off the new album, counting the new video, but the other tracks off the debut album are representative enough), and if you’re a true Old School Thrash Metal fan, I’m sure you might seriously consider buying the album(s)…so that when the band comes through your country, you might sing along with the band’s live set with full capacity of lungs!

87/100

Tony.