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BLACK SOUL HORDE
Tales Of The Ancient Ones

No Remorse (2013)
Rating: 8/10

There’s nothing like a dose of old fashioned metal played by a band who in the modern day clearly understand what it takes to make a record that can bridge the gap between nostalgia and the current.

Tales Of The Ancient Ones, from its cover to its raucous vocal attack of Jim Kotsis, has hit the nail on the head when it comes to sweeping us up and taking us back to the good old days of heavy metal when warriors, warlocks, goblins and ancient tales were all the rage. This is straight up metal that doesn’t resort to layers of cheese to achieve its aim. Along with Kotsis, the men responsible for this nifty little outing are axemen John Tsiakopoulos and Costas Papaspyrou, bassist Stelios Dogas and drummer Jim Zafiropoulos.

Considering these guys from Athens in Greece have only been together since 2012 this is quite an accomplished little rocker that boasts decent riffage, compact drumming, firm bass and some exceptional numbers which stick long in the ear. Vocally, Kotsis is a no-nonsense growler who simply likes to get down and dirty and does his job, bringing with it a sense of European power metal mixed with New Wave Of British Heavy Metal as the dark, driving riffs enable the songs to come to life.

If you’d picked this up in the 80s I’m sure you’d have been rather proud to own a gem like this, but as it stands this sort of modern release is no doubt open to ridicule as it attempts to stand up alongside those original gems of those halcyon days. However, one cannot argue with some of these hard hitting compositions, especially the blackened metal smouldering of ‘Hour Of The Dragon’ which gallops with real meaning. ‘Horns Of War (Evermore)’ is a simple stab at classic 80s metal, meanwhile, and showcases the bass playing talents of Dogas.

I’m ever critical at these sorts of releases as I feel there are too many bands that spend their short-lived careers trying to ape rather than just be themselves. Black Soul Horde do touch on Iron Maiden, and the more dramatic lyrical stance of Manilla Road, but Kotsis is clearly a master of his art, and can range his pitch and the music is dishy enough to not merely exist in some form of stagnant homage.

From the thrashy origins of ‘Reborn In Fire And Blood’ to the doom-laden axe-wielding uproar of ‘Ancestor Of The Ancient Gods’ Black Soul Horde showcase their ability to vary, offering one moment raging Norse metal, the next goth-tinged gloom with Candlemass as its influence.

This is a very good record that I suggest you buy rather than scoff at because of its traditional influences. Tales Of The Ancient Ones has everything going for it to make it a perfect pin-pointer to the darkened depths of 80s metal.

Neil Arnold

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