My HeadBangers welcome from Athens, Greece:
SUICIDAL ANGELS
Welcome to some Thrash Metal at it’s finest!
“Bloody Ground”
How’s that for some Thrash, you want more ok here’s another.
“Division Of Blood”
Let’s look at some bio, taken from their site, on these Thrash Gods from Athens:
http://www.suicidalangels.com/band.php
Suicidal Angels was formed in early 2001, a time when founder Nick Melissourgos was only 16 years old. The musical steps the band was meant to follow were leading to the realm of old school thrash metal, Nick’s major musical influence. That’s pretty much obvious in the band’s first demo, “United by Hate” (July 2001), which is nowadays extremely difficult to find.
Back then Suicidal Angels was more of a school band having a good time. After some early line-up changes though, Nick met Orfeas Tzortzopoulos (drums), and a unique musical chemistry was born. The band records it’s second demo, “Angels’ Sacrifice” (December 2003) and things gradually become more serious. Based on this demo, the band starts promoting itself and the first concerts are scheduled.
During April 2004 Suicidal Angels record a new demo called “The Calm before the Storm”, which receives good reviews in metal magazines and fanzines throughout Europe. In September 2004, the band releases an EP called “Bloodthirsty Humanity”, which receives even better reviews compared to the previous demos. Meanwhile, the group tries to perform live whenever possible.
It was shortly after the show with Tankard in October 2004, when Themis Katsimichas (guitars) joined the band, at first just to help with the first ever gig abroad (Bucharest, 2005) and then as a full member, teaming with Nick to create a fast and technical thrash guitar duo.
During Fall/Winter of 2005 the band records a four song mini CD called “Armies of Hell”, which gets distribution by EVIL RECORDS and hits the stores in Greece in early 2006. The reviews from European metal magazines were once again very encouraging.
In April 2006, bass player Christine decides to leave the band and is replaced by Sotiris Skarpalezos shortly after. The band continues to perform live in concerts both in Greece and abroad (Germany and Poland, Summer 2006).
On October 16, 2006, Suicidal Angels sign their first record deal, with California based OSM Records. The plans for the recording of a full length album are in motion. However, the band still tries to play live as much as possible, knowing full well that that’s the only way to become a better act.
Recordings of “Eternal Domination” started in January 2007 and the band spent two months recording, mixing and mastering the album, to achieve the best outcome. When it became obvious that it would be very difficult to do this in Greece, the group didn’t hesitate to seek help from abroad and sent the master tapes to the USA, to be mixed and mastered by acclaimed producer Colin Davis in Los Angeles, California.
Shortly after, in April 2007, Rotting Christ founder Sakis Tolis invited Suicidal Angels to become part of Rotting Christ’s “Theogonia Balkans tour 2007”, giving them their first chance to tour in Europe. It was an opportunity that could not be missed and the band began its first serious attempt to play its music in foreign land.
The group’s first full length album, “Eternal Domination”, was finally released on July 16, 2007. The album received very good reviews worldwide and Suicidal Angels embarked on a never ending journey promoting it.
In May 2007, the band gave one of its most important shows, supporting Kreator in Athens, Greece. Mille Petrozza was truly impressed by the band’s performance and, to the band’s astonishment, appeared on stage wearing the Suicidal Angels T-shirt the group had offered him as a gift. It was the beginning of a series of fortunate events, as Mille would continue to pinpoint Suicidal Angels as one of the best new thrash metal bands in various occasions.
Jumping ahead to 2009
In March 2009, Suicidal Angels entered the studio (Prophecy and Music Factory Studios, Germany) under the direction of the producer R.D. Liapakis and recorded the second full length named “Sanctify the Darkness”. At the same time, the band took part in the so-called Rock The Nation Award 2009, which was held in partnership with Nuclear Blast Records and Boomer Entertainment as well as highly anticipated print magazines from all over Europe such as Metal Hammer (D, I, GR, E), Terrorizer UK, Rock Tribune B, Scream NO, Metallian F and Spark CZ. Suicidal Angels were picked final winter from over 1200 band submissions!
After the album was released via Nuclear Blast Records in November 2009, the band went out on several big tours with Kataklysm, Belphegor, Overkill and played all big festivals such as Metalcamp, Sonisphere Greece, Wacken Open Air, PartySan and Summer Breeze. With NoiseArt Records, the band finally found a strong partner and a perfect home as the label is a division of Rock The Nation, which also does the booking for Suicidal Angels!
Now, with joined forces and full force, after a very successful year in 2010, the thrash metal tank has produced its 3rd long player entitled “Dead Again”. The amazing cover artwork was created by none other but Ed Repka (Megadeth, Death and more) while R.D. Liapakis of Mystic Prophecy once again produced the band’s album. With “Dead Again” Suicidal Angels have again taken thrash metal to another level – tight, aggressive, fast and old school as fuck!
On November of 2010, a year after the release of “Sanctify the Darkness”, “Dead Again” strikes the market, being the first record released by “NoiseArt”. From that certain point and afterwards, one of the most glorious moments of Suicidal Angels comes, the so called “Thrashfest” tour 2010, along with Kreator, Exodus and Death Angel, a mighty package, striking numerous sold out nights throughout Europe.
Spring of 2011, it’s time to spread in the Eastern part of Europe, again with Death Angel in the “Sonic Retribution” tour and participates in more summer festivals, reaching to the most eastern part of the band’s career so far, in Ukraine.
Summer / fall of the same year, the band enters the studio to fulfil another thrash assault, working again with R.D Liapakis and visiting for one more time the Music Factory and Prophecy Studios in Munich. This time, head of mix and master is Jorg Uken from the “Soundlodge” studios, achieving a raw, dark and more mature sound compared to the previous records.
Thus, the band creates “Bloodbath”, which hits the stores on January 2012, receiving great feedback, amazing reviews, making it to the German charts at position #84 and Austrian charts, position #78. The release of the record is followed by the “Full of Hate” tour 2012, with the absolutely killer line up of Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Legion of the Damned and Misery Index. A sold out package, introducing the band into a more death metal audience, receiving the best of impressions and enlarging its fan base throughout Europe.
Soon after the end of summer, changes in the line up are taking place, with Chris joining forces on the guitar. The new year finds Suicidal Angels flying over to the latin America, with first stop in Mexico city, followed by shows in Brazil.
By the end of summer of 2014, conversations and negotiations had already started for the 2nd headline tour for “Divide and Conquer” on January 2015, the so called “Conquering Europe Part II”. The band apart from the shows themselves, decides to film the life on the road, to capture the feeling of the tour in order to share with their fans. Summer follows, festival season goes insane, but as soon as we reach the end, Chris Tsitsis leaves the band in order to take care of his family.
The replacement was soon made, with Gus Drax joining forces with Suicidal Angels and straight flying to the Soundlodge Studios where the band was already, recording the new album. Without loosing any time, he gets in the spirit and the way that the band works, records the leads for the new album, and straight on November he flies as the official lead guitar player, with the band to Japan, for 2 exclusive shows in Tokyo. First time of the band there and also the first show of Gus with the band.
Reaching 2016, being faithful to the every 2 years release, Suicidal Angels strike back with the 6th studio album, the “Division of Blood”. The album hits the charts once more, position 93, making it for 3rd time in a row. Along with the album, there comes in a special edition, the “Conquering Europe” DVD, which is a tour documentary along with parts of the band’s appearance in Essen at Turock club. A special edition which includes interviews of the band, lots of backstage footage, getting the fans in to the band’s life on the road.
This is the story so far! Be prepared for fast and furious thrash metal, ’cause when it comes to Suicidal Angels that’s the only metal you’ll get! Their journey continues.
“Born Of Hate”
Let’s meet the band:
From left to right:
Gus Drax – Bass
Nick Melissourgos – Vocals, Guitar
Orpheas Tzortzopoulos – Drums
Aggelos Lelikakis – Guitar
“Endless War”
My Thoughts:
Well my HeadBangers there you have it, Suicidal Angels, thrash, fast and hard like a freight train. As a melodic death metal lover, and of Nordic Bands, every once in awhile you have to kick it up a notch. I find thrash a good way to jump start your morning in this fking Pandemic we are having, and so great music, great hair, this might just kick Covid-19’s ass right off the planet. Wait, Suicidal Angels could win the Nobel Peace Prize if that happened. It would add to their long list of gigs for the summer of 2020 that will probably have to be cancelled. Click the link to their site, they are booked all summer I kid you not. Between these guys and my Coke Zero, no sugar but hell we have the caffeine, at 4:oo pm on a Sunday afternoon, time to MOSH HEADBANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well that’s it for this week, join me next week for another band and another song. In the meantime don’t stand to close to the fire if you can’t handle the burn…..
