Greek melodic death metallers will release their new album Advent of Chaos on February 20, 2026. On the occasion of this release, Metalwar got in touch with the band to learn all the details.
METALWAR: “Advent of Chaos” sounds like a milestone album for you. How does it essentially differ from “Land of the Black Sun” in terms of composition and philosophy?
THANOS: Good evening METAL WAR… I’m Thanos from AmongRuins and it’s a great pleasure to be here with you. Land of the Black Sun marked the band’s return after a long absence from recording. We had time, and we were extremely ambitious and hungry to write a new album… and that formula worked very well.
The creative path we chose truly represented us—and still does. With Advent of Chaos, I would describe this continuation as the result of a snowball effect. Inspiration came effortlessly, and the road we wanted to follow was clear… when you know where you want to go, things become easier, right?
METALWAR: The title speaks of an “Advent of Chaos.” Is chaos destruction, redemption, or a necessary transition?
THANOS: What has always fascinated me about music of any kind is how each person perceives it, feels it, and identifies with it. The same applies here—everyone can relate, imagine, get angry…
Personally, Advent of Chaos is redemption, absolution, a way of saying that through chaos, destruction, and despair, there is hope—there is light. I hope people connect with that, but even more, I hope they make every song their own… to feel something personal.
METALWAR: There is a strong cinematic atmosphere throughout the album. Do you compose with images in mind, or does it emerge organically?
THANOS: We always write based on experiences. Each album represents the phase we were in during the time of composition. You could say it’s also based on images—after all, what is a memory if not an image?
But above all, it’s emotion. For example, Frozen to the Core speaks about someone who is gone and the pain of their absence. Into the Flame deals with the despair of losing your other half. Every song is a personal ode to experiences and emotions. Emotion plays the leading role.
METALWAR: The songs balance raw aggression and deep melancholy. How do you achieve this dual emotional charge without losing cohesion?
THANOS: As I mentioned before, emotion is key. Despair, anger, sorrow, absence—all of these erupt as rage in the music. And because these are melancholic emotions, they naturally intertwine in a way that creates this result.
We don’t force it, we don’t try to make it happen—it simply is what comes out: melancholy expressed through anger.
METALWAR: The guest appearances by Christianna and George Prokopiou add a new dimension to the material. Were their parts written specifically for their voices, or added to completed songs?
THANOS: Christianna and George are friends of the band and people we deeply respect, both artistically and personally. Christianna is like a sister to us—Sotiris was in Bare Infinity with her, and I’ve known her for many years—so her presence on the album was something that had to happen.
We always write the music first and then add vocals. In the case of Into the Flame, Christianna was given full freedom to write lyrics and convey her emotion in the song—and for me, she did it perfectly.
George Prokopiou is one of the finest voices in Greece right now—expressive as always, with a strong understanding of what we want to achieve. Just like on Land of the Black Sun, his participation on Open Wounds this time was a split-second decision.
METALWAR: Sverd sounds more extreme yet more expressive than ever. Was this vocal direction intentional?
THANOS: I’m proud to witness his evolution through the years. Each year he gets better, and every album is another stone on the path he’s carving. At this point, he has a very distinctive vocal identity.
Nothing was intentional—it’s simply evolution and the need to improve. He’s now a truly brutal vocalist with range and deep knowledge of his craft.
METALWAR: “A Symphony of Loss” and “Night Mother” carry strong emotional weight. How personal are the lyrics on this album?
THANOS: One hundred percent. Our lyrics express what guitars and instruments cannot say with words. As mentioned, we always write based on experiences—breakups, loss, addiction, and so on.
For us, capturing our emotions in music is of utmost importance, probably because we believe it makes the whole work more genuine. So yes, inspiration always comes from personal experiences.
METALWAR: Saku Moilanen’s production is both clean and powerful. What did you specifically ask for in terms of sound?
THANOS: By our third album with him, not much needs to be said. He’s the fifth member of the band—we know him, and he knows us. We have a truly great collaboration and trust him completely.
Each time, he gets even better with more experience. As with the previous album, choosing Saku again was the only option. If there was one request… it was probably: “Make it massive!” (laughs)
METALWAR: The artwork reflects the concept of “fall and rebirth.” How important is the visual aspect compared to the music?
THANOS: One hundred percent important as well. Just like good food needs good presentation, an album cover must align with its content.
We’re very lucky to work with Nikos Stavridakis from Vision Black—an artist blessed with immense talent and passion. As with the previous album, he captured the album’s emotion in a single image perfectly.
METALWAR: Do you feel that with “Advent of Chaos” you’ve now fully shaped your own sound within melodic death metal?
THANOS: Absolutely. I believe we now have a clear identity. From Land of the Black Sun to Advent of Chaos, we show more clearly who we are and where we’re heading. We have a solid plan for how we want to sound and the paths we want to follow.
METALWAR: If the album were a ritual, how would the listener emerge at the end—destroyed or transformed?
THANOS: I hope transformed…
But if someone wants to be destroyed, they can come see us live with Nightrage on March 14—I guarantee total destruction! (laughs)
