If there is one European country that truly knows the secrets of symphonic metal, it is undoubtedly the Netherlands. So, when BLACKBRIAR announced their visit to Greece, being at Fuzz Club was practically a given for me. In recent years, symphonic metal may have struggled to find its place among the timeless genres of metal, such as black, death, heavy and thrash, as well as newer expressions like metalcore. The bands that continue to represent the genre are constantly looking for new ways to stand out, stepping away from the safest formulas and incorporating new ideas and small but meaningful details into their sound. BLACKBRIAR are one of those bands.
Before we got to the Dutch headliners, however, Thessaloniki-based OCEANDVST had the task of welcoming the audience that had arrived early at Fuzz. And while the crowd was not particularly large at that point, the band took the stage with genuine enthusiasm, disarming honesty and an obvious desire to win over every single person in attendance.
All of this was perfectly reflected in the clear and passionate eyes of vocalist Chrysa Tsiakiri. With seemingly endless energy, the OCEANDVST frontwoman moved constantly across the stage, interacting with the audience and setting the tone from the very beginning for a performance that left no one indifferent.
Their set was largely based on last year’s “Death Is an Open Door”, while the two covers they had chosen were particularly interesting. First came t.A.T.u.’s “All the Things She Said”, one of the defining songs of the 2000s, followed by EVANESCENCE’s “Going Under”. Personally, I have always found it interesting when bands experiment with well-known songs and incorporate covers into their live sets, especially when they manage to give them their own identity. It takes courage and a certain amount of good-natured audacity to pull something like that off.
As Chrysa herself mentioned from the stage, the tour with BLACKBRIAR was OCEANDVST’s second European tour of 2026, and the experience they had accumulated was already clearly visible. Their stage movements were confident, their interaction with the audience was constant, and the band’s overall presence showed a group gradually gaining confidence and developing greater stage maturity.
Another memorable moment came when Chrysa shared a personal story with the audience. She revealed that a well-known singer, whom she did not name, had once told her that with her on vocals, OCEANDVST had no hope of achieving anything worthwhile. Chrysa’s response required very few words. With the proverbial middle finger raised in the air, she simply chose to carry on with her work. And ultimately, perhaps that is the most important thing: not allowing other people’s opinions to determine your path. As Blaze has repeatedly said, it doesn’t matter what other people say about you. What matters is working hard and doing what you love.
Setlist
- Ghost
- Better Days
- All the Things She Said (t.A.T.u. cover)
- Dead End Hope
- My Last Day on Earth
- Remedy
- NME
- Going Under (Evanescence cover)
- Isn’t Love Supposed to Be A Good Thing?
After the pleasant surprise that was OCEANDVST, it was time to enter the safe yet fascinating territory of BLACKBRIAR. Dark, atmospheric and mysterious territory, much like the voice of the unique Zora Cock, who took immediate control of the stage after the intro featuring Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” and welcomed us with “Betwixt and Between” from the freshly released EP “Our Long Cursed Sleep”.
Naturally, their latest full-length album, “A Thousand Little Deaths”, released in 2025, was given plenty of attention, but the 18-song set also offered room for material from across their entire discography.
Zora Cock’s performance was virtually flawless, once again confirming that she is one of the band’s greatest assets. Ruben Wijga’s keyboards blended harmoniously with the overall sound, while guitarists Bart Winters and Robin Koezen, together with Rene Bozem on drums, provided the necessary heaviness, ensuring that the band’s symphonic and atmospheric elements never completely overshadowed its metal side.
The absence of a bass player was somewhat unusual following Siebe Sol Sijpkens’ departure last year, while there were also quite a few pre-recorded parts that were clearly necessary to reproduce the band’s complex sound live.
One of the biggest strengths of the performance was undoubtedly the lighting. BLACKBRIAR had clearly invested heavily in the visual aspect of the show, and the result was particularly impressive, with the lighting complementing the band’s dark and mysterious aesthetic perfectly.
Setlist
- Betwixt and Between
- Floriography
- I’d Rather Burn
- The Hermit and the Lover
- Arms of the Ocean
- Bluebeard’s Chamber
- The Catastrophe That Is Us
- Cicada
- The Fossilized Widow
- Spirit of Forgetfulness
- Deadly Diminuendo
- A Thousand Anemones
- Selkie
- Beautiful Delirium
- Crimson Faces
- Until Eternity
- A Last Sigh of Bliss
- Green Light Across the Bay
Those of us who were at Fuzz that night had the opportunity to witness a particularly interesting show by two bands that, despite their different approaches, proved to be an ideal pairing.
The turnout may not have been spectacular, but it was certainly satisfactory considering both the day of the show and the fact that BLACKBRIAR have yet to build a huge fan base in Greece. What was clear, however, was the presence of a smaller but highly dedicated audience. It was also worth noting that the majority of those in attendance were under 30, something that, among other things, translated into… countless mobile phones held in the air for almost the entire duration of the show.
More importantly, however, the evening proved that symphonic metal still has a place and, above all, an audience willing to support it. The genre may no longer be at the peak of its popularity, but as long as there are bands willing to evolve, experiment and search for their own identity, symphonic metal will continue to have a place in the contemporary metal scene.
Correspondent / Photos: Kostas Boudoukos
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