So, that’s all folks… the last day of this year’s Release Athens was destined to be monumental for many reasons. Despite the incredible heatwave, thousands of metalheads turned up relatively early at Plateia Nerou. It was also the last live ever at this venue, as Release is relocating from next year on (rumored to be Markopoulo or OAKA). And, of course, because of the death of the great Ozzy Osbourne, with the result that the whole day was dedicated to his memory and the huge legacy he left to metal music.
The awkward task of opening the live before 6:30 p.m. fell to the British HAKEN, who are worthy representatives of the new wave of the progressive scene. As expected, the crowd was not very large, both because of the temperature and because it was a working day, and in fact many preferred to stay in the shade and enjoy one of the best bands of the genre visiting our country for the first time, from a distance. Despite the relative lack of energy on stage (after all, Progressive Metal is often not suitable for much headbanging), HAKEN confirmed their fans’ expectations, and I suspect that we will soon see them again in our country, under better conditions. That is, in a smaller venue (Floyd perhaps???) so that they can deliver their very interesting sound, which is full of melody and combines elements from many genres of music, to the fullest. In fact, they gave us the first (of many that night) tribute to Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH, incorporating the famous riff from “Iron Man” at the end of “Cockroach King.” Unfortunately, the limited time they had at their disposal and their long compositions (Progressive, after all) did not allow them to present a satisfying set, leaving out their latest album “Fauna,” released in 2023. So, their return is a must…
Setlist
- Prosthetic
- Invasion
- 1985
- Cockroach King
- The Architect
Next in line were MASTODON, after an absence of almost 10 years from our country. My relation with MASTODON is superficial, and this was the first time I saw them performing live. I had heard about the problems (to put it politely) that follow them in their live performances, so I kept my expectations low. The truth is that at the first notes of “Tread Lightly,” most people around me were frantically searching for their earplugs because the sound was loud and overwhelming. Thankfully, things improved as the show went on, and the crowd seemed to enjoy both the newer songs, such as “More Than I Could Chew,” “Steambreather,” and “Pushing The Tides,” as well as their classics, such as “Crystal Skull,” “Blood And Thunder,” etc. The truth is, however, that the moment that stuck in everyone’s memory was the cover of BLACK SABBATH’s “Supernaut,” a song that was also featured on “Back To The Beginning.” Since I have no previous experience with MASTODON, I will mention what I heard from many experienced members of the Metal scene, that this performance was perhaps their best in our country in terms of sound and performance, even though the leading figure of guitarist Brent Hinds was missing.
Setlist
- Tread Lightly
- The Motherload
- Pushing The Tides
- Crystal Skull
- Black Tongue
- Megalodon
- More Than I Could Chew
- Spectrelight
- Mother Puncher
- Steambreather
- Blood And Thunder
- Supernaut (BLACK SABBATH cover)
If there is one thing that should change at Release Athens, is the huge waiting time between bands. We all understand that for financial reasons it is good to have a 45-minute (!!) gap, but especially in the heat of summer this means that the first band has to playvery early and also it is exhausting for the audience. But leaving this aside, at around 9:20 it was time for the Gods of Progressive Metal, DREAM THEATER, and Mike Portnoy’s big comeback on drums. For over two hours, DREAM THEATER amazed the metalheads and made our jaws to drop to the hot cement of Plateia Nerou. I dare say that it was one of the best concerts I have ever attended regarding the quality of the musicians and their abilites, and it managed to erase the miserable experience I had in 2019 from their previous live in Greece. All the musicians, with the now familiar and accepted “what if” of James LaBrie, gave a tremendous lesson in skill and energy. Portnoy seemed to be enjoying himself more than anyone else and had most eyes on him anyway. The cameraman’s close-ups of the bulging veins in John Petrucci’s magical hands as he played his unique solos, or the speed with which Jordan Rudess’ fingers flew over the keyboard, or the amazing calm and grandeur exuded by John Myung sent shivers of excitement and goose bumps through the audience. As for LaBrie, he seemed to be struggling, but it helped that his participation is limited anyway due to the large orchestral parts, so he often ran off the stage to rest.
As far as the setlist is concerned, no one was left unsatisfied. Keeping in mind the time limitations, of course, they journeyed through many milestones in their career, featuring eight of their albums, including their latest, “Parasomnia”. Some of the highlights were the classics “As I Am,” “Pull Me Under,” and, of course, “Peruvian Skies,” which was interspersed with parts from “Wish You Were Here,” “Wherever I May Roam,” and, of course, “Black Sabbath” in an ode to legendary bands such as PINK FLOYD, METALLICA, and BLACK SABBATH, thus honoring their roots and influences. The impressive videos played on the video wall during the songs and the introductory video with images from the covers of all their albums were a plus to their performance. Finally, the most touching moment of the two-hour show was undoubtedly LaBrie’s dedication to Ozzy in “The Spirit Carries On.”
Setlist
- Night Terror
- Act I: Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà vu
- Act I: Scene Three: I. Through My Words
- Act I: Scene Three: II. Fatal Tragedy
- Panic Attack
- Hollow Years
- The Enemy Inside
- Midnight Messiah
- The Dark Eternal Night
- Peruvian Skies
- As I Am
- Take The Time
- Act II: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On
- Pull Me Under
At around 11:30 p.m., DREAM THEATER’s unique performance at Plateia Nerou came to an end. We will always remember the difficult circumstances due to the heatwave, the charged atmosphere due to Ozzy’s death, and the farewell to a venue where we experienced historic concert moments. We cherish the memories and prepare to create new ones, as the one promised by LaBrie when he announced their return to Greece in the spring of 2026.
Live Correspondent: Kostas Boudoukos
Photos: Release Athens Official
Video: Kostas Boudoukos
