The first days of October will certainly remain unforgettable for ETERNAL FORCE. Their debut album, “Race of Evil” (read our review here!), the result of hard work and dedication from the band, was released and presented live at the welcoming HolyWood Live Stage, in a night dedicated to heavy/thrash metal.
Before getting to the protagonists of the evening, however, the bill featured two more bands, both of whom took on the task of setting the stage for what was to follow.
First up were HARDBORN, delivering an old-school hard rock performance that fit perfectly with the overall atmosphere of the night. Powered by energy, strong riffs and melodic touches, the band put together a set that kept the audience engaged, with vocalist Nikos Melas also taking on the role of communicating with the crowd, which had already started filling the venue quite early.
HARDBORN also made sure to pay their respects to the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, including “Bark at the Moon” in their set, while the timeless “Warpigs” by BLACK SABBATH was also given its due. At the same time, we got our first taste of their own material, with songs that will most likely find their way onto a future release. They closed their set with “Bad Boy”, the band’s first single/video, which had been released approximately one month earlier.
Setlist
- Ride On
- Straight to Hell
- Heading Your Way
- Seniorita
- Bark at the Moon (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
- On the Run
- Warpigs (BLACK SABBATH cover)
- Six Round Weapon
- Bad Boy
After a short break, which also provided the opportunity for some necessary merch shopping, it was time to bring the intensity down a notch, with alternative metallers ELEMENT ZERO taking the stage. Their more melodic approach offered a noticeable change of pace without taking the audience away from the overall atmosphere of the evening.
Korina on vocals was undoubtedly one of the main focal points of the performance, while the band’s strongly guitar-oriented sound gave Tony plenty of room to showcase his guitar skills.
One of the highlights of the entire evening came with their rendition of the legendary “Silence” by DELERIUM. A landmark song in the global music scene regardless of genre, it was originally released toward the end of the previous century and continues to influence artists to this day.
ELEMENT ZERO’s set was based on their only release so far, the “A Place in the World” EP, as well as several singles they have released. We were also treated to an unreleased track, which actually brought their performance to a close.
Setlist
- When Everything Is Lost
- The Chains
- Outcast
- Silence (DELERIUM cover)
- Paradigm Shift
- Last Warble
- Matter of Light
- Winter Sun
- Fire!
- Laminar Flow
However you look at it, the band of the night was ETERNAL FORCE. At around 10:30 p.m., the band took the stage to present almost the entirety of their debut album, while also having a few surprises in store. The result was 90 minutes of pure heavy/thrash metal, with ETERNAL FORCE proving on stage everything they have built up to this point.
A short video served as the introduction before the members of ETERNAL FORCE took their positions and launched into the ferocity of “Rise from the Flames”. From there, the band delivered an almost track-by-track presentation of “Race of Evil”, performing the songs in the same order in which they appear on the album.
The only notable exception was the ballad-like “A Heart Given (Never Return)”, which was most likely left out due to time constraints. Considering that the song runs for almost eleven minutes, its omission was perfectly understandable.
In between the album tracks, ETERNAL FORCE naturally made room for their first standalone single, “Kill to Live”, which was released at the beginning of the summer and already seemed to have found its audience, judging by the number of people in attendance who knew the song.
The big surprise came with DEEP PURPLE’s “Highway Star”, delivered in a particularly powerful rendition featuring Kostas Chomo, vocalist of BLACK ODYSSEY. The choice fit perfectly with the band’s musical philosophy and influences and proved to be one of the highlights of the set.
And, of course, a performance like this could not be complete without some instrumental highlights. Mike on guitar and Andronikos on drums each had the opportunity to deliver an impressive solo, further demonstrating the high level of musicianship within the band. Stefanos on second guitar added the necessary classic heavy metal touch, while Giorgos on bass provided the required weight, also contributing to the overall very good sound of the performance.
Last but not least, Antonis on vocals really delivered. He made full use of his vocal range, literally and figuratively sweating it out on stage, while his boundless energy and highly extroverted personality gave ETERNAL FORCE’s stage presence exactly what a band of this kind needs: intensity, immediacy and constant interaction with the audience.
Setlist
- Rise from the Flames
- Dead and Gone
- Black Hook
- Kill to Live
- Take the Power
- Evil Game
- No Regrets
- Corruption and Glory
- Escape Reality
- Highway Star
- Save the World
After a fulfilling 90-minute performance, ETERNAL FORCE brought the evening to a close, clearly having enjoyed the experience themselves as much as the audience did. More importantly, they succeeded in bringing “Race of Evil” from the studio to the stage, delivering their material with the energy and dynamism such a release demands.
At the same time, they gave us a taste of what is to come, with their next live appearances expected to be announced soon. After all, an album is not truly complete when it is released. Its real life begins when its songs make their way onto the stage and are performed live as often as possible.
Correspondent: Kostas Boudoukos
Photos / Videos: Napoleon Gouvis, Kostas Boudoukos
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