Cyprus

Sooner or later, I knew I’d be back to metal. Seems like the smaller the country, the less chance of anything but metal. I guess it just grinds everything else down.

Armageddon's music moves mostly in melodic Power Metal with progressive influences. Armageddon is the longest running Cypriot group so they must keep that metal monster well oiled & tuned to keep it going all these years. They have been a continuous live presence since 1985. At that time they were known as Heavy Duty, basically a metal covers band. As they wrote more of their own compositions & the fans grew to love these, they phased out the covers, although even today audiences ask for some of their old songs. Later in 1985 they changed the name to Armageddon. They have performed hundreds of times live in pubs, clubs, festivals & other places all around the island, as well as the rest of Europe..

After a lot of rehearsals, enough material was gathered & Armageddon recorded their first 4-song demo in 1987. The following year they recorded their second demo with eight songs, the four older songs from their first demo, but re-orchestrated after a year playing them live, plus four new songs.

Their first released work was an EP on vinyl in 1991 from All Records. Although the disk was loved by the rock & metal music enthusiasts, & it carved out a place for Armageddon as one of the best groups in Cyprus & elsewhere as well, only 500 copies were made. Although it received limited re-release on CD in 2003 (from some sources around Europe), it is still very difficult to find.

Armageddon on Rev. 16:16 are: Jimmy Mayromatis – vocals; Kikis Apostolou – guitar; Antonis Loizides – bass; & Blake Helton – drums.

Armageddon -  Rev.16:16 12” ep, All Records AR 107, 1991. 

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Side 1 –

Raiders of Steel

Judgement’s Day

Side 2 –

The Colours Bleed to One

Rockin’ the Universe

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ScarletSnowPrelude is an post-rock screamo hardcore band formed in 2005 in Larnaca on the island of Cyprus. They take their name from the opening level of Vampire Night, a seminal Playstation 2 game. The name seemed rather unusual & aurally appealing; also pleasant was the idea that it didn't have much of a stereotypical connotations.They list the likes of groups as disparate as Every Time I Die & Joy Division as influences. They are working to master & refine their sound. How long they last remains to be seen; such is the nature of many bands in Cyprus, due to the island’s status as a transitional phase of many people’s lives.

Their latest sound includes some great synth-touched emo with a mixture of throaty vocal screams & surreal guitar rhythms very in your face. They’ve enjoyed successful gigs in Greece (at Underworld in Athens) & on Cyprus. In Cyprus they played with their former vocalist, Alex (Club Red in Nicosia) & (at Bands Fest at Club 11 in Larnaca) with their two new vocalists, Theo & Denis (who also plays guitar).

Their goal right now is to finish a ScarletSnowPrelude album that everyone is happy with. That’s the direction they're heading in at the moment. ScarletSnowPrelude are: Theo – vocals; Denis – guitar & vocals; Michael – guitar; Mario – bass; & Paymon – drums.

So here is an ep from ScarletSnowPrelude (I added a remastered bonus track).

 ScarletSnowPrelude – 3Track ep & one bonus track, self-released, 2010. 

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Tracklist –

Ashley

Garden Month

Give them Cairo

Bonus track –

Ponder (remastered)

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& before I & I leave de I’land doncha know, Jah Øne be bringin’ some chronic Dub by way of Brother Haji Mike. Testifyin’ about the crime a havin’ but 1 gram, now.

For 1 Gramme

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Haile Selassie I,

NØ