Ημερομηνία δημοσίευσης: 17 Σεπτεμβρίου 2019
I’m getting better, every time…
I don’t think that there is a more well respected Greek band today than Nightstalker. Surely they are not the only ones, but they are at the point of releasing one great record after the other and growing bigger from tour to tour. The last three years were filled with all that and, if nothing else, “Great Hallucinations” is here and starts exactly where “As Above, So Below” left off – somewhere at the top more or less!
“Black Cloud” is the most appropriate introduction. Both riffs and vocals work as a starting kick, noting that nothing has changed, nobody has slowed down and in terms of composition we are going to have fun with these 8 tracks this October! The sweet killing of “Sweet Knife” doesn’t keep things too calm for much longer, as very soon with its rhythmical, almost Sabbath-like twists, it is evolving into a Colossus, who will find a permanent position in their setlist and during sing-along situations.
“Sad Side of the City”, both Greek and slightly European reality, portrays an alteration in its production, mostly on vocals, almost crystal clear, but within its 7 minutes, it feels like recalling 30 years of Nightstalker in a daydream. And if you tear up, it will be solely from joy for the fact that you’ve lived through these years and you still find yourself surprised, let alone not at all tired from the hard work! For all of us. It takes faith and imagination to do this.
In the middle of the record, “Seven Out of Ten” and “Cursed”, give a more subtle tone and present a different complexion in Argy's voice, as well as really smart musical transition with quite a few alterations and “dragged” parts. It’s been 25 minutes filled with power and emotion, yet you still can’t wait to see what more there is to this album.
The voices in out heads don’t stop in “Half Crazy”. Composition-wise they can call on giants if they are at this ease to fill in the blanks with no-nonsense songs. You may often think that a moment like this has been previously repeated sometime in their career, but their ideas and the way they choose to present them every time is different. It might be “As Above, So Below”’s black magic that is still present here. After “Hole in the Mirror”, there comes the closing of the record and based on the psychedelic cover and the 70’s aesthetic that is present throughout, we’re on hold for “Great Hallucinations”.
A 7-minute anthem summarizes the successful recipe, bound with a rhythm section that doesn’t hold back, guitaristic rock n’ roll bits with plenty of quality and prowess, smart composing and a soul-bearing voice that has made us tear up many times. Oh, how many times… Music carved from the bottom of the hearts of this group of friends that keeps up company and we repay them for decades now. Can I please listen to the entirety of this album live, please?
The cover is once more Greatful-perfect. The production so good that you keep wondering what was going on in the years before the band started sounding the way it does now live. Moreover, how is it even possible for a band to keep the spark of composition and the will to evolve alive? This fall, there is only one record that guarantees having fun. It’s not less than the continuation of a remarkable journey from Nightstalker and “I need your love” as they say. They say it to us and this is what we’ve been doing this whole time, a two way relationship filled with musical hallucinations. 30 years and it feels like it’s their first record!
Βαθμολογία: 95/100
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Τσιρώνης Δημήτρης
It’s commonly acceptable by now that Nightstalker is one of the greatest bands of the Greek musical scene. With 5 full length albums under their arms, they have never disappointed us and showed what rock n’ roll actually means. The time has come, though, 3 years after “As Above, So Below”, to unleash their newest release, titled “Great Hallucinations”, which will be released to the public on October 4. The album consists of 8 tracks, “Black Cloud”, “Sweet Knife”, “Sad Side of the City”, “Seven Out of Ten”, “Cursed”, “Half Crazy”, “Hole in the Mirror” and “Great Hallucinations”, while its total duration is 41 minutes.
Since 1990, for 29 years now on stage, Nightstalker are verified representatives of rock n’ roll. 29 years filled with tension, noise and numerous live appearances is quite a lot to be honest and it is somewhat natural for all this to be tiresome. This is why “Great Hallucination” is calmer, speeds down a bit and the tension is being replace by a more “mature –if I may say- melody. On the other hand of, of course, they might have wanted to try something slightly different, but who knows? The only certain thing is that Nightstalker’s volume and rhythm remain untouched.
The record generally, moves along more melodic pathways, like the ones noted in “As Above, So Below”, with the sound flirting now more than ever with stoner music, while blues/psychedelic bits become apparent as well. Moreover, it has all the elements that make it a Nightstalker record. Infectious riffs that you want to repeatedly listen to, jaw-dropping base lines with bonus solos (I’m not going to say on which track, I want it to be a surprise) and everyone’s favourites hoarse vocals from Argy, ready to tear your speakers down. In addition, the concept with the covers that started with “As Above, So Below”, continues here, with the extraordinary, psychedelic and filled with colour artwork.
On the department of production, it is flawless form every aspect. Clean and at the same time “dirty”, capable of supporting and enhancing the nature of the album. All musical instruments have their time in the spotlight, without one overshadowing the other.
The truth is that I could write and ramble on for hours about “Great Hallucinations” and how great it is. But it doesn’t matter, since it will be released in a few weeks and you will be able to get stuck like we have. Besides, it’s a new Nightstalker album, how could you not?
Βαθμολογία: 95/100
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