Mick Birchall Reviews

Still Dusk have been gaining a lot of traction lately as they burn up the Greek underground rock scene. After COVID, the band have been pushing forward with full steam. Following their debut EP, Graden , they've been hard at work on the full debut album. With the release of the single "Insidious" and their album, Chronicles of Dystopia , set to release in June, I had the opportunity to ask their bassist and vocalist, Konstantinos Stavrou , some questions to gain insight into the workings of one of Greece's fastest-rising stars. What are some of the lessons you took from working your EP, Garden, that you’re taking into the album Chronicles of Dystopia? -Well, this time we were well prepared. We spent some time in preproduction, so we could see if any ideas didn't sound well and fix everything before hitting the studio. There were also no distractions this time. Besides David Prudent, the owner of Made in Hell studio, there was only the person recording in the roo...

In March, I reviewed the debut album, Morus, from the Greek black metal band Euphrosyne. I found it to be a deeply emotional experience. I’ve been working my way through the Greek underground metal world, and I think Euphrosyne could be well on their way to becoming a mainstay fixture of the black metal world. Over the weekend, I got the opportunity to sit down and chat with Vocalist, Efi Eva and guitarist, Alex Despotidis, about the new album and the Greek metal world. This was a fun conversation as the pair talked about the connection with their fans, their influences and the hardships of being a band in 2025. Mick: So, yeah, the album, Morus, came out at the end of March. How have you felt like the fan reaction to the new album has been? Efi: Well, I think it's been great. Actually, it was more positive than we thought that it could be and we're very happy about that. Maybe the whole concept of the album isn't so cheerful, but I think the fans accepted that. Mick: Yeah,...

There’s such a special feeling when you find a record that sticks in your imagination. I remember discovering my music taste and the wider world of rock music. I went through a phase of listening to pure psychedelia and trip-stoner rock. Bands like Kyuss , Monster Magnet , Brant Bjork , Sleep , etc. Going through this little phase, I discovered a band that always lingered in my playlists and mixtapes. This band was today’s subject: the American rock band Masters of Reality . I think their record, Welcome To Western Lodge , will always be up there as a genuine masterpiece. Also, when I’m in the mood, their album, Pine/Cross Dover , is something that keeps my attention through the runtime. It’s been a little while since that last record in 2009, so my genuine shock when I saw that they were returning in 2025 with a new record, The Archer. This complete mindbend of a record hits just a well as the older stuff with a few more tricks up their sleeves. Frontman Chris Goss has put together y...