Split Image – Exposed

Dead Scarlet Records recently released the first album of Split Image, named “exposure“.  Although new material is available, “exposure” includes 13 selected tracks. They were all written and composed during the 1982-1992 decade, but they weren’t recorded until 2010-2011.  Dark sounds and melodies describe personal life experiences, mirroring the band’s unique personal style.

Tracklist
01   Never Again
02   When the Spring Comes
03   Go Away
04   Unaware
05   Habeas Corpus
06   Darkness
07   Landed on Earth
08   In Better Days
09   A Wish as it Falls
10   Hesitation
11   Friday Night
12   City Hole
13   Exposure

Split Image was formed in late 1981 in Corfu, Greece, by George Scordilis. In 1983 they moved to Athens where they performed many shows at live music venues and concerts and, at that time, they were active participants in AETA, a collaboration of Greek bands. They were interviewed in 1984 on Argiris Zilos‘ radio show.  This led to a few proposals for an album release, as well as a co-operation with Virgin, which failed due to differing views between the group and the producer. The band stopped playing in 1989 because of various external factors and reasons.

The group was founded on the songwriting partnership of George (guitar, voice, programming) and Giannis (keyboards, backing voices, e-base), who, being the only remaining bandmate, continued rehearsing, recording, and performing at various parties into the early 1990′s.  He used their old material, with the help of sequencers, which gave the songs a classical touch with the added addition of an abundance of string and wind instruments.

Several inactive years followed, and then, in 2007, George and Giannis decided to revive their old material, along with some new ideas.  The band regrouped with three of the original members from the 80s:  George Scordilis (guitar-vocals), Giannis Charalambidis (ex Anypoforoi, keyboards, backing vocals), and Stathis Papandreou (ex Adiexodo, drums). They also added a fourth member, Eriana Tzaneli (bass guitar).

Since then they have performed at many live events at SinCity-7sins, After Dark, Camelot, and various other venues, as well as festivals such as Playhouse Gotique III & IV and Dark Days Festival I, II, & III. They have also supported British bands Faces of Sarah and Vendemian at Dada Club as well as Georgio ‘the dove’ Valentino featuring Blaine L. Reininger at 7sins.

The slightly differing musical influences of the members resulted in an atmospheric sound which could be called darkwave/early gothic with a classical musical influence.

Split Image ”exposure“ is currently available through the following locations:
Dark Side, Εμ. Μπενάκη 57, Εξάρχεια, 210 3848353
Dark Cell, Θεμιστοκλέους 84, Εξάρχεια, 210 3300017
Ars Nocturna, Ναβαρίνου 8, Αθήνα, 2111835524
Μούσες, Μιχ. Θεοτόκη 20, Κέρκυρα, 2661030708

More information on Split Image can be found at:  Official | YouTube | Facebook | MySpace

 

Background Noise Suppression

Background Noise Suppression is a four piece post punk act (I think now they are five…) formed at Thessaloniki during 2005.

I was lucky enough to see them playing live on stage and I was impressed by their show, and their music.

With a line up consisted by singer Kostas Karatzios, guitar player Elias Panagos, drummer George Xenos and bassist Kostas Kapetanakis they supported the English band New Model Army when they played at the city of  Thessaloniki in 2006.

By the same year, Background Noise Suppression  released their first single titled ‘Made Out Of Ocean’ and Johnny Papaioannou replaced Kostas Kapetanakis on the bass.

A year later, in 2007,  a different version of ‘Made Out Of Ocean’ was featured in the double CD compilation ‘Little People.. Big Noise’, released through the Greek indie label RunDevilRun.

While the band was recording their first album, RunDevilRun  announced that the label would be put on hold for as long as it takes.

With their album fully recorded, Background Noise Suppression, are looking today for a record deal.

We wish them the best of luck.

This is their myspace profile for more.

 

Running out of rain

I think this is a wonderful song by Christos Alexopoulos.

It is titled “Teliose i vrohi” (engl. Running out of rain)

These are the lyrics: 

The sun is burning but its not warm.

This is how things work here, since we run out of rain…

We run out of rain…

 

Your laughter,

Sometimes here,

Sometimes there,

Nowhere.

 

My breath…

Sometimes here,

Sometimes there,

And then…

 

Your look is everywhere.

Sometimes somewhere else…

So what…?

 

My touch is vividly breathing like a smile on your look…

And then…

So what…?

Nowhere…

 

So what ?

 

This is how things work here…

This is how things work here since we run out of rain…

 

 

New Zero God in Brazil

Foreign blogs dedicated to Greek underground rock bands are something we don’t see happening very often… (for me, this is the first time).  We’d also like to point out that not only is this a foreign blog, but its also one that comes from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

What we have here is a Brazilian blog dedicated to the bands New Zero God, Nexus and The Flowers Of Romance and is located somewhere in Brazil.

They were kind enough to let us know about this new blog which refers many times to postings of Tribe4mian.  As a small gesture of our thanks, we will permanently post their banner on our own blog.

New Zero God / Brazil

Now, to be a little more detailed, the NewZeroGod blogspot is written in Portuguese, a language that I don’t speak, but is the seventh most spoken language in the world.

The blogmaker’s aim is to help New Zero God become known to Latin America and it was made out of pure love and admiration for the music adventures of these three Greek bands, starting from the Flowers Of Romance, continuing with Nexus and translating the news of New Zero God in Portuguese.

So, again we’d like to thank the creators of this Brazilian blog whose links lead people from Latin America directly to our blog and we wish them all the best.

We hope to see even more blogs be made for more Greek underground bands.

FUN IS A FOUR LETTER WORD - New Zero God

With this opportunity, lets note here that Puzzlemusik Records announced the release of the New Zero God CD album, “Fun Is A Four Letter Word”  for the 17^th of February in Greece.

The album will also be initially distributed in Italy and Australia.

Amazon announced the CD and digital release will be available on February 10 (the digital release is already available through iTUNES and CDBABY)

New Zero God will play live on Saturday the 23^rd of January at the Club “On Stage” (Kodrigtonos 54-56) and will be supported by the band Chewing Gun.

New Zero God

More information:

NEW ZERO GOD:

Official Site - Brazilian Blogspot - CD Baby - Amazon USA – Amazon UK – Amazon France - iTunes

NEXUS:

Official Site - CD Baby

FLOWERS OF ROMANCE:

Official Site

CHEWING GUN:

Official Site

 

Baby steps to a new era vol. XI

Ok, I had this hidden somewhere and yesterday I found it.

Blue Note was a pub in the center of Athens where young people who  listened to new wave and punk rock were hanging around, back in the early 80’s.

It’s funny cause I guess it will make at least a few people smile as the memories that this cheap catalogue will dig up.

There one could meet members of the bands Ex- Humans, Anypoforoi,  Flowers Of Romance, Alive She Died, Ding An Sich, South of No North, Panx Romana and many others.

The pub changed its name after a couple of years and became Masswell (anyone who has a better memory can correct the spelling…)

And yes, I admit it: I stole the menu.

Sue me.

 

Trypes

A very rare video from the early or mid 80′s.

 

The Raw vid of the day

I wrote a few things about the experimental band Raw here.

Being the musical vehicle for Giannis Papaioannou and Makis Faros, Raw were a very interesting act as you may hear.

I am posting here what Discogs has about Giannis Papaioannou:

“Greek artist, active in the Athens underground scene for more than 20 years now. In the mid 1980s he played bass for dark electro post-punk band Rehearsed Dreams, who released a full-legth album on the seminal Creep label in 1985. After some years living in Sweden, in 1992, along with fellow musician Makis Faros he set up Elfish record label. The two of them also formed Raw, an electronic duo that managed to record three albums (the third remains unreleased).

From 1996 onwards, he works alone, recording and producing as ION.”

(Click here for more).

The song I found on Youtube comes from Raw-Land and reminds me a bit of the English band Japan.

I hope you like it.

Since Rehearsed Dreams were mentioned above, I made a little search to find something from their album “Repulsion” that Creep Records released.

It was easy to find a handful of videos…

 

Mani Deum and Glimmer Void

I guess the big thing this week is the forthcoming “Dark Days Festival II” which will close the year 2009.

I posted in the past any available information for bands such as Past Perfect, Split Image and New Zero God so, today I will write about Mani Deum and Glimmer Void.

Both will be on stage on the first day and both have available releases.

Mani Deum is a 7 piece act that was formed at Corfu island during 2005.

Influenced by artists such as Current 93 and Nick Cave, they released a D.I.Y. cd a year later.

Their line up: P.- Vocals, guitars, music, lyrics, Manos.K – Vocals, guitars, music, lyrics, Evgenia – Piano, percussions, Melodica, Jason – Bass, percussions, Panos – Theremin, Nick – Violin, Viola and Mr.XIII – Drums.

The band participated in a number of compilations, such as: “Neo folk.It” , “Neo form III”, “The beast” and  opened so far for Allerseelen, Svarrogh, Paul Roland, While Angels Watch, Sieben, and Spiritual Front  and released a 6 track E.P through the Athenian record label Dead Scarlet, titled “Five Infected Blessings“.

You can trace them on MySpace here.

The Athenians Glimmer Void were formed in Athens, in September 2004 by keyboard/guitar player Stelios Mastrodiamadoglou, singer Thalia Makri and drummer/percussionist George Kokkoras in order to write dark/atmospheric music.

Soon, guitarist Vaggelis Babadelis, bass player George Skoufas and cellist Diana Rahmanina joined the band (Babadelis was later replaced by Dimitris Zannis).

Glimmer Void released their 5 track debut titled “Souls Parade”, in 2009, through Dead Scarlet Records.

They participated in the compilation “Gothic Visions” and were also featured in the sampler of the magazine “Dark Spy”.

You can find them on MySpace here.

 

Daemonia Nymphe’s performance in Clisson (France)

If you are not familiar with the Greek group Daemonia Nymphe, please check the following.

Video reportage of the ”NUIT DES FEES“.

 

Ivory Frequency

Truth be told, in the break of 21^st century a lot of Greek EBM or electroc bands appeared.

Most of them managed to contact European Record labels and release their music over the Greek borders.

Siva Six was one of them, Blue Birds Refuse To Fly was an other one…

A number of others followed.

Ivory Frequency was the project of George Robos (I think he was the former keyboard player of the bands Enoho La – engl. Guilty la ελλ. Ενοχο λα – and Lefki Symfonia).

Based in Athens, he wrote a number of good EBM tracks and caught the attention of German label Dependent Records.

The first Ivory Frequency appearance was during September 2001, when the English band VNV Nation released the 4 track mini CD “Genesis 2“.

Giorgos Robos participated with a special mix of the song “Genesis”.

By the same month, Dependent Records released the single “Today” (01. Today Is The Day  02. Today Is The Day (Soda mix) 03. Brain Injection)

With Dependent Records releasing a promo single titled “The Strangest Callings”, strangely enough, Ivory Frequency released their first and last album on April 2002.

They have’n't release a full length album sing.Dependent Records released a promo single titled “The Strangest Callings”

The album title was “Plug In”.

Tracklist

01. Plug-In
02. The Strangest Callings
03. Beats & Demons
04. Dancing Troops
05. See The Light
06. Today
07. Clock Is Ticking Fast
08. Ydrosis

Ivory Frequency remixed also the track “Why Do I Hate Myself” of the band The Crystalline Effect (featured on their “Glass” album, released by Black Flames Records – Poland during 2005).

The song ”The Strangest Callings (Version II)” was featured in the compilation of the French magazine D Side in 2002 (among artists such as Peter Murphy, Daniel Ash, In The Nursery, Das Ich and Clan Of Xymox).

The same track was featured on the compilation of the German magazine Sonic Seducer in 2002.

Dependent Records featured Ivory Frequency tracks on three compilations: “Septic III”  (2002) “New Level Electronics” (2004) and “New Level Electronics Vol. 2” (2007).