Live Show: Ascending Olympus, Serement, Enthroned Serpent
Location: Temple Club, Athens, Greece
Date: February 2nd, 2024
Live Correspondent: Kostas Boudoukos
Photos: Marina Konstantinidou, Aggelina Thalassinou, Kostas Boudoukos

I have generally associated Temple Club in Gazi in my mind with friendly gatherings,  concerts of new bands that are eager to present to the world their crush (because it is a crush) on metal music, which is unlike any other music genre I think, and a generally warm atmosphere. On Friday, February 2nd, all the above was confirmed as 3 fresh bands (although ENTHRONED SERPENT have already a long history) were on the Temple stage on the occasion of the presentation of the debut album of ASCENDING OLYMPUS entitled “Frontlines”.

The beginning was with black/death metallers ENTHRONED SERPENT at 21:00 as scheduled by the official program. The band has been around since 2008 (with some breaks) and all this time they have released a demo entitled “Ancient Witchcraft” in 2016 from which they even used the instrumental “Calm Before The Storm” as a very fitting introduction. In 2018 they released the EP “Towards The Unknown” and that was it. But their performance on Friday left me wondering why they haven’t released a full-length album. Thankfully, that’s coming next and the insight we got from their new material left the crowd completely satisfied. In general, the old school aesthetic that characterizes their songs is sure to appeal to fans of this genre, an aesthetic that they passed on to their live performance creating an edgy atmosphere.

Setlist

1. As Old As Time
2. Edge Of Eden
3. Sepulcher Secrets
4. Towards The Unknown
5. Facing The Throne
6. The Chanting
7. Snake God

After about 40 minutes, ENTHRONED SERPENT finished their performance in front of a growing crowd and when it was time for SEREMENT at 22:00, the Temple was almost full. SEREMENT are completely fresh on the scene since they were formed in 2022 when they released their first and only EP so far, “Deviation From God” from which we heard both songs, “No Reflection for His Shadow” and “Malevolent Mist Over the Mount of the Deceased”. As they informed us, in May they are releasing their first full-length album, from which we got a good taste on stage. There is no better way to evaluate a song or a band in general than when they are on stage, away from the safety of the studio. And SEREMENT passed this test successfully. Dynamic and steady vocals from Andreas Moschopoulos, excellent riffs from Manolis Kouelos and generally an admirable bond in the four-piece despite the lack of games on their feet, in football slung. I guess we will have the chance to see both SEREMENT and ENTHRONED SERPENT again when their albums are released.

Setlist

1. Sworn
2. Frozen Dawn Of Death
3. Honor Of The Leech
4. Forging The Darkness
5. Stench Of Torment
6. No Reflection For His Shadow
7. Subliminal Enslavement
8. Malevolent Mist Over The Mount Of The Deceased

But the night was dedicated to ASCENDING OLYMPUS who came on stage a few minutes after 23:00 ready for battle to present us “Frontlines” in its entirety. One danger that bands of this genre of metal face is to simply focus on the power and momentum of their songs and lose the musical variety. ASCENDING OLYMPUS with “Frontlines” managed to avoid this pitfall and present us with a very well crafted album with songs that stick in the listener’s mind. Although the four musicians do not count many years together, they carry a lot of experience since the members of the band have participated in important bands like JADED STAR, AHERUSIA, EUPHROSYNE etc. so they appeared on stage and really upgraded the already very good material they have in their hands. Apart from “Frontlines” we also heard the established, it seems, cover by SEPULTURA (it must be the third or fourth concert in the last months that a SEPULTURA song is chosen in the setlist). This time it was “Territory” but with a very nice surprise that leveled it up. The participation of Konstantinos Analytis of ABYSSUS on vocals, who wanted to support the band in this way. Of course, there were also the small but dynamic mosh pits from the side of the audience that seemed to enjoy it and the technical solos from the new guitarist of the band Alexandros Despotidis, as the icing on the cake of Andreas Loyotatos’ company. Minor mishaps like breaking the drum are treated with humour and finally give the band the chance to get even closer to the audience.

Setlist

1. Gods Are Watching (intro)
2. As The Ground Trembles
3. Off To Different Shores
4. Hell Is In My Eyes
5. A Call To Arms
6. The City Will Not Fall
7. I Of The Damnation
8. Frontlines
9. Fatal Nightmare
10. Until The War Is Won
11. Territory  (SEPULTURA cover w/ Kostas Analytis των ABYSSUS)
12. Death Will Come From Above

It is sure that in the near future we will see many good things from the 3 bands since they entered 2024 with momentum and an appetite for work. So we are waiting and supporting as always!

Design and editing: Kostas Boudoukos
Related Links: ASCENDING OLYMPUS – Facebook Page
SEREMENT –Facebook Page
ENTHRONED SERPENT – Facebook Page
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