Sometimes, a good classic movie reference is all you need. Case in point, Mega Colossus guitarist/vocalist Bill Fischer who compares the band’s new Showdown studio album to its 2021 Riptime predecessor with a nod to an iconic series from the 1980s: “Showdown is to Riptime as Temple of Doom is to Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Fischer is spot on. Showdown takes Mega Colossus’s brand of triumphant, big melodic metal to new heights without forgetting where the band came from. It’s like the perfect sequel — but better!
Recorded with Al Jacob at Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in early 2023, Showdown catches Mega Colossus in full stride, expanding upon its template of dueling twin-guitar harmonies and gallops. Buchanan’s vocals (think of him somewhere between Diamond Head’s Sean and Harris and Dragonforce’s Marc Hudson) are strident and effortless, carrying forth grandiose, bold choruses that even possess the occasional Styx reference.
But above all else, Showdown is the amalgamation of five very different musicians with something unique to offer to Mega Colossus. It is no wonder, then, that Showdown has emerged as an epic display of uncanny and striking melodic metal, with all the depth and charisma of a band now entering its 20th year.
A special thank you to Saverio Principini, Bob Cattani and Jack Haustinx (Rave On Records) for making it possible!
Cruz Del Sur Music is proud to announce the reissue of legendary Italian metal band ASTAROTH’s cherished and highly-influential early demo recordings, including a vinyl edition of the long out-of-print “The Long Loud Silence” EP. The reissue campaign will kick off in 2023.
Formed in 1982 in Rome by drummer John Panko Onofri and original guitarist Steve Lenti, ASTAROTH became Italy’s answer to the great American and British bands of the time, diving headlong into a mix of speed and thrash, all with a distinct sense of melody. Rounded out by vocalist Bob Cattani, second guitarist Simone Triscari and bassist Saverio “Sage” Principini, “The Long Loud Silence” became a watershed moment for many Italian metallers. The group disbanded in 1988 but reformed in 2005 and released “The End Of Silence” LP in 2012.
ASTAROTH fans have been clamoring for the band’s old recordings to be brought back to life. Cruz Del Sur has gone to great lengths to secure the rights from Rave-On Records, the label that originally released “The Long Loud Silence”. Cruz Del Sur and the band also tracked down many hard-to-find demos and photos to complete the package.
“Cruz Del Sur got in touch with us via Facebook,” says Principini. “Max Cipicchia [guitar] has been keeping alive a Facebook page as a tribute and to reconnect with some old fans. I’m not too ‘social,’ so I didn’t take much interest in the beginning. But eventually, Max put me in touch with the label and they explained to me the project. I totally flipped out! I think it’s amazing the work they are doing.
“I think they are dope for investing time and energy into giving poetic and historical justice to bands that were largely ignored in their time,” he continues. “See, back then, we didn’t have all the media tools bands have now. There was no internet, no cell phones — we hardly ever had the chance to record or videotape anything. The only memory of our gigantic efforts is from the people who saw us onstage. What Cruz Del Sur is doing is remarkable.”
The ASTAROTH reissue campaign should prompt renewed interest in the 1980s Italian metal scene. While it never received the same attention as its British and German counterparts, the Italian metal scene was filled with hardworking bands and devoted fans who never passed up an opportunity to bang their heads.
“It was a relatively small scene, but the bands were intense,” notes Principini. “We all took it very seriously. We were committed to be great and so most bands went to great sacrifices to get the right equipment, practice as much as possible and play live. We loved our fans — the real headbangers — those kids were wild and committed. They would travel by train and pack the small theatres we would play. An ASTAROTH concert was like a function in some way. I know it transformed me and I know it transformed the lives of many kids who found purpose and strength at the concerts and friends and a way to escape the everyday conflicts some were living at home. There were bands in all of Italy, even in small towns. Metal was infectious, metal was a faith, metal was a real way of life!”
Principini’s enthusiasm is easy to detect now that ASTAROTH’s early recordings and images will be available for the entire metal world to see. It’s all being done 40 years after their formation. “I’m more than excited!” he exclaims. “There are live demo recordings that hardly anyone has ever heard and pictures few have seen. I look back at those times and, man, we were the real thing. I think it will give an opportunity to the new metal fans to know what we did. You know, in some way, we were precursors and contributed to the development of the metal scene in Europe in the 1980s. It’s about time before we die of old age!”
Cruz Del Sur Music is proud to announce the signing of multi-national classic occult metallers MIRROR. The label will release the band’s third full-length, “The Day Bastard Leaders Die” in spring 2022.
Formed in 2015 by former ELECTRIC WIZARD bassist Tas and vocalist Jimmy Mavrommatis, MIRROR released their self-titled debut the same year. Their 2019 “Pyramid Of Terror” follow-up was hailed for its energetic blend of NWOBHM and 70s proto-rock, particularly Mavrommatis’s high-wire vocal delivery and the band’s deft use of twin-guitar melodies. MIRROR soon found itself a new record deal when guitarist Nikolas Moutafis contacted the Cruz Del Sur Music brass and inquired about a partnership.
“We are happy and excited about signing with Cruz Del Sur,” says Tas. “The label’s ownership loved the songs on ‘The Day Bastard Leaders Die’. We started recording the album last year but had a few delays because of COVID. Somehow, we made it. Our producer is my good friend, Costa Costopoulos, and he’s based in Athens and did a fantastic job.”
MIRROR, which is rounded out by drummer Daniel Georgiou and second guitarist Dino, had a tall order following “Pyramid Of Terror”. But, according to Tas, “The Day Bastard Leaders Die” should surpass its predecessor in more ways than one.
“Overall, it’s a heavier and faster album than ‘Pyramid Of Terror’. This was not intended, but a lot of frustration came out when we were composing the songs. The album is in the same vein as the ones before, though, and it’s still classic, raw heavy metal.”
