Cantar

Allegedly founded in Athens by four currently unknown students way back in 1988, CANTAR must count among the early explorers of underground Black/Death metal in Greece. However, unless we’ve omitted any earlier recordings, their first demo tape wasn’t released until 1994, so it’s kind of difficult to assert this claim. Either way, in terms of its musical properties “Dark Side” (1994) surely sounds like something straight out of the late-1980s/early-1990s in the sense that the music eludes easy categorization as either Black- or Death Metal. It’s all pretty lofi in terms of sound and thrives on slightly disharmonic riffs in the establishment of a morbid atmosphere in a similar way to their contemporary countrymen in NAZARENE DECEIVER.

Interestingly, the band came back with a follow-up EP a couple of years ago, entitled “Fell Once Again” (2015). This time the CANTAR took a more traditional and droning approach to Black Metal, slightly similar to mid-period JUDAS ISCARIOT (“Heaven in Flames”-era), but with a less sinister yet more depressive aura.

Compilation appearances:
* Hellenic Metal of Death [CD, Comp: Bowel of Noise, 2012]