Dark Nova

Although their debut LP didn’t arrive until 1993, DARK NOVA was founded all the way back in 1983 under the name DARK DEVILS (according to the band’s old biography from the early 1990s – more recent sources date the formation to 1987). Throughout their 30+ years of existence, and particularly in their early years, they’ve proven to the world that Heavy/Power Metal with Neoclassical leanings can be just as imaginative as it is technically proficient – something which in a fairer world would’ve propelled them to international recognition.

The original lineup of the band (as DARK DEVILS) included core members Giannis “Johnny K” (vocals – RUST, WOLFCRY) and Nikos “Nick Adams” Adamidas (drums – SPITFIRE) along with Achilles (guitars), George (guitars) and Harry (guitars). Following a series of concert in the mid-1980s at local spots such as Rodon Club (Athens), the currently unidentified trio of Achilles, George and Harry left the group and was replaced around ‘86-‘88 by bass wizard Giorgos “Shrinel de Monte Montesquieu” Tzivelekis (bass) and the highly talented guitarist Ilias Koskouris (guitars, vocals – WOLFCRY, KARMIK LINK).

This change in personnel brought about a change of sound, as heard on DARK DEVIL’s sole (at least the only currently available) demo “Shrinel” (1990). This hard-to-find tape presents five seemingly conceptually related tracks, performed in an idiosyncratic Heavy/Power Metal style. A feast for those into “weird” Metal it defies easy categorization, but bears some delightful similarities to early King Diamond.

The lineup was extended into a quintet around 1991 when Thanasis “Athan” Skitsos – looking for new creative potentials after having left classic Greek thrashers FLAMES in 1988 – joined the group as second guitarist. This event coincided with the adoption of the name DARK NOVA and the subsequent preparations which led up to the band’s signing with Molon Lave Records. The first product of the re-christened group was the “The Skull of the Dreamland” (1991) demo tape, featuring six tracks recorded live at Rodon Club on October 18, 1991. Unfortunately, this item is yet to come into our possession, but many of the songs presented on the tape was either included on the preceding “Shrinel” demo and/or available in re-worked form on DARK NOVA’s full-length debut. The gig at Rodon was followed by an appearance at the Molon Lave 10 Day Festival in late-1991, which brought the band to the attention of a wider underground audience.

After further preparations and a few compilation appearances, DARK NOVA released a promo tape in October 1993, presenting unmixed versions of four tracks to be included on the upcoming LP. Soon after, “Dark Rhapsodies” (1993) arrived in stores, released by Molon Lave Records and produced by label boss George Osmak (DIVORCE). A classic of 1990s Greek Heavy Metal, “The Dark Rhapsodies” gave witness to a band at the peak of inspiration, having more or less rewritten the material of their early years into a treasure chest of dark and original Neoclassical Heavy/Power Metal. The lineup for the recordings was still the same, although Thanasis Skitsos had left the band prior to the album release. The LP was received favorably back in the day and remains a popular and of course collectible item – the latter aspect being furthered by the fact that the album is yet to be properly re-released. A 20-year anniversary reissue was promoted around 2012 by the US company Metal Breed (DARK NOVA’s label at the time), but was only released in digital format.

A number of live shows in Greece followed in the wake of “The Dark Rhapsodies”, along with additional compilation appearances. The strangest perhaps being the inclusion in the “Metal Under… Germany” series, released by the Molon Lave-related Soundphaze International, which was mainly dedicated to the promotion of German bands! However, DARK NOVA’s built-up momentum began faltering around ’94 with the folding of the by-then bankrupt Molon Lave Records, and the band was forced to hunt for a new label.

In 1997, DARK NOVA began the distribution of a promotional tape, simply entitled “Promo ‘97” (1997). We don’t have the lineup for “Promo ‘97”, but it seems highly likely that the core trio of Johnny K. (vocals), Ilias Koskouris (guitars) and Nick Adams (drums) partook in the recordings. Judging by the new material, the band was arriving at a slightly modified style compared to previous outings. The music still moved within the Heavy/Power Metal field, but has taken a more technical and muscular direction –less quirky than the early stuff, but still solid. One surprise was the inclusion of a cover of BATHORY’s “Born for Burning”, tastefully modelled into the DARK NOVA template. This track was also included on Metal Invader’s BATHORY tribute CD issued in 1997.

One of the labels that showed interest in DARK NOVA was the upcoming Greece-based Seven/S7 Records – home of countrymates such as SADISTIC NOISE and SORROWFUL WINDS. A deal was signed and DARK NOVA unleashed their second album in 1999. At the time, the band consisted of Johnny K. (vocals), Elias Koskouris (guitars) and Nick Adams (drums), along with newcomers Lara K. (aka Kiki K.) (bass) and Christopher Range (keyboards). “1999 (A Step Beyond…?)” was pretty much a development of the sound showcased on “Promo ‘97” and was generally met with praise and also appears to have sold quite well. Numerous live shows followed to support the CD, including an opening gig for FATES WARNING (according to witnesses, they blew F.W. off the stage!).

The next few years continuing into the new millennium was marked by several lineup changes, while the band kept working on new material. It would take until 2005 before the third album, “Sivilla”, arrived along with a new set of members. Longtime vocalist Johnny K. was replaced by Michael Choulakis (vocals), while Mary Tassouli (EXORISTOI) took over the keyboardist position. Musically, “Sivilla” engage in highly competent Heavy/Power with excellent guitar playing, but lacks somewhat in the identity department – something which reflects in the mixed reviews the CD has received over the years.

Further lineup changes accompanied DARK NOVA’s final release to date, 2012’s self-titled fourth album. Michael Choulakis had departed as frontman and was replaced by Manos Fatsis (DEVILUSION), while the band’s classic bassist Giorgos “Shrinel de Montesqieu” reclaimed his position. In musical terms, “Dark Nova” bears clear similarities to the band’s previous album, including its apparent downsides, but the superior songwriting marks it the strongest product in the band’s post-2000 discography.

With exceptioin for the restricted situation in the last couple of years, DARK NOVA has kept busy in the live circuit and hopefully we will be treated by more material from this longstanding act in the future.

Trivia: In addition to his faithful service to DARK NOVA, Nikolas “Nick Adams” laid down drum tracks on some of the absolute classics of Hellenic Black/Death Metal: NECROMANTIA’s “Vampiric Rituals” (1992) demo (split side on the NECROMANTIA/VARAHTRON split LP “The Black Arts / The Everlasting Sins”) as well as on SEPTIC FLESH’s “(Morpheus) The Dreamlord”.

Compilation appearances:
* Metal Explosion Vol. 1 [Cass, Comp, Numbered: Metal Club Radio Show, 1994]
* Metal Under… Germany Vol. 3 [CD, Comp: Soundphaze International, 1994]
* Power Feast Vol. III [Cass, Comp, Numbered: Self-released (Mass Dementia Zine), 1994]
* Metal Gear [CD, Comp: Soundphaze International, 1995]
* Bathory Tribute – Hellas Salutes the Vikings [CD, Comp: Metal Invader, 1997]
* Warzone XII [CD, Comp: Metal Invader, 1999]
* Beast Over Greece (A Tribute to Iron Maiden) [CD, Comp: Metal Hammer & Heavy Metal, 2012]