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Metal Sagen

Pallíni (Attica)

Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Epic Metal

Active:
unknown

A true hidden gem from the fertile soils of the early 1990s Hellenic underground, METAL SAGEN played an equally epic and heartfelt mixture of heavy metal and progressive rock. METAL SAGEN was founded in the small township of Pallíni, some 15 kilometers east of the capital. While the area has seen substantial expansion in later years, it was something of a backwater area back then – mostly populated by farmers and artistic persons (hippies). The band existed for some time without a singer, but eventually recruited a gifted individual from the neighbourhood, Thomas “Keeper” Papaefstathiou. In addition to his voice, he also contributed lyrics, music and vocal melodies.

With Thomas in the ranks, METAL SAGEN entered the eloquently named “Rafina's Batirole Recording Swimming Studios” to record the demo “Daughter of the Moon” (1993), under the supervision of Adrianos Papamarkou (aka “Mark Adrian”). Mr Papamarkou would go on to produce a wide range of metal bands in the coming years. Except for the odd local gig, little else was heard of METAL SAGEN and the band eventually folded. As for as we now today, the only band member that has a recorded history outside of METAL SAGEN is the singer Thomas “Keeper” Papaefstathiou, whose delightfully idiosyncratic voice and vocal melodies can also be heard in the heavy/power-metal outfits SKYWARD and MIRAGE.

Compilation appreances:

d i s c o g r a p h y :

Daughter of the Moon - Demo (Cassette) 1993 - Private (-)

(Rafina's Batirole and Recording Swimming Studios (Athens), August-September 1993)

Details: Single-sided regular cassette, coloured j-card, insert w/ lyrics.

Reissues:

Cass, Private, 1993 (alternate cover)

TRACKLIST:
Waiting for a Hope
Fighting Tears
Angelic (D.O.T.M.)
Eternal Skies

LINE-UP:
Keeper (vocals)
Alex (guitars)
Paris (guitars)
Menios (bass)
Jim (drums)

Lack of record deal prospects in the 1980s and early 1990s didn’t stop Greece’s burgeoning metal scene from generating a substantial amount of self-produced demo tapes – there’s a veritable goldmine to discover if you dig into underground soil. A good example would be METAL SAGEN’s one and only release “Daughter of the Moon”. The colorful and hand-drawn (by the vocalist) cover reflects what the band has to offer musically. Lush, wandering compositions drawing equally from the world of heavy metal as it does from 1970s progressive rock. Try imagining a blend of “Crystal Logic”-era MANILLA ROAD and RUSH at their heaviest, sprinkled with a healthy dose of eccentricity and you’ll get a hint. This also means that on top of the epic-ness and bombast there’s enough room for the fey and dreamy to make for an artistically diverse listening experience. The production is, not surprisingly, somewhat crude, with the guitars sometimes dropping out completely only to rush back into the mix with all guns blazing. Rather than hampering the music, the production gives the atmosphere a proper boost and the demo could easily be mistaken for an early/mid-1980s release.

Strongly recommended to anyone with an affinity for “X-factor” heavy metal.

Written by Johan Pettersson