STRESS

I'm sorry but I find this kind of "comic-book" covers a bit of a turn-off, especially if they make no sense at all and still try to tell a story (well, it could be that totally incomprehensible language as well I guess..). Leave the clowns and girlies to Disney and McDonalds and stick to the skulls, swords and monsters I say. Another minor annoyance is the slightly nasal vox of mr Tibor, which in combination with the language in question doesn't do the overall sound many favours. The Slavic languages may be brilliant for Metal-chanting, but these Ugrian misfits is another story completely.
Having said that, I really don't have anything else negative to say about the album. My general impression of Hungarian Metal has so far been that of sturdy, classic, but uneven stuff often too short of originality or ear-raising song material. An exception would of course be the brilliant debut LP of POKOLGEP, but now I found this new contestant for 'Best Hungarian Metal LP Ever': STRESS' "Kisértet Kastély"! Once again nothing exceptional as far as originality goes, but their heavily ACCEPT/STORMWITCH/HELLOWEEN-inspired Power/Heavy shouldn't leave any fan of classic Teutonic Metal disappointed. They have the snappy Power/Speed-songs with melodic choruses ("Nukleáris Világ", "Hagyjatok Élnem"...), the solid, mid-paced MAIDENesque Metallers ("Sötétseg Birodalma", "Meglovagolva."), the catchy Hard Teutonic Rockers ("Rockvaros", "Gonoszság Gyermeke".) and all those great bits and pieces in between, all of it sprinkled with just a teenie-weenie bit of Balkan melancholy and it sure makes one tasty bowl of goulash, believe me. I've been told they also made a single before the album, but it seem to be even more rare than the legendary POKOLGEP 7"s, so don't get your hopes up. This album itself isn't exactly common thrift-store loot either. I've only seen it once, at the time of buying, but I'm still unsure of the exact level of rarity. In any way it's another fine piece of vinyl to keep your eyes open for. Now send me that single, someone! I've been a good boy, goddamnit! Me deserve some fudge!

...Well sodomize me on christmas, someone just did!

Power, speed and melodies - all attributes match perfectly on STRESS! Their speedy songs with gloomy lyrics (all dealing with devils, hell, death etc.) are among the Eastern European elite! If you don't mind Hungarian vocals, hunt it down, it pays! The fine artwork shows a haunted mansion (Kisertet kastely) with a cursed girl.

Eine der besten ungarischen 80er Metal-Scheiben, die nicht von den großen, bekannten Bands stammt (POKOLGEP, OSSIAN, PANDORAS BOX). Top-Sänger, NWoBHM-Feeling, starke Songs! Ein Muß!! (Stefan R.)

Völlig unverständlich, dass es Stress nur auf eine offizielle Scheibe brachten! Power, Speed und Melodie passen auf "Kisértet Kastély" derart gut zusammen, dass man dieses Album nie wieder vom Plattenteller nehmen möchte! Sicher, ungarisch mag gewöhnungsbedürftig sein, aber spätestens bei den Hammerrefrains ist eh alles gut! Ein wundervolles Cover veredelt eine essentielle Scheibe aus Osteuropa, für die man die benötigten Scheine gern locker macht und damit gut anlegt! Kaufen!