Sweet Vengeance

What the hell is this?! Over two decades have passed since I first listened to this album, and its magic continues to captivate me. I vividly recall the year 2003 when this album monopolized my CD player for days. 'Sweet Vengeance' is a true masterpiece, perfectly executed by an all-star band, with each member performing at the pinnacle of their abilities. The story goes back to 2000 when Marios Iliopoulos, the brilliant mind and main songwriter behind Nightrage, split from his former band Exhumation and relocated to Sweden shortly after to join forces with Thomas Lindberg. Lindberg, previously the vocalist of At The Gates and, at that time, the vocalist for Lock-Up and Skitsystem. The lead guitarist of the band was Gus G., an unknown kid at that time, who a few years later would become one of the most highly regarded figures in metal and join Ozzy as his guitarist. In my humble opinion, 'Sweet Vengeance' ranks among the greatest albums released post-2000 for many reasons, which I will explain next.

Musically rooted in melodic death metal with influences from the Gothenburg scene, Nightrage's unique sound emerges from the diverse musical backgrounds of its members. Notably, the album incorporates elements of classic heavy metal, especially evident in the lead guitars. The songs are predominantly fast and aggressive, yet infused with a melodic essence throughout the entire album. There are also a few parts with clean vocals by Tom Englund from Evergrey, along with acoustic guitars and a beautiful instrumental ballad that closes the album.

Thomas Lindberg on vocals is impeccable. His singing style is very reminiscent of his work on 'Slaughter of the Soul' by At the Gates and not so much the grindcore-oriented style he adopted for Lock Up or Skitsystem. His voice is mature and echoes aggression and desperation in a very harmonic balance, reaching the pinnacle of his career.

Marios Iliopoulos is one of the greatest guitarists out there. This album finds Marios at the peak of his musical ability and creativity. His style combines the Gothenburg sound with classic heavy metal influences in a very distinctive way, creating a unique musical identity. The melodies are strategically placed in the songs without sounding overwhelming or disrupting the album's flow. The technicality and complexity of the songs parallel those found in the self-titled 'The Haunted', frequently shifting to melodic passages which add a twist of harmony and offer variety to the songs. What also elevates this musical experience is the intensity conveyed through the pain and personal struggles that Marios has faced. These emotions are noticeably reflected in both the music and lyrics, offering a touching and authentic depth to the album.

Marios is somewhat seen as a mentor and father figure to Gus G during his first steps, and this influence is unmistakably reflected in the album. Gus' solos are emotional and melancholic, marked by a smooth guitar tone that complements the album's atmosphere. Gus' playing demonstrates undeniable technique, foreseeing his evolution into a world-class guitarist and his subsequent recruitment as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist.

The session drummer on this album is Per Moller Jensen, the drummer of The Haunted from the second album onwards. As mentioned previously, the drumming is primarily fast double-bass, with occasional blast beats but also enriched with mid-tempo parts and breaks. The opening track 'Tremor' clearly demonstrates his ferocious style, giving a thrash metal feel in the vein of The Haunted.

The album is produced by Fredrik Nordstrom, who also participated in the album by playing keyboards. He is one of the big names in the scene and well known for his exceptional work with elite melodic death and power metal bands. Hands down his work on this album is once again nothing short of flawless.

Overall, this is one of the most complete albums in melodic death metal and beyond. It is a greatly varied, intense, technical, and melodic masterpiece that stands as a milestone record for the scene. Unfortunately, Nightrage did not keep up the pace in subsequent releases, but this album deserves a spot in the metal pantheon.

Marios Iliopoulos is a very talented but unfortunately underrated metal musician, a fate largely attributed to his string of misfortunes. Above all, he stands out as an exceptional guitar player, showcasing mastery in both rhythm and solo performances. His right hand reaches the heights of greatness seen in James Hetfield. Furthermore, his solos aren't confined to just playing notes; they embark on a musical expedition, adding a distinctive richness to the overall vibe of his creations.

Marios' indelible influence on Gus G.'s style is unmistakable, resonating throughout Gus's playing like a musical signature. Hailing from the enchanting northern Greek city of Thessaloniki, not particularly renowned for its friendliness towards metal, Iliopoulos has steadfastly adhered to his beliefs and dreams throughout his musical journey. I deeply respect him for his unwavering commitment; it's not just admiration for his virtues, but a genuine appreciation for the person he is.

Despite encountering numerous challenges, as implied in the opening lines, Marios Iliopoulos has never succumbed to adversity. He persists in advocating for the spirit of metal and remains true to his passion for this genre. Despite possessing remarkable guitar skills and the potential to transition effortlessly into other folk Greek musical genres as a session musician, he chose to stay true to the underground scene. Committed to delivering metal to the masses, he prioritized his passion over the allure of fame and financial gain.

His string of bad luck is predominantly tied to the challenge of assembling a stable line-up. Despite being surrounded by talented individuals, loyalty, trustworthiness, focus, and shared goals proved elusive among his companions. This led to the breakup of his previous band, Exhumation. When opportunities arose, the band faltered due to some members rejecting them. On a side note, if you haven't explored Exhumation's discography, it's highly recommended. All three albums, especially the last two, are incredible examples of melodic death metal. The track "Nightrage" from the third and final album, "Traumaticon," not only stands out but also serves as the inspiration for the name of Marios's new band.

"Sweet Vengeance" is both a blessing and a curse for a new band, representing an absolute masterpiece of Melodic Death Metal in the iconic Gothenburg sound. In my perspective, it ranks among the three finest albums in the genre, standing alongside In Flames' "Jester Race" and the pure gold that is "Slaughter of the Souls" by At the Gates.

Musically, "Sweet Vengeance" is a masterpiece, a status it would maintain even if the line-up was not a supergroup and the production was not the sheer greatness it embodies. However, when you combine those evocative riffs and melodies with such talented musicians and this exceptional production, it reaches an unparalleled level. Oh Satan, it literally cannot get any better. There's simply no way.

Following the disappointment of the Exhumation breakup, Marios took a bold step and migrated to Sweden, specifically Gothenburg, in pursuit of his metal aspirations. At that time, Sweden stood as the Mecca for metal in Europe. Juggling various shitty jobs to make ends meet, he teamed up with his best friend Gus G. to form Nightrage. In a turn of events, the band transformed into a supergroup. While neither guitarist was famous at the time, both were incredibly skilled. The line-up featured the hottest voice in extreme Swedish metal, Lindberg, alongside The Haunted's drummer Per Møller Jensen. Notably, they secured the expertise of Fredrik Nordström, one of the finest producers in the global metal scene, and guest clean vocals from the highly regarded Swedish singer Tom S. Englund. To top it all off, the band secured a deal with Century Media, releasing their album under this prestigious label. The magnitude of this achievement is beyond impressive.

However, as we're all aware, supergroups often fail to deliver, and in the end, the names associated with them don't mean much; it's the music that proves them right or wrong. In the case of this particular album, there is nothing less than pure greatness in every possible aspect. Let's begin with the music.

The album boasts aggressive death metal riffage at its finest, maintaining its intensity throughout. These powerful riffs are skilfully interrupted by beautiful and catchy melodic segments, harmonies, and even clean moments. Describing the inspiration behind the music proves challenging, as it transcends words. The riffs draw influence from Slayer and thrash metal, embodying the spirit of Swedish death metal and the entire 90s extreme metal scene, particularly the European one, all executed with unparalleled excellence.

The melodies, on the other hand, draw inspiration from the melodic philosophy of the legendary Iron Maiden, yet they manage to avoid any cheesiness or overwhelming melodiousness. Instead, the melodic parts are intricately crafted and strategically placed between the aggressive and heavy elements. Classic 90’s atmospheric clean moments are seamlessly woven throughout, adding a profound sense of emotion and melancholy. The sparing use of clean vocal parts introduces a touch of modernity while staying committed and true to the spirit of extreme metal.

The album reaches such technical heights that even for skilled musicians, attempting to play the songs may find it challenging. Both the rhythmic and solo guitars showcase unparalleled skill. Gus G.'s status as a guitar hero is no random accolade; his playing style is nothing but mind-blowing. Take a moment to appreciate the intricate guitar work that will undoubtedly captivate you. The drumming, executed with breathtaking speed and technique, perfectly complements the aggressive nature of the songs. The fills and beats are executed flawlessly, meeting the precise demands of each composition. The bass, too, contributes significantly, and Thomas delivers one of the best performances of his career. He pours his voice into every word, channelling both aggression and pain. The production quality is state-of-the-art, offering a modern, heavy, clean, atmospheric, and multilayered sound. To emphasize, it's heavy as hell—did I mention that? The overall result is nothing but perfection.

Everything about this album is pure perfection, yet it also serves as both a blessing and a curse for the band. Why? Firstly, repeating such an extraordinary level of greatness seems nearly humanly impossible. Secondly, sustaining this line-up and collaborating with this producer on a consistent basis is not a realistic expectation. In "Sweet Vengeance," Nightrage is more of a project with guests than a conventional band, a misconception that later became evident. When the prominent names eventually depart, the inevitable decline in hype is a normal occurrence. This becomes the curse and misfortune of Marios Iliopoulos. Despite consistently delivering quality music, evident across all Nightrage albums, not a single one can be deemed truly bad. While some may outshine others, the essence of "Sweet Vengeance" permeates all of them. True to metal, Nightrage never compromises its musical integrity to appeal to the masses.

However, once the superstars depart, public interest, especially from labels, tends to wane, relegating Nightrage to the underground sphere. This, coupled with the ongoing struggle to maintain a stable line-up, inevitably keeps the band and its music underrated. The silver lining is that, even in the face of these challenges, the band persists, continuing to produce killer albums. In recent years, the line-up issues seem to have lessened, and there's much anticipation for the upcoming 2024 album, especially given the excellence of the previous one. The choice is yours if you want to experience some awesome metal.

Without a doubt, if you haven't experienced "Sweet Vengeance" and you proudly identify as a metalhead, don't waste another moment. Dive into it now! It's an epitome of pure metal magic.

Even considering that Swedish melodeath was just about burnt out by 2003, it would be incorrect to believe that Nightrage represent a mere footnote on the scene. Sure, Marios Iliopoulos is Greek and so is Gus G, who he took along for the ride on this debut effort, but any album that bounces as furiously out of the gates on such hooky venom as 'The Tremor' and features vocals by none other than Tomas Lindberg is bound to be associated more with Scandinavia than the Mediterranean. In any case, regardless of scenes and countries, Sweet Vengeance remains a stirring cocktail of melody and fury to this day.

The key ingredients of this music are fairly simple and well-known, though that doesn't stop them being effective when executed with passion and panache. The rhythm guitar is about as incisive as a surgeon's scalpel, sharpened riffs ripping at the listener in tandem with Lindberg's raw voice, while the folky melodies that swell and soar alternate between joyful sunlight and glowering dark clouds. Riffwise, Slaughter of the Soul is a clear benchmark for Nightrage, since Iliopoulos attempts the same jagged sprint that marked songs such as 'Blinded by Fear', while In Flames are also influential for much of the work in 'Gloomy Daydreams', the slower, loping riffs and more pleasing melodies doing justice to the Swedes' work from Colony. For all the similarity to those familiar names, Sweet Vengeance does just about manage to form its own identity, remaining at a pleasing intensity throughout 'Macabre Apparitions' and 'The Tremor' that combines the flat-out brutish death thrash of Hatesphere at their best with the same kind of pissed intensity that The Haunted generated early in their career. Perhaps it is significant that Per Moller Jensen was the session drummer for the album, since his performances in The Haunted inform some of the beats here, even if he intersperses them with more typical melodeath and some heavier extreme parts.

Aside from that minor point of departure, Sweet Vengeance needs to have great songs to make itself hit the heights at which the band aim. It's difficult to declare this a total success because of the degree of similarity to other bands and the slight homogeneity of the 10 full songs here, but Iliopoulos and crew do a good job at ensuring everything leaves an impression. The more aggressive songs satisfy me more because the sound has been used less extensively than the chug-and-melody In Flames style, though the level of melodic invention and soaring emotion that smokes off the slowish 'Circle of Pain' or 'The Glow of the Setting Sun' proves that Gus G was the right choice to supplement the alternately delicate clean and strident heavy riffing. Another noteworthy feature of this type of song is the contribution of Tom Englund of Evergrey, who provides clean vocals over the soft introductions, as well as at a couple of other points on the album. His voice is the polar opposite of Lindberg's, all rough edges shorn and heartstrings ready for the tugging, though the effect is rather similar in that both vocalists give emotional performances that increase the glory of the band's big sound, even if Englund does edge towards cheese at times. On the other hand, it is certainly due to the combined efforts of the two singers that 'At the Ends of the Earth' leaves a favourable final impression, coasting menacingly on a riff quite different to the usual sprint and twostep as Englund eulogizes the spiteful verses that Lindberg sets up.

Listening to this album in isolation from other bands of Nightrage's ilk would leave the impression that the group had made something truly magnificent, especially because of the scale that the songs manage to attain. For instance, there is something heroic in the way that 'Elusive Emotion' allows keyboards to drift in and melodies to battle away after the two minute mark, before Gus G drops his sweet lead fruit and the swell of keys magnifies Lindberg's visceral roars into one last chorus. Most of the songs have this kind of scope to them, meaning that the album meshes very well as a whole and can present a certain kind of atmosphere that is frequently lacking in the genre. Nevertheless, listening to this album after one of Dark Tranquillity's early offerings or alongside something by Kalmah is likely to draw unfavourable comparisons about the level of creativity and fresh ideas injected into each song. Despite avoiding too many typical verse-chorus-verse structures, the progress of individual compositions is slightly predictable and contains few moments that could be called adventurous, barring the successful change-up for 'At the Ends of the Earth'. The rhythm players tend to drop fairly few surprises, Brice Leclercq turning in a functional bass performance and Moller Jensen displaying several drumming styles but no attention-grabbing moments. Likewise, the deployment of melodies and leads is controlled to such an extent and remains within a narrow enough range that the initial danger of 'The Tremor' never returns to the album.

Sweet Vengeance is thus not a release to be sniffed at, but nor welcomed with such open arms as many melodeath disciples seem to have done. The playing is quality and the songs well-written, though the lack of fresh ideas and unexpected moments makes this merely good as opposed to special. As a side note, I have a reissued version with an extended demo of 'Gloomy Daydreams', which is interesting as opposed to good, the levels being messed up and some rough vocals (maybe Iliopoulos's, though I can't remember) taking some getting used to, especially as they sometimes sound like Dani Filth. Therefore, don't worry about the bonus track, but certainly check this out if you can't get enough of Gothenburg's most famous export.

Nightrage is a supergroup of metal musicians from all around the metal spectrum, all highly talented and several have made a grand impact in the community. The remarkably talented Gus G displaying his godly riffage all around from power metal roundhouse kick Firewind to the unholy attack that is Mystic Prophecy to the legends Dream Evil. His contribution here on "Sweet Vengeance" is extraordinary and essential to aid in creating this melodic death metal masterpiece. He easily surpasses all expectations and shows a wide array of versatility and adaptation by being a part of Nightrage. His riffs are top notch and original melodic death attacks, varying from all out attack to grooving beauty.

The other biggest name involved with Nightrage is the legend himself, Tomas Lindberg. I'm a fan of At the Gates and all their glory, but I state here that this single album is Tomas's shining glory, his best work and better than all of At the Gates's material. What a statement that is. Tomas gives an unbelievable performance that rips all competition out of the water, slaying all those who have tried in vain to reproduce his orgasmic rasp. His voice sounds out of this world, he has such passion in his voice on "Sweet Vengeance" that is sounds as if he is truly in pain on such songs like The Glow of the Setting Sun and Elusive Emotion. The former being his best performance on the album where he vocally owns the melodic death metal world with that catchy chorus. When the song finishes, you'll immediately go back and his play again and sing along - it's that catchy. He spits the words out rapidly making the listener his bitch, forcing you to sing along, forcing you to listen and feel his tortured agony.

The overall music experience you'll be encounter here is a journey through a world of pain and agony displayed through the vocals of Tomas mixed with relentless riffs brought forth by Gus G and Marios Iliopoulos and they'll produce melodious and often complex (what would you expect it's Gus G) solos that melt your skin and then sow it back together. They weave in and out of each other performing like a solid duo making their performance even more solid and the impact more profound. I don't mean for Gus G to steal all the credit, Marios is equally as talented and adequate a guitarist and shines just as much - I also give him credit where credit is due for continuing the band to it's current state with the loss of members. The drums make their presence known in each song pounding the hell out of your ears with intense double bass and in a typical melodic death metal fashion. The bass does it's job accompanying the guitarists playing along doing it's duty.

Tom Englund also guest stars with clean vocals on a couple songs, most notably doing an excellent job on Hero where his passage is done with great emotion. Just like in Evergrey, Tom does not disappoint and I'm glad he offers his powerful voice.

There are no bad songs on this album, no filler - only highlights, which is every song. But there are higher-highlights that top the list which would be; The Glow of the Setting Sun, Hero, Elusive Emotion, Macabre Apparition - which is also odd, these all have the best and catchiest choruses, which again all goes back to Tomas Lindberg the mold of the music that puts it all back together. I can fully guarentee if was any other harsh vocalist not Tomas, this album would drop at least 15 points because his music fits absofuckinglutly perfect with the music. Not to say the music is bad, but together these guys sound like a real mature and professional band that has been together for years - AND THIS IS JUST A DEBUT!

Holy fuck this is impressive, this is Nightrage's best work in their career, not anything else after this comes close. This is top notch melodic death metal done right and you will be hard pressed to find anything out nowadays to come close - let alone at all. Thank you Tomas, I mean Nightrage!

When I bought this album, I wasn't sure what to expect. I'd heard that Tomas Lindberg was doing the vocals, along with a guest appearance from my all time favorite vocalist Tom Englund from Evergrey. Suffice it to say, I was pleasantly surprised when the CD started spinning! I'll give the album an overall rating and look into some of the enjoyable songs:

The album starts out with a blast of heavy energy as "The Tremor" shakes its way towards your ears. The initial "riffage" is supported well by Tomas Lindberg's screams and trademark growls. Last part sports some good riffs for headbanging, and overall, it's an OK track, but it's not too memorable.

"The Glow of the Setting Sun" is a memorable track, and one of the better on the album, it's very melodic and sports some great riffs which are backed up by a memorable chorus. Furthermore the solo which sports a great harmony by Marios Iliopoulos and Gus G, is pretty rocking. Great track, and I find myself humming it from time to time.

"In My Heart" is my second favorite track on the record, and overall by the band. The riffs and even the lyrics are very memorable, not to mention the solo which has to be experienced, for one to truly appreciate the orgasmic sound Marios and Gus pull off! Thumbs up!

"Ethereal" is without a single doubt the best track on the album. The prevalent riff and awesome drum work is again matched perfectly by the somewhat screechy vocals of Tomas, and supported in the chorus by Tom Englund who lifts the dark mood of the song with his powerful voice. Again this track features an amazing solo which you simply have to experience. If this had been the only catchy tune on the album, I would still have recommended you to buy it, because it's just that good. Thumbs up! Godt gået.

The album signs off with a catchy instrumental called "The Howls of the Wolves" which is a nice soothing experience on top of the heavy riffs and pounding drums of the earlier songs.

All in all, I would recommend this album to anyone who appreciate the melodic death metal style native to scandinavia. In my oppinion, this is the best album by Nightrage, and only a couple of songs on their newer albums are worth listening to, their newest album almost sinking into hardcore hell. Buy this album, and only check out the newer ones if you're sure you can handle a mediocre experience from a band that put this great piece of melodic metal together.

“Sweet Vengeance” is not only one of the best outputs the new wave of Swedish death metal scene has ever put out. It is aggressive metal in its best shape and form in 2000s.

To begin with, readers of any review on this album should know that “Sweet Vengeance” is the work of art of a band that at the time consisted of an all-star cast for which responsible was Marios Iliopoulos the main song writer, riff master and mastermind behind “Nightrage”. The members for the band back then, were Tomas Lindberg (At the Gates) – vocals, Gus G (Dream Evil, Firewind) – guitar, Per Moller Jensen (The Haunted) – drums and Brice Leclercq - bass.

Musically “Sweet Vengeance” successfully merges different metal styles. The most evident influence is obviously Swedish death metal but a good listener can trace sings of American power metal and classic heavy metal. I’m sure that Marios Iliopoulos spent his early days listening to bands with diverse backgrounds. Having said that, “Nightrage” in their first album sound like a perfect mix between bands such as “At the Gates” and “Metallica”. In “Sweet Vengeance” you will find anything from blast beats to acoustic guitar parts. Yes, the album is diverse and as a result no two songs sound alike. Songs are definitely different in form and sound but they all share one common characteristic… and that is that all songs are killer, “no filler” material.

Marios Iliopoulos is an excellent song writer. He manages to ideally combine his most brutal riffs with the most astonishing melodies and truly most impressive harmonies. The solo work is unquestionably magnificent. In the creative process of writing solos Marios rightly employs his well known “blood brother” Gus G, whose solo technique is beyond any critique. The result is destined to leave listeners with wide open mouths. To be honest with you I have yet to hear an album with so powerful harmonies and so strong solo work.

Brice Leqlercq assumes the role of the bass player. Being a guitarist however, he is not able to add a low end layer to the music. For most of this album he duplicates Marios Iliopoulos’ guitar parts and so the bass frequency is not that audible throughout the album. Of course it’s not absent either. Nevertheless, the result would sound three dimensional if the bass lines were written by a professional bass player.

I have heard some people say that the drum work in the album is substandard. Well, I think that sometimes because of the technical side of metal music in general, we tend to forget that song writing should entail more than just the chops of each band member. In this sense, I would like to say that Per Moller Jensen is doing a wonderful work on the drums. The drums sound phenomenal and the patterns are just suitable to the music. Remember the mighty riff comes first. The drums are there to create a solid foundation along with the bass guitar upon which riffs, harmonies and solos can be built naturally. That’s exactly what the drums are about in “Sweet Vengeance”. Personally I dig them big time!

The album makes use of keyboards in certain occasions in the most prudent way however. The aforementioned is especially achieved in “Elusive Emotion” where the presence of keyboards in the chorus is literally uplifting the entire song.

The vocals in this album should definitely not be a mystery for Lindberg’s fans. The voice of “Tompa” is at optimum form here as the singer really tears his vocal chords apart in every singe song, making sure he sounds like some kind of monster from a George Romero film. Tom S. Englund from “Evergrey” lends his melodic voice in several songs. Together with “Tompa” they make quite a duel and songs such as “Hero”, “Ethereal” and “Circle of Pain” best illustrate this odd but successful in the end vocal merger.

The lyrics will make perfect sense to those who are aware of what Marios Iliopoulos went through in order to make his vision of “Nightrage” come true. They are full of the pain, suffering and strain this man had to endure throughout his artistic career in order to finally accomplish his long-term goal of succeeding in this extremely competitive industry.

Fredrik Nordstrom is responsible for the engineering, mixing and production of this album in the famous Fredman Studios. It is therefore needless to say anything more concerning the quality of the recording process and the sound of the end-result. The only fault as it was highlighted earlier is the not so present bass frequency for which as explained before Fredrik Nordstrom is not responsible.

All in all, a truly great album no matter the angle one is looking at it from. I consider this a must have album for the fans of the Swedish death metal scene and I’m sure most of them already have it in their collection. As I said before however, “Sweet Vengeance” entails many other musical elements and therefore is beyond doubt suited for listeners of other metal genres as well. Make sure you get your copy of this excellent album.

Stand outs: "The Tremor", “Hero”, “Elusive Emotion”, “In my Heart”, “Ethereal”, “Circle of Pain”.

This album is excellent. Killer riffs, memorable solo's, catchy melodies, an awesome vocalist, competent drumming and seriously good production. The only low point, that subtracts from the overall score, is Evergrey's Tomas Englund, his parts are really out of place and quite frankly, he doesn't sound enough like Tomas Lindberg for a pairing to be any good. The two together don't create a melancholy or "heaven and hell" contrast which was probably intended. They just don't fit well together.

Aside from that, all else on this album is exquisite and makes this a definitive modern metal release. The guitars have the signature flight that makes the gothenburg scene what it is, rarely ever does it get boring. Nightrage has constructed some serious melody here and it rules. It doesn't have the licks of say, early In Flames, but that doesn't subtract from the music at all.

The drums aren't anything special, but do the job, the cymbals could be a bit louder as they sound a bit muddled, but it's not a problem. The double bass work is pretty above average as well. Nothing to write home about, but the drums are quite good.

The vocals, Tomas Lindberg performs, nuff said, they rule. As for Tomas Englund, luckily his parts are very few, as he is guilty of over singing, he's the reason I can't get into Evergrey, he's not a bad vocalist perse, he's just not for me. His part in 'Circle of Pain' I find laughable, but that's just me.

While all the songs here rule everything, the best ones are "Hero", "Gloomy Daydreams" "Macabre Appirition", & "Ethereal". Those four best showcase Nightrage' abilites.

Great band, great album. Highly recomended for open minded metal fans. You really can't go wrong here.

Nightrage was originally founded in Greece by Marios Iliopoulos (ex- Exhumation) and Gus G. (Dream Evil), now in 2003 they live in Gothenburg and on the album Tomas Lindberg (ex- At The Gates) did the vocals, Brice Leclerc the bass and Per Jensen (The Haunted) played the drums, Tom Englund (Evergrey) also did additional clean vocal-parts.

With such a line-up this album has to be good and Nightrage fullfill all our dreams and present one of the best Melodic Death Metal albums I've heard in a very long time!

It was recorded in Studio Fredman and produced by Fedrik Nordström. But Nightrage aren't just a cheap copy of At The Gates, to classic melodic death metal they add their own blend of originality and especially the changing between the hellish fast brutal in-your-face melodies and the laid back rocking parts give this record a very special touch!

My absolutely favourite on the album is "Macabre Apparition" it features the most brutal and purest side of their music, all fast & evil. They often use twin guitar harmonies that sound like early Iron Maiden, BUT Nightrage took them into the year 2003.

Besides the sophisticated drum & bass work, the vocals are great as always and could be compared to his latest work with The Crown "Crowned In Terror".

The last song called "The Howls Of The Wolves" is a calm instrumental song with acoustic guitars and the right end for such a smasher-album. I hope this isn't just a short studio project and that these guys will do more records and that I may be blessed to see them in concert! Please God!

When guitarist Marios Iliopoulos was forced out of his band of ten years, Greece's highly acclaimed death metal outfit EXHUMATION, perhaps he got mad, but he certainly got even. Relocating to Sweden, he began his quest of finding like-minded musicians interested in being a part of what would shortly become NIGHTRAGE.

Answering Marios' call was fellow shredder and long-time confidant Gus G. (known for his outstanding work in DREAM EVIL, MYSTIC PROPHECY, and FIREWIND.), legendary screamer Tomas Lindberg (AT THE GATES, THE CROWN, GREAT DECEIVER, and LOCK UP), drummer Per M. Jensen (THE HAUNTED), clean vocalist Tom S. Englund (EVERGREY), and rounding out the line-up, the as of yet known French bassist, Brice Leclercq. Now, with his battalions assembled, Marios prepares for "Sweet Vengeance".

Recorded at the famous Studio Fredman with producer extraordinaire Fredrik Nordstrom (ARCH ENEMY, IN FLAMES, OPETH, etc.), "Sweet Vengeance" overflows with bombastic bursts of enraged melodic death coercion, a la DIMENSION ZERO, with tranquil acoustic passages here and there. Each song blasts forth with memorable riffing and stellar drum work, topped off with vicious shrieks of retribution and pain.

"Sweet Vengeance" is a promising beginning for NIGHTRAGE, with essential moments being the punishing opener "The Tremor", "Hero", "At The Ends Of The Earth" (both of which feature impeccable vocal interplay between Tomas and Tom), and the savage "Macabre Apparition".

The albums’ closing track, "The Howls Of The Wolves", is a serene instrumental that may be metaphorically stating that Marios is now at ease within himself after finally unleashing the elusive emotions that had been tormenting him for far too long. Certainly, vengeance is his.


- Harley Carlson

Normally I find melodic death metal acknowledges the melody more than the brutality, therefore rendering it rather weak and ineffectual much of the time. Exceptions to the rule being the old In Flames albums and Children of Bodom, and this album throughly conjures up memories of what In Flames used to be before they wussed out and went nu-metal mallcore on us.

Tomas Lindberg, well, he sounds like Tomas Lindberg--the usual belligerent, homicidal shriek we've come to know and love. But the singer for Evergrey guests on clean vocals and really makes a huge difference with his impassioned delivery and soulfulness, really adding a new level of emotion to this album. On top of this is the fact that the guitars are stellar; the riffing, the soloing, the melodies, it's all good! They really let it all go on this album guitarwise, and it works well. The album is ruled by equal parts melody and heaviness, more on the melodic side, but is still incredibly strong throughout. Excellent production as well only makes this more a treat for me. Standouts? For me, I especially like "Hero", "Gloomy Daydreams", and "Ethereal", where the clean singer (can't recall his name offhand) really shines in particular with his layered vocal harmonies. Check this out, you won't be disappointed.

Nightrage are one of those metal super groups featuring members from At the Gates, Exhumation, Dream Evil, Evergrey, and The Haunted. The fact that Gus G from Dream Evil (among other bands) and Marios Iliopoulos from Exhumation are in this band is what sparked my interest. Upon my first listen I was delivered the goods, an album of melodic and intricate death metal. Nightrage employ a lot of tempo variations and interesting time changes and really keeps things from sounding repetitive. Hard hitting drums emphasize chugging, shredding, razor sharp twin guitar riffs. Vocally, vocalist Tomas Lindberg delivers the goods (At the Gates/The Crown style of course), while “melodic vocalist” Tom S. Englund (Evergrey) offers contrasting vocal lines in a more traditional singing style. I have not heard very much Evergrey, but Tom does a real good job, and adds a new level to the songs he sings on (Circle of Pain is the prime example of this). The production, needs no complains, a damn fine sounding album.

There is a standout song, Elusive Emotion, track 4. I like the song so much I would say it is worth buying this cd for this song...not to underrate the other songs but this song just kills...argh!! KILLS!