Live Report | Power Of The Night V, Nicosia-Cyprus, 23-24 July 2010
As every year since 2006, Power Of The Night Festival took place in Nicosia for the memory of those we lost in road. This year’s festival was also in memory of the recently missing God Ronnie James Dio but more about this later.
Since my entrance to the genre of Music called Metal, I was dreaming having a festival in Cyprus, like the ones I watch online, that take place in the foreign European Countries. This was just a dream. Until NOW!
Power Of The Night Festival has nothing to be jealous of like major other festivals. For first time this year’s festival was a two-day festival, having foreign bands for headliners each day. Marauder from Greece were headlining the first day and Ross The Boss, featuring Scott Columbus from Manowar were headlining the second day.
But let’s take the bands one-by-one.
1st Day
Temple Of Evil
First
band on the stage were the newcomers Deathrashers Temple Of Evil.
Amazing performance for their second show and the blow up heads with
their evil songs! Hellish riffs from Rikkos and Piperman made some
heads roll out of headbanging and Manos brutalism filled the atmosphere
with death! Continue like this guys, all the best for you!On the line was supposed to be Metal Blade but this band unfortunately didn’t performed as 2 of the members had army responsibilities.
Hardraw
So
we jumped on Hardraw… Heavy Metal Union! Pure Heavy Metal coming under
the sign of Odin’s ravens! This band kicked asses with their 80s heavy
metal! All of the members were in great shape and gave the best of
their selves providing steel to the crowd. Covers of Saint – On The
Streets and Omen – The Axeman/Warning of Danger were added on the list.
But the highlight of their performance came on a newly presented song
called Cyprus Heavy Metal Steel. On this song Tasos Karonias from RUST
and Petros “Asgardlord” Leptos from Solitary Sabred came onstage as
guest and they all together sung this Hymn. Check the Hardraw setlist here.
Arryan Path
After
Hardraw’s appearance Arryan Path came onstage. No words to describe
this band. Since their demo “Return to Troy” Arryan Path’s works were
spread around the world. Lyrism, Epic feelings and high-pitched vocals
from one of the island’s best singers! The band played songs from their
latest new album “Terra Igognita” along with old beloved hymns as Road
To Macedonia, Arryan Path, Piri Reis and they closed their show with
Epic of the Sorrowful Argonaut. Also a cover of Dio’s “Neon Knights”
was played in honor of Ronnie.
Zenith
Then
Zenith’s part of the night came. Zenith was a band formed in the late
80s and they had several shows until 1995 were they split up. This band
used to share the scene with the Cypriot band Armageddon, famous for
their Rev 16:16 album. So after their split up, Zenith reunited now, 15
years after, and they rocked the world with covers of Whitesnake, Deep
Purple, Ozzy, etc. They also presented some of their unreleased songs,
written back then in the early 90s. Don’t Talk to Strangers was also
covered as Dio’s departure was a fact that none forgets that easy.
Marauder
And we come to
the headliners of the first day, Greek Marauder! I saw this band live
at Up The Hammers festival earlier this year, celebrating their 20 year
anniversary and they blow my mind! 1821 is a masterpiece and songs like
Return Of The Warrior are unbeatable! Marauder had the best performance
and first day’s best sound. They gave us a hell of a setlist giving
energetic rhythms for headbanging! Here’s Marauder setlist: - Born To Rock
- Face The Mirror
- Free Like Eagle
- Evil's Curse
- Classics Never Die
- Power From The Sky
- The Return Of The Warrior
- Dark Riders
- Sense Of Metal
- Say It Again
- For Us The Metal Is Enough
- Born Again
- Heroes Fight Like The Greeks
- The Greek Revolution Begins
2nd Day
Teror
Solitary Sabred
After
the Thrashing Mad atmosphere by Teror the show continues with Solitary
Sabred! Formed in 2008 Solitary Sabred are a trio Epic Metal band with
sick-evil-hellish-high-pitched vocals! When you hear this band you know
that the band members are praying each day to Titans like Manilla Road,
Cirith Ungol, Anvil, Manowar etc. On their playlist songs from their
debut album “the Hero The Monster The Myth” were included among some of
their new ones like Burn Magic, Black Magic and Realm Of Darkness! For
the first time Solitary Sabred changed their conclusion and instead of
playing The Trojan Hero for last song they made a hell of headbanging
with their self-title track Solitary Sabred. The Bloodlust Is Sacred!!
Winter's Verge
On
the line follows Winter’s Verge. The pioneers of the “Eurostyle Power
Metal” in Cyprus did what they know best on stage! Playing Power Metal
as it was curved in stone by legends like Stratovarius, Rhapsody,
Sonata Arctica, etc… Recently they had a Euro Tour being openers for
Stratovarius and this experienced the band how to rouse the crowd!
Eternal Damnation!! Also a cover on Holy Diver in memory of Ronnie was
on the setlist!
R.U.S.T.
Last of the
Cypriot Bands performed in this year’s Power Of The night were R.U.S.T.
Organizers of the festival and Forged in the Fire of Metal! RUST gave a
timetravel 30 years back in the 80s, were Denim and Leather ruled,
where Heavy Metal was at is highest point. With the Burning Phoenix
rising out of the ashes, THE THUNDER ROLLS! Giant Amount of energy were
spilled upon the stage! Incredible shows with chains, Cops and
Motorbikes! The Xanthou Bros along with Adamos and Tasos give their
souls for this! JUDAS PRIEST cover with Theo from Regicide, SOS signals
for 1974, Lady Of The Lake and the Taking to the other side where
angels never die! HEAVY METAL TO THE BONE!
Ross The Boss
After the mighty performance of RUST, it was time for the Headliners of the Festival, ROSS THE BOSS!The ex 6string master of MANOWAR with his personal band came for first time in Cyprus together with Scott Columbus. Sounds of Ross The Boss’ album “New Metal Leader” together with old Manowar songs performed on stage. Highlight of the show the Hail To Cyprus song (instead of England). After an hour of show Scott Columbus got on stage and together with Ross played Blood Of My Enemies, Kill With Power, Fighting the World and Blood Of The Kings! I must say that the crowd felt very thankful seeing these two legend together on stage after all those years.
For conclusion I want to thank the organizers for this event. Guys from Hardraw, Rust and Phivos from Pitch Black Records gave theirselves in every meaning to make this powerful festival possible! Let’s hope the next year more people will attend the festival and some other major wants will be on stage!
Till Next year, HAIL AND KILL!
Michalis Starchild Benakis