We realized that this is only the second time we write about a band from our own country. Maybe its quite fitting that this post is the first bilingual one - we decided to start posting both in our native Greek, and in English. This takes some extra effort, apologies in advance for any atrocious grammar and spelling!

Convixion is one of the most promising bands of the Hellenic scene, and like many great things in life, the guys started off as not taking themselves too seriously (or did they?), barely realizing what was about to come out of all of this.

The mastermind of the band, guitarist / vocalist Nick Papakostas, started the band in 2002 as his own project after leaving Strikelight. Along came ex-Strikelight vocalist Dennis Sarakinis. That first line-up was completed with Stelios Makris and Vangelis Felonis. This incarnation of the band didn't last long, however, as Nick re-joined Strikelight in 2003, and Conviction (now Convixion) were dissolved.

One could say Convixion in its current form started off almost accidentaly, as a result of a "joke", and without a plan, when Nick was writing some new material that proved to be too fast for Strikelight. These beerstorming sessions (which didn't last longer than 5-10 minutes) culminated in the meisterwerk "Drink Metal", a tribute and an ode to the main beverage of any self-respecting rocker - BEER.

(The author of this "essay" has opened a green can to hopefully get inspiration and write 500 words that make sense. Later he discovered that it was expired and took several doses of Red Bull enema to recover and continue ...)

One of the people that fell in love with the track was Gregory (Greg for friends) Varsamis of Eat Metal Records ... and the rest is beerstory.

Nick together with Stelios Makris (guitar), Mano Kehagias (drums) and Michael Bacula (bass) revived Conviction with a small change in name (they put an X as a mark of honour, because the band was on ice for quite some time). This change was for the better, we might add. Michael is also the bassist of legendary band Vice Human, but Nick Papakostas of Vice Human and Nick Papakostas of Convixion is a simple case of synonymy!

2006 - Metal Drinkin' Conspiracy (Click to Enlarge)

The anticipation of their debut EP "Metal Drinkin 'Conspiracy" was great in the Greek metal underground, and its reception was much more than warm (unlike the temperature beer is supposed to be served). Along with the music, the old-school cartoon artwork, the penultimate title for a metal track, "DrinK Metal", and one of the most Simpsonesque intros in any metal video EVER, made a strong impression. Even if you despair at the sight of an empty fridge, don't try the same thing with Greg, unless your name is Homer...

Saying that their sound is Speed.Thrash.Heavy, Foster's or Caffrey's, is beside the point. The disc contains pure-bred classic, traditional metal, which from its first notes carries you to the depths of that never-ending decade, the 80s.
Of course, there were and there will be cases of naysayers that snub what they consider as "retro". But, don't forget that eclecticism is the main feature of our epoch - everything, and we mean EVERYTHING, is available as an inspiration, with any kind of regional barriers being smashed long ago by the presence of the internet.

The mere presence of young people that were infants or barely born when a style met its peak, yet they still decide that it resonates with them, whether they listen or play it, is an argument strong enough for its timeless quality. Have you ever heard anyone say that the sound of The Rolling Stones is "dated"? Well, the classic sound of 80s thrash hasn't dated one bit as well. Retro can be considered as either a backward step, or a fresh look into something tried and tested. The choice is yours.

With that said, thinking that Convixion is only about humor is a misunderstanding - the quality of the music with its strong solos as well as some thoughtful lyrics that accompany it show that the band, staying true to its name, really means it.
The self-titled full-length debut, released in 2010, also featured a delightfully old-school cover art, with four caricatures depicting the four archetypal species of jerks that serve in the manipulation of the masses (priests, intellectuals, cops, judges) - we still try to make out what the Grandma stands for..

Beyond the artwork, the contents of the disc show a clear maturation of both their sound and their lyrics, while their almost TYPE'O'NEGATIVIV-esque humor is still present. HEAVY METAL RE MOUNIA! (Which can be roughly translated as "HEAVY METAL, YOU CUNTS!")
Earlier this year they released a preview for their next album, a single for Black Magic Night (with "B'SIDE" The Night's Mare) - which showed a darker side of theirs, but still cult and old school. As for the almost Black / Death cover artwork, no need to say more. The video course is another matter altogether, and very, very metal.

One of the pioneers in this type of music video was Iron Maiden (see Number Of The Beast, Run To The Hills), whose music videos contained scenes from old films from the silent era. Convixion used scenes from Haxan, a 20s dramatized "pseudodocumentary", not unlike some productions by National Geographic or BBC. It's a Swedish/Danish co-production which showcases how ahead from their time was the thinking in that part of the world compared to the conservative mentality in the Mediterannean or Atlantic regions. The film's dramatized scenes were considered very disturbing by the standards of the era, and depicted scenes related to beliefs, prejudices, superstitions and other "nice" stuff from the Middle Ages.

In closing, we shouldn't forget to mention their live appearance in Eat Metal's party in club Kyttaro, on Sunday the 9th of last October. We had a hell of a time with the band which gave it all in their performance, and we can't wait for their next ventures and albums.

METAL TO THE BONE
Releases

• 2006 - Drinkin' Metal Conspiracy
• 2010 - Convixion
• 2011 - Black Magic Night (Single)