Horizon's End

Bio:

The "Horizon’s End" story begins back in 1993, in Thessaloniki – Greece, where guitar player Christos Kostas, formed the band urging to express, blend and share his musical worries with other musicians. The first line up complete George Strapatsas on vocals, Dimitris Argirakis (ex- Dimension Z) on drums and Theodore Gotsis (ex- Mnimes Nemesis) on Bass.

On the same year the band released their first demo tape with the song “future dreams in medieval waves” in a progressive style, which was quite a novelty for the Greek heavy metal scene. That gave them the opportunity to play in two Rock festivals that took place in Thessaloniki.

In 1994 Dimitris Argirakis leaves the band and Stamatis Kekes takes his place. Also the keyboard player Sakis Bandis (ex- Wizard) joins the band.

In 1995 Horizon’s End released their first demo – “An Ecstasy Unreal” – which was a great success in their country. “An Ecstasy Unreal” gave them the chance to be heard in a wide audience and received excellent reviews by the local music press. The band decides to use this recording as a promotional element and seek for a record label contract.

In the beginning of 1996, drummer Stergios Kourou (ex- Escape, Drums and Stories) replaces Stamatis Kekes and the band starts working on new material.

In 1997, Horizon’s End signed a record contract with German WMMS Music Is Intelligence record company and played several gigs throughout Greece. On May ’97, supported Swedish metallers THERION in Thessaloniki at Ydrogios club.

The following year –19/03/1998- they released their debut album “Sculpture On Ice”, with which they achieved to go one step further in their song writing, as well as a high position in the local metal charts. Lyricism and technique become the strong weapons of the band that everyone is talking about.

The summer of 1998 was the “break away summer” for Horizon’s End. George Strapatsas and Theodore Gotsis quit the band. Even worse, the founder, Christos Kostas decides to give up playing music due to personal problems but exhorted the band to find new members and carry on without him. On August, the line up is completed by Vasilis Topalides(Sarissa,Redrum,The Great Gig,ex- Escape,Drums and Stories) vocals, Emmanuel Pilides (ex- Escape, Drums and Stories) guitar and Kostas Scandalis (ex- Mindloss) bass.

On the 20th of September 1998 Horizon’s End supported RONNIE JAMES DIO at his live show at Academic Stadium in Sofia – Bulgaria, where they played in front of about 12.000 people. The following 2 years the band focused on songwriting.

In September 2000 the band broke the contract with WMMS, and signed with “STEEL GALLERY RECORDS”. Two months later entered the studio for the recording of the second album.

On the 26th of October 2001 released “Concrete Surreal”, a progressive metal album with quite a unique sound, which received very good reviews about their songwriting skills and also the sound production. That helped very much the albums distribution and the bands name was heard in most of the European countries and also U.S.A. and Japan. The band pushed the new album by playing many gigs, as headliners among local bands or as a support act before names such as Dead Soul Tribe and Primal fear.

In 2003 Kostas Vretos (ex- Vavel, Hard On) replaced our beloved former guitarist Manolis Pilidis. Kostas is a talented musician and a great guitar player with a unique fingerpicking style of playing. Fresh ideas, new songs, rehearsals, live shows (as headliners), recordings, more live shows (with Pain of Salvation) a ''long vacation'', all leading to our new album ''INTENSIFICATION'', not yet released.

Vassilios Topalides - vocals

Kosta Vreto - guitar

Sakis Bandis - keyboards

Kostas Scandalis - bass

Stergios Kourou - drums

.. ..

Influences:

Rush, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Motorhead,Marillion,Queen,Rainbow,Deep Purple,Dream Theater,Shadow Gallery,Fates Warning,Warlord,Saviour Machine,... .. ..

Sounds Like:

Horizon's End "Cover My Eyes" Album:Intensification ,2007

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Record Label:

Unknown Major