Desolation

DESOLATION was – in its original incarnation – a relatively short-lived Black/Death act hailing from the island of Salamis and active circa 1989-1991. The original lineup consisted of Antonis Orologas (vocals – ETHEREAL), Sakis “Necromayhem” Tolis (guitars, bass – ROTTING CHRIST, THOU ART LORD) and Vangelis Zaotsos (drums – ETHEREAL, BATHOMET). Their music at the time can be described as a decidedly old school blend of Death/Grind and Black Metal. Evil Death Metal in the vein of ACHERON (US) would perhaps be a fitting term.

Sakis Tolis was of course primarily involved with his main band at the time, but stayed with DESOLATION long enough to record three tracks that were originally meant to be included on a split-LP with the Columbian Death Metal band MASACRE (on Unisound Records). This didn’t happen though, and the songs instead ended up on the compilation CD “Weird Tales of Madness” (1991) released by the German label Black Death. When Tolis left the band permanently in 1991 to focus on ROTTING CHRIST, the name was changed to ETHEREAL (for more info on ETHEREAL, see separate band info page), and the remaining members proceeded with a more experimental approach to Black/Death Metal.

In 2003, ETHEREAL was once again rechristened as DESOLATION by Vangelis Zaotsos (drums) together with former ETHEREAL bandmates Chris Asiminas (guitars – ETHEREAL, BATHOMET, OBSECRATION), Antonis “Antton” Livanios (bass – DEAD BY DAWN, ETHERAL, owner of Supreme Music Creations) and Antony “Verith” (vocals – ETHERAL). Things get a little bit cloudy around this time as, just as was the case with ETHERAL, members seem to join and leave at a fast pace. Anyway, by the time of the reborn DESOLATION’s first demo CDr “Cause of Denial” (2003), the lineup included Antony Orologas (vocals), Chris A. (guitars), Antton (bass), and K.A.N.E. (session? drums). A second demo CDr was released in 2005, “Demented Satanic Uprise” (2005), with new vocalist Kostas “Dead” Vasilakakis (DEAD DAWN RISING, OBSECRATION, TERRA TENEBRAE, etc.).

Finally in 2006, DESOLATION’s debut album “Eternity of Hell” was released on CD in a limited edition of 1000 copies through bassist Antonis Livanios’ Supreme Music Creations. The album – produced by former DESOLATION member Sakis Tolis and featuring the same lineup as on the preceding demo CDr – sounds pretty much like a blend of the early work of DESOLATION and the “busier” style of ETHEREAL with some additional Heavy/Thrash Metal elements.

Following the release of “Eternity of Hell”, DESOLATION did at least one high-profile gig as support for US Progressive Death Metal legends ATHEIST at AN Club (Athens). In 2009, they also released a rearranged version of “Eternity of Hell” (the title-track, that is) for a split 7” with VARATHRON, entitled “Darkness Has Landed”. The latest news from the band’s camp that we know of is the 30-year anniversary re-release of the three original DESOLATION tracks (included on “Weird Tales…”) on CD by Sleaszy Riders Records.

For those interested in the early rumblings of the Hellenic Black/Death underground, don’t miss out on this band!

Compilation appearances:
* Apocalyptic Things #2 [Cass, Demo: Apocalyptic Things, 1991]
* Weird Tales of Madness Volume 1 [CD, Comp: Black Death, 1991]
* Greece Attacks – The Next Assault [2CD, Comp: Sound & Vision, 2004]