Ektropi ton Apanthrakomenon (Εκτροπή Των Απανθρακωμένων)

(Writer’s note: I know that many would consider it crazy, or even heretical to include so many Punk-affiliated bands in an archive dedicated to the documentation of Hellenic Metal music. But ignoring this vibrant and still vital part the Greek underground music scene would mean not only missing out on a lot of fantastic and powerful music, it would also be to neglect the integral connection between the two genres in the country. Many Punk bands shared with their metallic counterparts a deep appreciation for classic Metal bands such as BLACK SABBATH, MOTÖRHEAD, SLAYER and last but not least, HELLHAMMER – something which is more often than not reflected in the music as well. So, if you dare, do yourself a favor and check out some of the Greek Punk groups mentioned in these pages. You won’t regret it.)

What we have here is a rather obscure entry, positioned somewhere in the murky twilight zone between Hardcore Punk and Death/Doom Metal. Εκτροπή Των Απανθρακωμένων (a very weird name that translates into something like “Diversion of the Carbonized” or “Changing Path of the Carbonized”) allegedly operated as a duo, consisting of Gerasimos Fotopoulos (vocals, drums) and Panagiotis Papadopoulos (guitars, bass). Their only known release is a demo entitled “Νεκρή Ελπίδα” (“Dead Hope”), released on CDr in 1999. As for the music, it defies easy categorization. At it’s basis, the songs are probably closer to Hardcore Punk than Metal per se, but contains enough metallic elements to warrant inclusion in these archives.

The band also made a compilation appearance in 2001 on “Ροκ Ιστορίες” volume 5, released by the notorious Underground Tapes. However, this was not a new song, but one already included on their 1999 demo CDr.

If you know anything else about Εκτροπή Των Απανθρακωμένων, please feel free to get in touch.

Compilation appearances:
* Ροκ Ιστορίες 5 [Cass, Comp: Underground Tapes, 2001]