Embrace of Fear

Spawned out of Thessaloniki, EMBRACE OF FEAR was a mid-to-late-1990s Black/Death Metal act, consisting of active members of the Salonican underground Black/Death scene: Kostas Boletis (vocals, guitars), Charis Pazaroulas (bass, keyboards – DISSOLUTION, EXHIBITION, STONE COLD DEAD) and Akis Malamidis (drums).

Stylewise, EMBRACE OF FEAR comes across as a somewhat more melody-centered compared to the member’s other bands at the time. At least relatively speaking – we’re still dealing with pretty brutal Black/Death. The closest comparison would probably be early SEPTIC FLESH. Not only in the similarity of the vocal style, but in the way the band blends the vertiginous tempos and complexity of Death Metal with Black Metal’s focus on atmosphere and melody. Another common denominator would be the use of keyboards.

Two demos/promos were recorded in total, starting with the three-track “The Mysterious Underflesh Emotions – Promo ‘97” (1997) and one year later a one-track tape entitled “Desperate Shadow of a Dream” (1998) – the latter seemingly distributed without cover art. Songs from both of these tapes were also included on several compilation volumes (both Greek and international) around the late-1990s.

Following the demise of EMBRACE OF FEAR (date unknown), Kostas Boletis went on to contribute bass for the Thessaloniki-based Death Metal/Grindcore act INTO THE GORE, playing on their debut album “Pain Must Be Amplified” (2001). Charis Pazaroulas, after having played with the Death Metal band DISSOLUTION as well as Athens-Thrashers EXHIBITION, eventually returned as a member of the Groove-oriented Athenian band STONE COLD DEAD, performing both bass and contrabass (!)

Compilation appearances:
* Black Orchid Compilation Tape [Cass, Comp: Black Orchid Productions]
* Shadows in Silence Compilation Tape Volume 1 - Dancing with the Shadows [Cass, Comp: Self-released, 1998]
* Wrath from Hades #1 [Cass, Comp, Numbered: Black Trip Tapes, 1998]
* Prometheus Unleashed [Cass, Comp: Demonion Productions, 1999]
* Symphonic Darkness [Cass, Comp: Mortuary Khage Productions, ?]