Suicidal Angels

Suicidal Angels were formed in early 2001, a time when founder Nick Melissourgos was only 16 years old. The musical steps the band was meant to follow were leading to the realm of old school thrash metal, Nick’s major musical influence. That’s pretty much obvious in the band’s first demo, „United by Hate“ (July 2001), which is nowadays extremely difficult to find.

Back then Suicidal Angels were more of a school band having a good time. After some early line-up changes though, Nick meets Orfeas Tzortzopoulos (drums), and a unique musical chemistry is born. The band records its second demo, „Angels‘ Sacrifice“ (December 2003) and things gradually become more serious. Based on this demo, the band starts promoting itself and the first concerts are scheduled.

During April 2004 Suicidal Angels record a new demo called „The Calm before the Storm“, which receives good reviews in metal magazines and fanzines throughout Europe. In September 2004, the band releases an EP called „Bloodthirsty Humanity“, which receives even better reviews compared to the previous demos. Meanwhile, the group tries to perform live whenever possible.

It was shortly after the show with Tankard in October 2004, when Themis Katsimichas (guitars) joined the band, at first just to help with the first ever gig abroad (Bucharest, 2005) and then as a full member, teaming with Nick to create a fast and technical thrash guitar duo.

During Fall/Winter of 2005 the band records a four song mini CD called „Armies of Hell“, which gets distribution by EVIL RECORDS and hits the stores in Greece in early 2006. The reviews from European metal magazines were once again very encouraging.

In April 2006, bass player Christine decides to leave the band and is replaced by Sotiris Skarpalezos shortly after. The band continues to perform live in concerts both in Greece and abroad (Germany and Poland, Summer 2006).

On October 16, 2006, Suicidal Angels sign their first record deal, with California based OSM Records. The plans for the recording of a full length album are in motion. However, the band still tries to play live as much as possible, knowing full well that that’s the only way to become a better act.

Recordings of „Eternal Domination“ started in January 2007 and the band spent two months recording, mixing and mastering the album, to achieve the best outcome. When it became obvious that it would be very difficult to do this in Greece, the group didn’t hesitate to seek help from abroad and sent the master tapes to the USA, to be mixed and mastered by acclaimed producer Colin Davis in Los Angeles, California.

Shortly after, in April 2007, Rotting Christ founder Sakis Tolis invited Suicidal Angels to become part of Rotting Christ’s „Theogonia Balkans tour 2007“, giving them their first chance to tour in Europe. It was an opportunity that could not be missed and the band began its first serious attempt to play its music in foreign land.

The group’s first full length album, „Eternal Domination“, was finally released on July 16, 2007. The album received very good reviews worldwide and Suicidal Angels embarked on a never ending journey promoting it.

In May 2007, the band gave one of its most important shows, supporting Kreator in Athens, Greece. Mille Petrozza was truly impressed by the band’s performance and, to the band’s astonishment, appeared on stage wearing the Suicidal Angels T-shirt the group had offered him as a gift. It was the beginning of a series of fortunate events, as Mille would continue to pinpoint Suicidal Angels as one of the best new thrash metal bands in various occasions.

In November 2007, Suicidal Angels toured along with death metal pioneers Massacre in Europe, as part of Massacre’s reunion tour. For the first time they visited many countries in Western Europe, having the chance to get a lot of people acquainted with their fast, technical and furious thrash. They received positive feedback and support throughout the tour and became even more determined to carry on with their vision.

In April and May 2008, the band toured with English thrashers Onslaught and continued to promote „Eternal Domination“, building on live performance experience along the way. The feedback was once again highly positive, especially in cities such as Sofia, Bulgaria, where Suicidal Angels had performed twice in the past.

The time had finally come to present the album to the Greek audience. On May 11, 2008, the band performed live in its hometown, Athens, and the Greek fans proved once again that they are the wildest and craziest in the world. That night’s show just had to be put on tape, for everyone to experience just what unbelievable support the band receives from its friends in Greece.

Following that concert, Suicidal Angels took a break from performing live and focused on rehearsing new songs for their second album. However, another concert supporting Nile took place in October 2008 in Athens, Greece, where the band had the chance to perform in front of some of the most loyal fans a band can ever have.

In December 2008, bass player Sotiris decided that Suicidal Angels were no longer a priority for him and went his separate way. Currently, Suicidal Angels are taking care of the final details for the recording of the new album, which will take place in March 2009 in Germany, under the direction of producer and Mystic Prophecy lead singer R.D. Liapakis.

In March 2009, Suicidal Angels entered the studio (Prophecy and Music Factory Studios, Germany) under the direction of the producer R.D. Liapakis and recorded the second full length named „Sanctify the Darkness“. At the same time, the band took part in the so-called Rock The Nation Award 2009, which was held in partnership with Nuclear Blast Records and Boomer Entertainment as well as highly anticipated print magazines from all over Europe such as Metal Hammer (D, I, GR, E), Terrorizer UK, Rock Tribune B, Scream NO, Metallian F and Spark CZ. Suicidal Angels were picked final winnter from over 1200 band submissions!

After the album was released via Nuclear Blast Records in November 2009, the band went out on several big tours with Kataklysm, Belphegor, Overkill and played all big festivals such as Metalcamp, Sonisphere Greece, Wacken Open Air, PartySan and Summer Breeze. With NoiseArt Records, the band finally found a strong partner and a perfect home as the label is a division of Rock The Nation, wich also does the booking for Suicidal Angels!

Now, with joined forces and full force, after a very successful year in 2010, the thrash metal tank has produced its 3rd longplayer entitled „Dead Again“. The amazing cover artwork was created by none other but Ed Repka (Megadeth, Death and more) while R.D. Liapakis of Mystic Prophecy once again produced the band’s album. With „Dead Again“ Suicidal Angels have again taken thrash metal to another level – tight, aggressive, fast and old school as fuck!

On November of 2010, a year after the release of “Sanctify the Darkness”, “Dead Again” strikes the market, being the first record released by “NoiseArt”. From that certain point and afterwards, one of the most glorious moments of Suicidal Angels comes, the so called “Thrashfest” tour 2010, along with Kreator, Exodus and Death Angel, a mighty package, striking numerous sold out nights throughout Europe.

Spring of 2011, it’s time to spread in the Eastern part of Europe, again with Death Angel in the “Sonic Retribution” tour and participates in more summer festivals, reaching to the most eastern part of the band’s career so far, in Ukraine.

Summer / fall of the same year, the band enters the studio to fulfil another thrash assault, working again with R.D Liapakis and visiting for one more time the Music Factory and Prophecy Studios in Munich. This time, head of mix and master is Jorg Uken from the “Soundlodge” studios, achieving a raw, dark and more mature sound compared to the previous records.

Thus, the band creates “Bloodbath”, which hits the stores on January 2012, receiving great feedback, amazing reviews, making it to the German charts at position #84 and Austrian charts, position #78. The release of the record is followed by the “Full of Hate” tour 2012, with the absolutely killer line up of Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Legion of the Damned and Misery Index. A sold out package, introducing the band into a more death metal audience, receiving the best of impressions and enlarging its fan base throughout Europe.

After the success of this tour, the band is confirmed for more summer festivals, ending up to Brutal Assault Open Air ( 2nd time in a row) in August, performing in front of almost 20.000 people at that afternoon.

Soon after the end of summer, changes in the line up are taking place, with Chris joining forces on the guitar. The new year finds Suicidal Angels flying over to the latin America, with first stop in Mexico city, followed by shows in Brazil.

Returning back home, without losing any time, the band starts touring homeland, arranging multiple shows all over Greece, with most outstanding moments the 2 packed shows in Thessaloniki and Athens, with the Athenian one being the highlight, by the guest appearance of Schmier from Destruction and an unforgettable mind blowing thrash metal holocaust for every single one that attended the show that night.

The thrash metal scene, nowadays, is up and rising and the demand of the people for a new piece of work, leads the band to enter the studio again, for one more record. This time, chooses to work in a different way than previously. Locked up in the “Zero Gravity” Studios in Athens, the 5th record is gradually taking form, within a month of pre-production. Having already worked 3 times with RD Liapakis and in the Music Factory and Prophecy Studios, the choice of the place for the main recordings was an one way. 10 days later, and with one more change in the line up, this time in the bass position, the new opus is already recorded, baptised under a phrase which represents the contemporary era, “Divide and Conquer”.

As soon as the recordings are done, the band flies over to Sweden, to the Fredman Studios in Gothenburg, to work with the critically acclaimed producer, Fredrik Nordstrom. Bringing in his strong personality, his own perspective on music and totally realising the feeling of the band, he creates an up to date production with an old school touch and feeling. The result is that “Divide and Conquer”, released on the 10th of January 2014, climbs up more, hitting this time position #82 in the German charts.

Shortly after, the band hits the road once again, with the first, long expected headline tour, called “Conquering Europe” tour, January / February of 2014. 31 shows in 31 dates, all over the European continent, packed shows, sold out merchandise, turns out to a successful beginning of the new year for Suicidal Angels.

Summer of the same year the band is part of quite a lot major festivals thought Europe, promoting the new album, making new friends and fans, setting stronger bases for the future.

By the end of summer, conversations and negotiations had already started for the 2nd headline tour for “Divide and Conquer” on January 2015, the so called “Conquering Europe Part II”. The band apart from the shows themselves, decides to film the life on the road, to capture the feeling of the tour in order to share with their fans. Summer follows, festival season goes insane, but as soon as we reach the end, Chris Tsitsis leaves the band in order to take care of his family.

The replacement was soon made, with Gus Drax joining forces with Suicidal Angels and straight flying to the Soundlodge Studios where the band was already, recording the new album. Without loosing any time, he gets in the spirit and the way that the band works, records the leads for the new album, and straight on November he flies as the official lead guitar player, with the band to Japan, for 2 exclusive shows in Tokyo. First time of the band there and also the first show of Gus with the band.

Reaching 2016, being faithful to the every 2 years release, Suicidal Angels strike back with the 6th studio album, the “Division of Blood”. The album hits the charts once more, position 93, making it for 3rd time in a row. Along with the album, there comes in a special edition, the “Conquering Europe” DVD, which is a tour documentary along with parts of the band’s appearance in Essen at Turock club. A special edition which includes interviews of the band, lots of backstage footage, getting the fans in to the band’s life on the road.

This is the story so far! Be prepared for fast and furious thrash metal, ‚cause when it comes to Suicidal Angels that’s the only metal you’ll get!