Announced the first edition of Rock Hard Festival Greece

The annual Rock Hard Festival at the Amphitheater in Gelsenkirchen, Germany has been a well established concert event since 2003, and continues uninterrupted to this day. Now, the time has come to expand the concept to Greece. 

To celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2015, Rock Hard Greece invited Blind Guardian for a secret acoustic show with free entry for 20 lucky readers. Now, for its 20th anniversary, we are raising the stakes with something no other music media outlet so far has dared to do in Greece: Hosting a two-day festival at the Technopolis City of Athens on September 12 & 13, 2025, featuring numerous international acts and creating a new, massive cultural event: The Rock Hard Festival Greece.

For the inaugural event, we are very proud to be able to announce a one-off world exclusive performance of Candlemass featuring former vocalist Messiah Marcolin! This will be the first (and only) time in over 20 years that Messiah has performed live with the band.

Candlemass, a pioneering band in the Doom Metal genre, was formed in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1985 by bassist and primary songwriter Leif Edling. Drawing inspiration from Black Sabbath’s slow and heavy riffing, Candlemass became known for defining the “epic doom metal” style. Among their many line-ups over the years, the periods featuring iconic vocalist Messiah Marcolin (1987-1991 and briefly in 2002-2006) stand as the most revered by fans and critics alike, marking some of the band’s most influential and memorable works.

First Era with Messiah Marcolin (1987–1991):

After releasing their debut album ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ (1986) featuring session vocalist Johan Längqvist, Candlemass sought a permanent frontman. They eventually found their ideal match in Messiah Marcolin, a classically trained baritone with a theatrical stage presence, instantly recognizable by his monk-like robes and commanding operatic vocals.

The first album of this line-up, ‘Nightfall’ (1987), is widely considered a cornerstone of Doom Metal. Combining Leif Edling’s masterful compositions with Marcolin’s dramatic voice, tracks like “Bewitched” and “At the Gallows End” set a standard for the genre. The album’s majestic atmosphere, heavy riffing, and melancholic lyrics captivated audiences, establishing the band as leading figures in heavy metal’s darker, more emotional subgenre.

In 1988, Candlemass followed up with ‘Ancient Dreams’, which further cemented their reputation. The album, with classic tracks such as “Mirror Mirror” and “A Cry from the Crypt,” maintained the band’s signature slow tempos and operatic grandeur. Although it was very well-received at the time, internal tensions between members began to surface, largely due to creative differences.

‘Tales of Creation’ (1989) was the third and final studio album of this era and line-up. While the album featured powerful songs like “Dark Reflections” and “Into the Unfathomed Tower,” tensions within the band peaked. 

After extensive touring and the release of a live-album, ‘Live’, Marcolin finally departed in 1991, citing disagreements over the band’s direction and management. Despite his departure, this period remains the pinnacle of Candlemass’s legacy for many fans.

Reunion with Messiah Marcolin (2002–2006):

After a decade with various vocalists and stylistic experiments, Candlemass reunited with Marcolin in 2002. The reunion was highly anticipated, leading to the live album ‘Doomed for Live’ (2003), recorded at the Sweden Rock Festival. The chemistry between Edling and Marcolin rekindled hope for a full return to form, and the band began working on new studio material. However, internal differences resurfaced, leading to Candlemass disbanding this line-up once again.

In November of 2004, the band announced their second reunion. And in May of 2005, they released the self-titled album, ‘Candlemass’. Tracks like “Black Dwarf” and “Spellbreaker” brought a modern edge to their classic sound while retaining the epic, doom-laden quality fans had come to expect. The album earned critical acclaim and even won the band a Swedish Grammy Award, reaffirming their relevance in contemporary metal.

However, eventually old tensions resurfaced, and by 2006 Marcolin once again parted ways with Candlemass. His departure marked the end of their collaboration thus far, though his contributions during these two key eras continue to define the band’s enduring influence on Doom Metal.

Legacy:

Messiah Marcolin’s theatrical presence, operatic delivery, and contribution to Candlemass’s classic era made him an indelible figure in heavy metal history. The band’s works with him remain some of the most influential albums in doom metal, shaping generations of musicians and fans who revere Candlemass as true legends of the genre.

Future:

Now, for the 3rd time, Candlemass will perform with Messiah Marcolin as the frontman for a one-off performance at the premiere edition of the Rock Hard Festival in Athens, Greece in September of 2025.

Gus G & Friends

In a world where only the best come out on top, Gus G. is one of the most respected and renowned metal guitarists of our time.

He served as Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist through from 2009-2017, while also establishing himself as an acclaimed solo artist with albums like ‘I Am The Fire’ and ‘Fearless’.

Gus G. has also managed to find time to perform worldwide with acts as diverse as Arch Enemy, Nightrage, Dream Evil and of course his own band, Firewind.

Gus’s musical journey began at an early age, inspired by classic rock and heavy metal legends. He honed his skills by studying various genres, which would later influence his distinctive playing style. In 1998, Gus founded Firewind, initially as a solo project. The band quickly evolved into a full-fledged group, and their debut album, ‘Between Heaven and Hell’, showcased Gus’s virtuosic guitar work and songwriting prowess.

Firewind gained international recognition with subsequent releases, such as ‘Burning Earth’, ‘Forged by Fire’ and ‘Allegiance’, which featured a blend of melodic metal and intricate guitar solos, earning them a dedicated fanbase worldwide.

Gus’s collaboration with Firewind is marked by his ability to fuse technical proficiency with melodic sensibility. His work has contributed significantly to the band’s success on the global stage, including performances at major festivals and tours.

Beyond Firewind, Gus G. has pursued solo projects and collaborations, further solidifying his reputation as one of the leading guitarists in the metal genre. His contributions to music are characterized by a perfect blend of passion, skill, and innovation, making him a prominent figure in contemporary heavy metal.

For this very special performance at Rock Hard Festival Greece, Gus will invite a number of his friends to join him onstage, promising a night full of musical surprises!

The Crypt

One of the breakout albums of 2024 was the self-titled debut album from Stockholm based The Crypt. With their capturing mix of doom metal and classic heavy metal with big choruses, they won both the audience as well as critics acclaim world wide. The album, penned by Leif Edling of Candlemass and produced by Marcus Jidell (Soen, Avatarium, Candlemass etc) instantly went to the top of the critics charts at native magazine Sweden Rock, as well as several international magazines and showed up on numerous “album of the year” charts around the globe.

Based around the charismatic and enigmatic Metal Priestess, embodied by vocalist Pepper who’s on-stage presence quickly became a talking point, with her background both in heavy metal and the world of burlesque. Festival audiences in Sweden and Germany have testified to her strong presence, and, backed by guitarist Dave McKenzie, drummer Danne McKenzie, keyboardist Floke and bassist Rigor Mortimer, they pack a serious punch on stage.
Following the release of The Crypt, the band went out to play both local gigs as well as festivals, before heading back to the studio to get more songs recorded. Once again working with Leif Edling, they released what would be the theme song of online game Rock Kommander, featuring guest vocals from none less than the legendary Dee Snider of Twisted Sister fame. With a prominent placing in the game, Pepper’s personality is one of the key player personalities.

2025 sees the band playing more festivals, as well as releasing a string of songs penned by the band themselves, after returning to the studio with Marcus Jidell. The first of these is the brutally heavy, yet chorus driven “Where the Dead don’t Sleep”, once again illustrated by the iconic imagery of artist Costin Chioreanu. An acoustic, beautifully stripped down version of fan favourite “I Love the Darkness” is also set for a late spring release.
If 2024 was the year that saw The Crypt introduce themselves and make a serious mark, 2025 is the year that sees them grow further and take their music and stunning live show to the next level. Make sure you don’t miss out on this one!

Roy Khan and Tore Østby of Conception to play Rock Hard Festival in Athens in September

The two frontmen return to Athens three years after Conception played their successful first show in Greece, this time to deliver an exclusive acoustic for the VIP ticket holders, set at the amphitheater in Technopolis City of Athens (Gasholder 1 – Auditorium “Miltiadis Evert”, September 13th. This is the first time Roy and Tore perform as a duo, and fans can expect an intimate atmosphere when the two take on this format for this unique show.

We all loved playing in Athens, and when we got the request we both saw an opportunity to try something new, and we are very excited about it. Roy Khan

It will be great to meet our Greek fans again, I can’t wait to feel the energy with the audience playing our acoustic set. I can promise this will be a different experience! Tore Østby

Tickets for this world exclusive performance will be available starting next week from:

Tickets (English)

Besides Candlemass featuring Messiah Marcolin, Gus G & Friends, The Crypt and Roy Khan & Tore Ostby of Conception, a further 8 bands will feature at the festival, all to be announced in the coming weeks.