Artist: Syrion
Country: Belgium
Label: Dying Victims Productions
Formats: Cassette EP
Year: 2026
As a huge fan of classic horror films, particularly those made roughly between 1935 and 1975, I was instantly hooked when I saw this cover art. I still love spending my evenings watching old films starring Peter Cushing, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Vincent Price, John Carradine, and… Christopher Lee. Nothing beats a good Hammer Horror film! I can’t quite make out who the artist is for this piece, but it surely gives ‘Symphony Of Horror’ a head start before I’ve even heard a single note.
According to the label on duty, Dying Victims Productions, Syrion was formed to honour the glory days of NWOBHM as well as the first Speed Metal classics. Honestly, after having heard ‘Symphony Of Horror’ I didn’t catch the NWOBHM vibe in here. Some early Speed Metal for sure, but I am missing the catchiness and thin guitar sound of the British bands from the late 70s and early 80s.
Maybe it’s because Syrion is from Belgium that it comes to mind, but ‘Symphony Of Horror’ mostly reminds me of those early Mausoleum Records albums. Although a few leads are woven throughout the songs, the music is free of frivolity and draws heavily on the early, primitive work of bands like Anvil, Gravedigger, Rage, and their compatriots Killer. Not in the least because of Colin Monsieur’s rather low and raw vocals, which certainly add a hefty dose of authenticity. The emphasis is clearly on churning out heavy riffs and incorporating all of the clichés of the years 1983–1985. And, as is glaringly obvious, these Belgians do so with flying colours. So, aside from the fantastic artwork, there are plenty of musical reasons to pick up this cassette EP. Fans of classic, honest Heavy Metal are in for a treat.
