About Me
Steel Gallery's Releases
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Record Shop. Founded September 1996
In September of 1996, Kostas Athanasoglou after 12 years of participation in the area of Heavy Metal through fanzines, distributions-trades, radio shows, sales representative at heavy metal record shops and above all a collector himself of lps, cds, and demos with a collection surpassing today 7000 lps/cds and 5000 demos, decides to create Steel Gallery Records. Steel Gallery Records, is an underground Heavy Metal record shop which was created to distribute to the heavy metal audience of Greece material that until then no other well known heavy metal record company undertook the responsibility to supply, thus covering a very big gap in the area of Heavy Metal.
The company was established in Thessaloniki and originally started with distributions from independent labels and bands such as Jesters Tears (Germany), Defyance (U.S.A), Eye Fear (Australia) and many more. The acceptance and enthusiasm was great and Steel Gallery Records quickly begun in the following months further distribution through complete catalogs from independent record labels such as Sentinel Steel, Nightmare (U.S.A), Goldtrack, Arise, Locomotive (Spain), Loud 'n' Proud (Sweden) Hellion, B.O., B. Mind, Angular (Germany) and many more. After the recognition and consecration in the Greek market as the 2nd best metal music store in Greece (plebiscite by the readers of the Greek metal magazine "Metal Invader") we began to expand in other articles such as vinyls/lps, flags, and videotapes. Nowadays, the number of cds distributed through Steel Gallery Records, surpasses 3000 titles, a unique number for Greek standards.Unfortunately, (all these titles and materials) was only enjoyed by the heavy metal fans of Thessaloniki, and much less by the remaining heavy metal fans throughout Greece (only through mail orders and quick visits), which resulted in increasingly constant pressures for presence of the company in Athens. Thus, responding to the demands of the metal fans of the Greek capital we decided to expand to Athens as well. After a careful search and consultation of the current market, we were established (November 2000) in an area that for many years was known to the fans of Athens, because it occupied a metal record label as well known as Unisound. The company was bought and finally it officially became Steel Gallery Records number 2, in an area of 70 square feet with modern equipment, metal decoration and atmospheric environment.
The heart and soul of Steel Gallery Records # 2 is George Theodorelos, with many years of rich knowledge and service in the area of Heavy Metal, and a publisher for years of the very successful fanzine Power Metal. Today, Steel Gallery Records # 2 a few months after the beginning of its operation, displays already 1500 cd titles and the collection is constantly enriched with new material daily. We hope that soon we will surpass the original difficulties and Steel Gallery Records # 2 will constitute the hangout of every metal fan of Athens.
The activities of Steel Gallery Records, however, did not end only with the distribution of music material, and in September of 2000 the department of production and distribution was created that constitutes an independent record label (the first one established in Thessaloniki) followed in March of 2001 (with usage of the technological means of our times) by the construction of the first Greek Heavy Metal Internet Record Shop, in order to release metal in every corner of Greece. The surprises that Steel Gallery Records reserves in the future for those that trust and visit us are many and unique for Greek standards.
Online Metal Shop. Founded March 2001
After 3 years of appearances on the internet, references in free sites with url such as http://www-city.europeonline.com/home/saat (our first appearance in the network) the steelgallery.homepage.com (the company homepage announced their final cessation of their operation in the end of March 2001) and about 8.000 visitors we decided the complete presence of the company on the internet. With the securing of www.steelgallery.com the construction of the web site begun quickly. The supervision of the site as well as all the logos of the company were constructed by Athan. Our decision and promise is the improvement and further expansion of the site, so that it can be a focal point of reference for the metal fans of Greece.
Steel Gallery Records took even one step further, in its accomplishments. In cooperation with bee.com (founded in the International House of Certification for the Security of Transactions Verisign) created the first online Metal shop in Greece. Through the pages of the Online Shop you can browse, select, and order cds (initially) from the richest collection in Greece. Our goal is to soon offer you almost 3000 titles, but also many more products. Guaranteed for the delivery of orders through the Internet is the three years experience of our company in mail order sales. The payment of the orders can be completed either through the use of a credit card or payment on delivery, according to your preference. Soon the surprises of the online shop will be many.
Record Label. Founded February 2000
Steel Gallery Records realizing the shortage of a pure metal record label in Greece moved fast in the creation of an independent label (the first founded in Thessaloniki), that has as a goal to promote Greek bands in foreign continents and raise the metal profile and prestige of Greece internationally. Having many years of experience in the international area, and cooperation with companies/corporations such as Hellion Records, Underground Symphony e.t.c. it was not hard to immediately get established in the field.
Of course, the initial thoughts of a metal record label begun when a promotional cd of Mutiny reached our company. The decision to promote our first production(Mutiny:Muted) in May of 2000 was immediate. The cd was welcomed enthusiastically from the metal fans of Greece but also internationally (has already sold over 1000 copies). From this point on, everything has become easier since demos from several groups arrive constantly. After constant hearing auditions, certain bands were selected for our following productions which are Mystery, Theodore Ziras, Imaginery, Dream Devoid, Horizon's End, Windfall that slowly but gradually will begin to rise in the Greek and international scene. The first four new cds circulated in April of 2001. Important contacts are conducted simultaneously with other bands, and many surprises ensued.
After 2002 more newly found Greek labels started following Steel Gallery Record’s steps and released several worthy Greek efforts.
The competition between labels and groups grew resulting to the increase of quality groups coming to life.
For the year 2002 Steel Gallery Records discovered two up and coming band hailing from Athens: Imaginery (featuring the famous B. Katsionis and one of the greatest Greek voices, Leonidas Hatzimichalis) and Dream Devoid.
2003 saw Steel Gallery Records releasing two more Greek bands this time from Thessaloniki. Pandemonium (originating back in the 80’s) who along with Sarissa, Vavel, Northwind and Deceptor ruled in the 80’s, re-record their demo material and ink a deal with Steel Gallery Records.
After deciding to broaden its horizons, Steel Gallery Records signs the jazz/fusion/intelligent three-piece Uthull thus leading to new opportunities for the label.
The Uthull experiment was quite a success and the sales figures, particularly of the USA net distribution, were really good since the band includes the best Greek bassist K. Domenikiotis and Horizon’s End keyboardist Sakis Bandis.
The next two releases saw the light of day in 2004. First off was Geyser, the ghost band that in the late 80’s/early 90’s composed 63 minutes worth of material that was never released, not even in demo format!!! Steel Gallery Records, together with Kanistras (ex-Sarissa) and Ulysses (Geyser’s singer), retrieved the material and the final result was a 14-track album of pure heavy metal sound.
Second up was K. Domenikiotis’ project (bass, Uthull) with Sakis Bandis (keyboard Uthull, Horizon’s End) and the well-known in the Thessaloniki area voice of Jim Tiktopoulos (ex-Medivial, A Band On, Astral Crossing). The sound was melodic heavy metal for fans of Ten, Talisman, Royal Hunt.
The first release of 2005 was the long and quite eagerly awaited debut by Arryan Path, “Road To Macedonia†who after 4 years of hard work and 2 amazing demos chose to sign with Steel Gallery Records. Surely fans of Warlord, Manowar must hold this album high. The second release of 2005 was also the debut album by Blade Of Spirit, who after their decade-longpresence and consistent output (several demos and compilation appearances) in the underground circles, took the first step releasing through Steel Gallery Records their debut Shadow’s Race. Strong, in your face heavy metal from Kozani.
2007 begin with two new releases. The first is the new Uthull album called "Ultrasonic" and the second release is split album with Blade Of Spirit and Dark Nightmare(6 AUDIO TRACKS + 4 VIDEO TRACKS - LIMITED 1000 HUNDNUMBERED CDS).With the next two releases bound to be talked about and generate enthusiasm and discussions in the ranks of metalheads in and out of Greece, the year 2007 looks promising for Steel Gallery Records.
