Epic Space Metal

Dol Ammad

Dol Ammad is my first and most epic-grandiose music project to date. Through Dol Ammad I geek out envisioning endless space battles, sci-fi stories and generally feed my inner megalomania.

The idea behind Dol Ammad appeared to me in 2001. After 5-6 years of meddling with sounds and playing with local bands I started to form some decent structures and melodies that sounded quite original to my ears. 

These ideas featured extended use of synthesizers and sound effects mixed with a heavy/power metal core defined by distorted rhythm guitars and double bass drumming.

Since I never had the intentions of forming a typical rock/metal “band” and being a bit of a snob regarding lead singers, I had the thought of using a small choir ensemble for the vocals in the project. I always loved the sound of choirs and they fit perfectly to the aforementioned bombastic feelings that I was having for this project.

Thus Dol Ammad were officially born with our demo CD in 2002 and since then progress with every new release. Up to now we have released 4 full Dol Ammad albums and hope to keep evolving and reaching closer to the magic of the stars.

Dol Ammad Discography

Dol Ammad - "Demo"

Dol Ammad - "Electronica Art Metal"

2002 | Demo EP

Dol Ammad - "Demo 2001"

2001 | Demo EP

Swans of Orion

Released on the 20th of October 2023, "Swans of Orion" is an uplifting space metal hymn about mysterious alien beings known as the "Swans of Orion" who share interstellar knowledge and blueprints to visiting humans!

You can check more details about the track in this video:

Swans of Orion Credits

Dol Ammad - "Swans of Orion"
Released on the 20th of October 2023 by Lightbridge Music.
Copyright © 2023 Thanasis Lightbridge.

All music and lyrics by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Produced, mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge.

A huge thank you to Kortessa Tsifodimou and Lefteris Kalpaktsidis for their amazing help in the choral arrangements of this track!

Ghost in the Shell: Reincarnation

This is a cover version of the amazing soundtrack by Kenji Kawai for the legendary 1995 anime film "Ghost in the Shell"

The haunting opening theme song "Making of Cyborg" is reprised again in the end of the original soundtrack in the song "Reincarnation". The song is a wedding chant in ancient Japanese and combined with the film's visuals gives me goosebumps and has always been extremely inspiring.

The Dol Ammad choir recordings took place back in 2017 together with the "Duel of the Fates" cover and a few extra soundtracks that we recorded and we may release in the future.

Ghost in the Shell Lineup

Thanasis Lightbridge
Synthesizers and Drums

J. Demian
Guitar and Bass

Anila Teli
Soprano voice

Christina Teli
Soprano voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Soprano voice

Elisavet Hatzivasiliou
Alto voice

Electra Kontoglou
Alto voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Alto voice

Constantine Akritides
Tenor voice

Christoforos Psaltopoulos
Tenor voice

Asterios Tsetsilas
Tenor voice

Alexandros Delialis
Bass voice

Thanasis Pavlou
Bass voice

Greg Perialas
Bass voice

Ghost in the Shell Credits

Dol Ammad - "Ghost in the Shell: Reincarnation"
Cover song released on the 7th of April 2023 by Lightbridge Music.
Original song written by Kenji Kawai and published by Universal Music Publishing LLC.

Arranged, mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge
at the Lightbridge Studio in Thessaloniki, Greece.

In memory of Elisavet Hatzivasiliou.

COSMIC GODS: EPISODE II – ASTROATLAS

Released on the 10th of August 2018, “Astroatlas” is the fourth full Dol Ammad album and the second and closing chapter of the “Cosmic Gods” space-metal saga.

“Astroatlas” feels a bit more diverse than “Hyperspeed”. Somehow more “exploratory” compared to the “pure power” that the first episode focused on.

Episode II features themes of epic space fights for the hidden artifact known as the “Astroatlas”, an artifact containing knowledge of cosmic magnitude. There are songs about a mysterious temple predicting these future wars, planet crushing meteor showers, the existential awakening of machines, biobombs, cryo-travel and more.

I feel that “Hyperspeed” and “Astroatlas” complement each other perfectly. Like two brothers, the two episodes were meant to be together. They were composed and some parts were even recorded during the same period of time.

This is my first full album that will have a digital-only release. Current financial struggles, paired with the undeniable global shift towards the digital streaming of music, make physical formats not a viable option for my releases anymore.

Astroatlas Lineup

Thanasis Lightbridge
Synthesizers and Drums

J. Demian
Guitar and Bass

Anila Teli
Soprano voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Soprano voice

Melina Paschalidou
Soprano voice

Dimitra Athanasatou
Alto voice

Sophia Patsi
Alto voice

Athanasia Thomopoulou
Alto voice

Themis Mpasdekis
Tenor voice

Alex Barbas
Tenor voice

Asterios Tsetsilas
Tenor voice

Thanasis Pavlou
Bass voice

Greg Perialas
Bass voice

Kyriakos Chouvardas
Bass voice

Astroatlas Credits

Dol Ammad - "Cosmic Gods: Episode II – Astroatlas"
Released on the 10th of August 2018 by Lightbridge Music.
Copyright © 2018 Thanasis Lightbridge.

All music and lyrics by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Produced by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge and Argy Stream at the Lightbridge Studio Thessaloniki, Greece.

Album artwork by Pedro Sena – Lordigan.

“Silent Arrival at the Alpha Leonis Lighthouse” features a sample from the ESTEC – EMF Recording Of Mars Rover. Credit: Peter Kirn/CDM/ESA CC BY-SA.

DUEL OF THE FATES

The masterpiece of John Williams through the unique Dol Ammad space metal style of bombastic sound design and epic classical choirs.

The “Duel of the Fates” soundtrack was composed for the 1999 movie "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" and has now become one of the most iconic Star Wars music themes.

This cover song was one of most complicated music productions I have ever done and we have worked on it for more than a year. It has been a dream of mine for so long, “Duel of the Fates” was in fact one of my main inspirations and reasons to form Dol Ammad back in the early 2000’s.

Duel of the Fates Lineup

Thanasis Lightbridge
Synthesizers and Drums

J. Demian
Guitar and Bass

Anila Teli
Soprano voice

Christina Teli
Soprano voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Soprano voice

Elisavet Hatzivasiliou
Alto voice

Electra Kontoglou
Alto voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Alto voice

Constantine Akritides
Tenor voice

Christoforos Psaltopoulos
Tenor voice

Asterios Tsetsilas
Tenor voice

Alexandros Delialis
Bass voice

Thanasis Pavlou
Bass voice

Greg Perialas
Bass voice

Duel of the Fates Credits

Dol Ammad - "Duel of the Fates"
Cover song released on the 25th of January 2018 by Lightbridge Music.
Original song written by John Williams.

Arranged and produced by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge and Argy Stream at the Lightbridge Studio Thessaloniki, Greece.

Artwork by Thanasis Lightbridge.

“Silent Arrival at the Alpha Leonis Lighthouse” features a sample from the ESTEC – EMF Recording Of Mars Rover. Credit: Peter Kirn/CDM/ESA CC BY-SA.

OMNIVERSAL GOD

“Omniversal God” is a bonus track from the “Hyperspeed” album and it is available for free download to all subscribers of the Lightbridge Newsletter.

HYPERSPEED – EXPLORER REMIX

This is a special remix of the track “Hyperspeed” using only sounds and instruments from the Rob Papen eXplorer II collection. It is available for free download to all subscribers of the Lightbridge Newsletter.

COSMIC GODS: EPISODE I – HYPERSPEED

Released in 2012, “Hyperspeed” feels as my most complete Dol Ammad record clearly defining the emotions I want to express with this project. Having released 2 Dol Theeta CDs and since our previous Dol Ammad CD came out way back in 2006, I had tons of inner energy that I wanted to unlock. As I started exploring my ideas and developing the material I quickly realized that this will be a 2-part release under the same concept as I had gathered way too much material for one album to produce.

The concept behind Cosmic Gods is that of the existence of two hidden powers in the universe and the conflicting battles between various space tribes in their struggle to acquire them and eventually become the…(insert epic voice here)…GODS OF THE COSMOS!

The first power is that of “Hyperspeed” and it is hidden in Mercurian stones. The album features also warriors from Titan attacking and annihilating enemy races and planets (Titan Warriors / Xenocide), an immortal magician diving into the molten core of the Sun (Magus Invicta), a tribe of Phobos miners seeing an apparition informing them of their imminent death (Caravan of Mars) and much more happy space madness.

“Hyperspeed” is a milestone of epic electro metal and gives you hymn by hymn a whole universe of majestic choirs, futuristic synthesizers, unforgettable hit melodies, brilliant arrangements and brutal, sophisticated metal sounds. My personal favorite for the best AGM album of the year 2012.
Avantgarde Metal

www.avantgarde-metal.com

Hyperspeed Lineup

Thanasis Lightbridge
Synthesizers and Drums

Dim
Guitar and Bass

Anila Teli
Soprano voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Soprano voice

Melina Paschalidou
Soprano voice

Dimitra Athanasatou
Alto voice

Sophia Patsi
Alto voice

Athanasia Thomopoulou
Alto voice

Themis Mpasdekis
Tenor voice

Alex Barbas
Tenor voice

Asterios Tsetsilas
Tenor voice

Thanasis Pavlou
Bass voice

Greg Perialas
Bass voice

Kyriakos Chouvardas
Bass voice

Hyperspeed Credits

Dol Ammad - "Cosmic Gods: Episode I – Hyperspeed"
Released on the 28th of March 2012 by electronicARTmetal Records.
Copyright © 2012 Thanasis Lightbridge.

All music and lyrics by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Produced by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge and Argy Stream at the Lightbridge Studio Thessaloniki, Greece.

Album artwork by Guangjian Huang.

WINDS OF THE SUN

Released only in digital format in 2010, “Winds Of The Sun” is a special EP featuring 5 very diverse songs. The highlight of the EP is of course the self-titled single “Winds Of The Sun” which was the second song we recorded with DC Cooper when he was in my studio doing his guest vocals in “Ocean Dynamics”. After doing a classic power/speed cooperation in “Aquatic Majesty”, I wanted to work with the amazingly emotional aspects of DC Cooper’s voice so I composed this cosmic ballad that served also as a tribute to my greatest hero, Carl Sagan.

The EP features remixes and also a cover version of Amorphis’ “Black Winter Day”, a song (and an album – “Tales From the Thousand Lakes”) that was a great inspiration when I was starting to discover more extreme and unorthodox structures in metal music. For various reasons and although only digital, “Winds Of The Sun” gave me a very hard time trying to release it. Both the legal aspects needed for doing my first cover song and other crappy stuff in my life slowed me down and thus I am left with a kind of a bitter-sweet taste every time I think about it.

New age metal? Most likely. “Winds Of The Sun” is certainly an epically dreamy and spacey melody, which simply sits in your head.

www.metalperspective.com

Winds Of The Sun Lineup

Thanasis Lightbridge
Synthesizers and Drums in all songs except "Black Winter Day"

DC Cooper
Lead vocals in "Winds Of The Sun"

Kortessa
Additional lead vocals

Alex Holzwarth
Drums in "Black Winter Day"

Dim
Guitar and Bass

Mary Palaska
Soprano voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Soprano voice

Alexandra Voulgari
Soprano voice

Vicky Alexaki
Alto voice

Sophia Patsi
Alto voice

Maria Stolaki
Alto voice

Ntina Strani
Alto voice

Themis Mpasdekis
Tenor voice

Alex Barbas
Tenor voice

Panos Iampoultakis
Tenor voice

Anestis Papageorgiou
Tenor voice

Petros Moraitis
Bass voice

Yiannis Tsalouhidis
Bass voice

Kyriakos Chouvardas
Bass voice

Winds of the Sun Credits

Dol Ammad - "Winds of the Sun"
Released on the 22nd of September 2010 by electronicARTmetal Records.
Copyright © 2010 Thanasis Lightbridge.

All music and lyrics by Thanasis Lightbridge except cover of
"Black Winter Day" written by Kasper Fredrik Maartenson.

Produced by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge and Argy Stream at the Lightbridge Studio Thessaloniki, Greece.

Album artwork by Andrew Ostin.

Ocean Dynamics

Released in 2006, “Ocean Dynamics” is the second Dol Ammad album. Its aquatic theme and concept emit very deep and rather atmospheric feelings and I am very happy with the ambiences I’ve created in it. Compared to “Star Tales” it’s big steps ahead mainly in the production side of things. The choir recordings were upgraded with the biggest choir I had recorded so far (14 members), I invited drummer Alex Holzwarth to my studio in Thessaloniki and also had the honor to work with the talented DC Cooper who flew from Pittsburgh to my home town for his guest vocals in “Aquatic Majesty”.

It was a very busy 2005, I remember we were working one and a half year full time for this album. In June 2006 I was obliged to join the Greek army and was very sad that the CD was released while I was serving my time there and didn’t enjoy it as much as I would like to. It was also the first CD released from my personal label electronicARTmetal Records and had tons of new things to sort both in my mind and business-wise.

Thankfully I am very proud with the result and excited because it was at that time that I fully realized my need to create more music projects and explore other aspects of sound and composition which would begin with Dol Theeta the next years.

Seldom so many different genres have been united into a common style. Soundtrack elements in “Heart of the Sea”, through the finest lounge of “Descent” to a brief interlude of black metal in “Thalassa Dominion 4”.
www.metal.de

Ocean Dynamics Lineup

Thanasis Lightbridge
Synthesizers"

DC Cooper
Lead vocals in "Aquatic Majesty"

Alex Holzwarth
Drums"

Dim
Guitars

Nick Terry
Bass

Mary Palaska
Soprano voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Soprano voice

Alexandra Voulgari
Soprano voice

Vicky Alexaki
Alto voice

Sophia Patsi
Alto voice

Maria Stolaki
Alto voice

Ntina Strani
Alto voice

Themis Mpasdekis
Tenor voice

Alex Barbas
Tenor voice

Panos Iampoultakis
Tenor voice

Anestis Papageorgiou
Tenor voice

Petros Moraitis
Bass voice

Yiannis Tsalouhidis
Bass voice

Kyriakos Chouvardas
Bass voice

Ocean Dynamics Credits

Dol Ammad - "Ocean Dynamics"
Released on the 30th of August 2006 by electronicARTmetal Records.
Copyright © 2006 Thanasis Lightbridge.

All music and lyrics by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Produced by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge and Argy Stream at the Lightbridge Studio Thessaloniki, Greece.

Album artwork by Andrew Ostin.

Star Tales

Released in 2004, “Star Tales” is my debut Dol Ammad CD and my first foray into the music business. Featuring re-recorded versions of all the songs that had appeared in our 2002 demo CD and together with new compositions the final result has a “space-party” feel.

On one hand the excitement of my first release and on the other my immaturity at the time resulted in an “everything but the kitchen sink” approach in the compositions. Tons of elements, riffs, melodies, sounds added together to a “wall-of-sound” production.

Of course the highlight for me was the journey I took in Wolfsburg Germany back in 2003 for the drum recordings of Alex Holzwarth in the “Gate” Studios. Apart from Alex, meeting with musicians Robert Hunecke, Sascha Paeth, Olaf Reitmeier and Miro was a beautiful experience.

The ill-fated signing with Black Lotus Records to release the album also felt great at the time. After the subsequent closure of Black Lotus Records, all the rights of "Star Tales" have returned back to me. 

“Star Tales” is a revolutionizing landmark and will possibly set new, synthesized standards for the evolution of future metal. The Luke Skywalker of metal is born and his name is Thanasis Lightbridge.
www.lordsofmetal.nl

Star Tales Lineup

Thanasis Lightbridge
Synthesizers"

Alex Holzwarth
Drums"

Jimmy Wicked
Guitars

Nick Terry
Bass

Zoe Tsokanou
Soprano voice

Kortessa Tsifodimou
Soprano voice

Alexandra Voulgari
Soprano voice

Vicky Alexaki
Alto voice

Marieta Panagiotidou
Alto voice

Maria Stolaki
Alto voice

Themis Mpasdekis
Tenor voice

Alex Barbas
Tenor voice

Panos Iampoultakis
Tenor voice

Petros Moraitis
Bass voice

Yiannis Tsalouhidis
Bass voice

Kyriakos Chouvardas
Bass voice

Star Tales Credits

Dol Ammad - "Star Tales"
Released on the 30th of November 2004 by Black Lotus Records.
© 2005 All Copyrights now belong to Thanasis Lightbridge.

All music and lyrics by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Drum Recordings performed in "Gate Studio", Wolfsburg Germany and engineered by Sascha Paeth and Olaf Reitmeier.
Album Produced by Thanasis Lightbridge.
Mixed and mastered by Thanasis Lightbridge and Argy Stream at the Lightbridge Studio Thessaloniki, Greece.

Album artwork by Brian Exton.