On September 19, 2026, the symphonic death metal band Septicflesh performed their incredible symphonic death metal concert, „Ancient Whispers“, at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The band shared the stage with the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Opera Choir of Plovdiv. „Ancient Whispers“ is their seventh concert with an orchestra. It was an exclusive show for Eastern Europe and was also their very last show in Europe in 2026!

The band conquered the stage with their music and the orchestrations of the guitarist Christos Antoniou, who studied composition at the London College of Music. The show was conducted by the internationally acclaimed Dutch maestro Koen Schoots. He had worked with Septicflesh before. The long-time member of the band, Sotiris Vayenas “Sotiris Anunnaki V”, was on the stage with them especially for this concert. He usually doesn’t perform at concerts because of his professional engagements. He composes songs for the band, and he plays the keyboards on some songs.

The audience was surprised by the presence of the two vocalists, Fany Melfi and Aphrodite Patoulidou. Fany Melfi is known for her powerful presence across metal and cinematic productions. She has collaborated with bands such as Septicflesh, Belphegor, and On Thorns I Lay. She has performed internationally with Septicflesh, including appearances at emblematic venues such as the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Her work also extends to soundtrack productions, including the video game Mandragora and the documentary Made in Vain, highlighting her ability to move seamlessly between live performance and cinematic recording environments.

The other vocalist, Aphrodite Patoulidou, is an operatic soprano who has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and at La Monnaie, the Berlin State Opera, the Dutch National Opera, and Teatro Real. In the metal world, she has collaborated with Igorrr on tour and recently with Septicflesh; she appears on the soundtrack of Titan Quest, plays the nyckelharpa, and works as a visual artist.

The other surprise for the fans was Vahan Galstyan, one of the finest duduk players who has collaborated with Vangelis on the work „Alexander the Great“ and has performed internationally in numerous productions and concerts.

The vocalist Spiros “Seth Siro Anton” Antoniou, who is a successful graphic designer, created a t-shirt design with the architectural elements of the Antique Theatre in Plovdiv especially for the event. It was a limited edition and was available only at the concert venue. Seth Siro Anton has created album covers for many bands.

The concert has started with the orchestra and the chorus, who took their places on the stage. After the short operatic intro with the chorus and the vocals of Aphrodite Patoulidou, the band came out and crushed the air with the powerful sound of “Portrait of a Headless Man”. The fans hail the next song, “The Vampyre from Nazareth”. The concert continued for almost two hours. The fans heard the clear vocal performances of Fany Melfi and Aphrodite Patoulidou and the duduk performance of Vahan Galstyan. Fany Melfi and Sotiris had clean vocals in the song “Coming Storm”, and Aphrodite Patoulidou appeared on the stage singing and playing on a nyckelharpa. Some of the songs had only the roaring and screaming vocals of Seth. It was as if a massive storm had unleashed its fury upon the Antique Theatre in Plovdiv. The concert has finished with “Persepolis”, but the fans called the band back for the encore twice, and we heard “Anubis” and “Dark Art”. Thanks to the organiser Blue Hills Event, the fans could witness this magical event at the Ancient Theatre in Plovdiv.

Septicflesh are:
Spiros Seth Antoniou – Vocals, bass
Christos Antoniou – Guitars, orchestral/classical composition
Sotiris Vayenas – Clean/harsh vocals, keyboards
Kerim (Krimh) Lechner – Drums
Dinos “Psychon” Prassas – Live/touring guitarists (often associated with their modern lineup)

Photo Credits: Jasmina Ivanova