The Hands Of Cain

Formed in Athens in 1983, The Hands Of Cain grew out of the breakup of Ausschwitss, one of the early groups in the Greek punk scene. Keeping the same four members, Dimitris Chorianopoulos (vocals and bass), Dimitris Stamatiou (guitar), Costas Papakitsos (synthesizers) and Spyros “S. Adam” Floros (drums), the group moved away from their earlier punk sound towards darker, more atmospheric territory. The change also brought a shift to exclusively English-language lyrics, placing them within the developing darkwave and post-punk scene of mid-1980s Athens.

 
Their sound combined shadowy guitar lines, synthesizers and brooding vocals, with songs built around themes of isolation, despair and emotional tension. Although their public appearances were relatively limited, they played at Athens clubs such as Pegasus and Skylab, becoming part of the city's underground darkwave circuit. They recorded three demo tapes between 1983 and 1985, documenting different stages in their musical development, but a disagreement with Creep Records prevented the material from being released on vinyl while the band was active.

 
The Hands Of Cain split up in November 1985, leaving their recordings unreleased for more than two decades. Interest in their music eventually led to the release of 'The Only Sound' in 2009 through the German label Anna Logue Records. The album collected songs from their original recordings alongside live material, with an accompanying 7-inch featuring alternative versions and mixes. The release brought together tracks such as “In A Dark Cell,” “Deadlips,” “Pristine Passion” and “The Dagger In Me,” preserving the group's brief but distinctive contribution to the Greek darkwave underground.