It was only in 2019 that I discovered Villagers Of Ioannina City with their excellent album Age Of Aquarius. That was followed by the atmospheric live recording Through Space & Time – Alive in Athens 2020, which was released in 2023. The delight that I experienced when Venceremos dropped into the inbox was substantial, and there is nothing to disappoint with the Greek band’s fourth full-length release.
Villagers Of Ioannina City – Venceremos
Release Date: 18 September 2026
Words: Paul Hutchings
A concept album can put you into a spiral of fear, but there are no such shudders here. Instead, you are quickly drawn into an intoxicating and immersive album that sees Villagers Of Ioannina City move dynamically into a new level of intensity.
It is hard to describe Villagers of Ioannina City’s sound. They are heavy, crushingly so in parts. Yet they combine it with glorious progressive passages, indigenous instruments and clean vocals that blend with Greek narrative. It all combines in an intoxicating mix that really takes some embracing.
A journey through exile, resistance and awakening, Venceremos is a rise against a broken world. More topical subject matter is hard to find, and nowhere is it more inspiring than the opening song Home. A massive ten-minute track that combines edges of folk with heavy riffs, traditional bagpipes and zurna contributes fully.
The uplifting Ghosts In The Sky follows, the first single from the album. Full of groove and pace, you cannot help but nod along to a song that provides another side of the band. Yes, you can hear elements of the Gothenburg ’90s sound, but crafted in a contemporary manner, with the lush keyboards bringing another edge to the sound.
The band’s songs are often long, but the title track, which is pivotal to the album’s core, is a racing five-minute track with dynamic shifts, an energy that builds from an impressively already frenetic start and seems superbly placed in the overall pacing of the record.
It leads into The Ruiner, which provides a different slant, utilising more native instruments and an overall folky flavour which amplifies the band’s liberating approach.
Here And Now, however, stands apart from everything else here. It is a dramatic slow burner that builds with emotionally charged passion and hits deep. The sheer intensity of the musicianship, the massive peak around the nine-minute mark and the overall progressive nature of the flowing piece allow Here And Now to rank in one of the top ten songs of 2026. It is simply magnificent.
And to close, the final chapter in the story is Requiem. A seven-minute anthemic progressive beast that provides intricate structures, instantly memorable hooks and the conclusion to an emotionally sonic experience.
There is no doubt that Venceremos will feature in my top ten of 2026. The six-year wait has been worth it. They may remain underground, but their time is coming. The evolution of the Villagers Of Ioannina City continues.
Villagers Of Ioannina City release Venceremos on 18 September 2026 via Napalm Records. For more details, visit lnk.to/VillagersOfIoanninaCity-Venceremos.
