D//E Live Report: Traitrs, The Villions at Death Disco, Athens

Traitrs have gained considerable admiration from the Athenian audience in recent years, as this is a crowd that has always supported the darker and more underground side of alternative rock and has helped highlight it through many names. From this dark side of the genre also emerged the band that served as a very solid support act for Traitrs, the Greek group The Villions.

The Villions have existed since the early 2010s and their album Memories of Scent was released in 2018 by the eclectic Geheimnis Records, and later by Icy Cold Records. As expected, the album was duly honored during the band’s excellent live performance, which followed a more focused and well-structured deathrock direction, presenting a relatively heavier side of their sound. Highlights included Lamentation Of Moon, Doubts, Papers, in a very cohesive setlist during which the band never lost its unity.

Sean and Shawn followed, taking over the stage with great enthusiasm. The duo from Toronto, Canada had not yet officially announced the arrival of their anticipated upcoming album, Possessor, but it was clear in the air that something important was coming. Already, the two tracks from their Burn In Heaven 7-inch have left the best impressions, and the band seemed to be in great form that night.

Dark synths and razor-sharp guitars are the key ingredients of the Traitrs' sound, and together with the dramatic tone of Shawn Tucker’s voice, they create something unique, which translates exceptionally well in a live environment. The band’s sound throughout the entire show was intact, precise, sharp and flawless.

With a bunch of great albums and EPs to their name, Traitrs have plenty of material to offer, but naturally it was Horses in the Abattoir (2021) and Butcher’s Coin (2018) that were most celebrated. Although they are a relatively new and modern band within the dark post punk scene, they already have many songs that are widely known and loved by the audience, and all were presented fittingly. The show opened with Oh Ballerina and Mouth Poisons from Horses…, and after moving on to the fiery Burn in Heaven, they continued with standout selections from Butcher’s Coin such as the stunning The Suffering of Spiders, as well as tracks from Rites and Ritual and The Sick, Tired and Ill EP. Deeply emotional, they made sure to interact with the audience and express their gratitude for how well their music resonates with people. In the best sense, the show felt as though it ended far too quickly, as not a single second passed without being expressive and exciting. The climax came with Youth Cults and of course the explosive Thin Flesh.

Effortlessly, Traitrs have the ability to present something outstanding in a live setting, and naturally, every move they make continues to be followed with undiminished interest. The next stop is Possessor, for which expectations are already set very high.

Event Date: November 7th, 2025
Live photos by Destroy//Exist



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