TV Times

TV Times

Chity’s ‘Firewind’ spreads around
Greek melodic power metal band Firewind strike back with their third and strongest offering to date: ‘Forged By Fire’ marks their Century media debut recording after the previous, highly acclaimed albums Between Heaven And Hell (2002) and Burning Earth (2003).

Both albums received worldwide releases via David T. Chastain’s Leviathan Records label and massacre Records (Europe) as well as Toshiba/EMI (Japan).

Firewing is the brainchild and main band of young guitar virtuoso Gus G. who should be no stranger to quality heavy metal audiences due to his activities with bands such as Nightrage, Mystic Prophecy and mainly Dream Evil, an outfit that Gus has recently decided to leave to focus energies on Firewind.

Completing the current Firewind line-up find the outstanding, Sri Lanka native vocalist Chity Somapala - (ex-Avalon, also in Faro and Moonlight Agony), who replaced original vocalist Stephen Fredrick last year, joined by bassist Petros Christo (ex-Breaking Silence), drummer Stian Kristoffersen (Pagan’s Mind, Jorn Lande) and keyboard-wizard Bob Katasionis (Nightfall, Imaginary). It was with this line-up that Firewind took to Japan in January 2004 for a headlong tour, with support provided by Rob Rock (Impellitteri), To record Forged By Fire, the band utilized three different studios (one each in Greece, Germany and Norway) and finally mixed the album at famous Studio Fredman in Sweden (used also by bands like In Flames, Opeth, Hammerfall, The Haunted, etc.) with Gus’ former Dream Evil bandmate Fredrik Nordstrom as well as Patrik J. Sten as technicians.

Forged By Fire includes the best elements of powerful melodic metal as well as hard rock glory and is a record sure to please fans of Helloween, dio, Judas Priest and Masterplan equally.

Outstanding songs like the crushing opening track “Kill To Live”, the super catchy “Tyranny” (the band’s first video clip for this album, featured on the finished CD as a bonus enhancement), the up-beat “The Forgotten memory” (featuring a guest-lead by James Murphy), the astonishing instrumental “Feast Of The Savages” (highlighted by a guest-lead from former megadeth axeman Marty Friedman) or also the balladesque album ending “Land Of Eternity” are all very good examples for the strong abilities and diversity displayed by Firewind.

Forged By Fire is already getting intense positive reactions from Japan, where the band was voted 5th in the “Best Band” categroy in the 2003 reader’s polls of Young Guitar magazine, and the rest of the world is to be conquered next! Beware the beast...

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