It’s time for the Shred-Box
Hey all. Now I know what you are saying right now. What the hell is Shred-Box? Well its your new bi-weekly Metal fix.
So after reading many articles on a ton of sites, I have realized that there is one thing missing… METAL. On every site you see reviews on pop, boy, and emo bands. But metal gets no love. There are a ton of great metal bands out there that just havent had the insane success to make it into the main stream. And those are the bands I will be covering. Now by main stream, I mean selling millions of albums and selling out huge venues day after day.
So lets get this started with a band I recently discovered, Firewind.
Firewind started as a Greek metal band back in 1998, basically to showcase guitarist Gus G’s amazing guitar playing ability. But without warning their unique sound caught on and they were thrown into the fray. But that doesnt mean the ride was all groupies and great times. Over the years the band has gone through many different members, including 4 different vocalists and 4 drummers. Mainly these changes were because of members not being able to agree with eachother and just not having the will to tour and devote all their time to the band like they should. And for most bands, this would have killed them and any chance at success they would have. But not firewind.
Guitarist Gus G decided that no matter who was in the band they would continue to make music the way he wanted it, heavy, loud, and full of amazing guitar riffs. And thats exactly what happened. Sure the vocalist can make or break a band easily, but it shows the bands determination to go on and strive when you can go through and listen to half an album before realizing the vocals are different. Was there a vocalist that really stood out throughout their lineup? Its hard to single one out, but, Singer Stephen Fredrick (who just didnt have it in him to tour) is tied with their current singer. His range of highs and lows was amazing, but what makes him one of the best in my opinion was his normal singing voice. It blended with the rest of the band and their music so perfectly.
Now their current singer, Apollo Papathanasio has his own style which brings alot to the band and its music. His vocals are a bit higher and he draws the notes a tad more then Fredrick did. Now does Apollo do the band justice? Hell yeah he does! I cant help but sing his praises as he brings a needed change that can only raise the bar for this amazing band and the future success that I am sure will follow.
To hear what I mean, check out these two tracks.
The first is a one minute clip from You Have Survived sung by Stephen Fredrick off of their 2003 release Burning Earth.
The second is from 2008’s Premonition with Apollo Papathanasio at the mic.
As you can hear, they both have their each unique voice and style of singing. Either way, they are definatly metal.
What makes this band stand out among most other metal bands is the insane shredding that Gus G can do on a guitar. My god, the track Fire and the Fury on the Burning Earth album is amazing. Its a 5 minute instrumental assault on the ears. And honestly I still believe that their 2003 release Burning Earth is still their best. Its got a mix of all out shredding, meaningful vocals, and a well done pace that makes it flow perfectly. Their Current release, 2008’s ”The Premonition” is a great album, but can be a shocker if you go from listening to Burning Earth directly to it. The Vocal change along with the different pace of the album takes a minute or two to get used to. But that doesnt mean it lacks anything musically from the other releases. In fact it just shows how much they have grown musically over the years and showcases the amazing guitar abilities of the band.
What is next for these Greek gods of metal? Who knows. A world tour? Platinum selling albums? World domination? Honestly thats up to you, the listener. If you have a chance, stop by their official site http://www.firewind.gr/2008/home.asp and check out their merch, discography, and media samples. Im sure you will agree, these guys rock. And feel free to let them know that James from the SparkBoxShow sent ya. And if you are interested to see the Axe Gus G playes, head on over to http://www.espguitars.com/guitars_gus.html.
As always, please feel free to leave some comments or send me an email with your thoughts, questions, or names of other metal bands you feel I need to get into.
Until next time fellow Shredders. Turn the amp up to 11 and LET THERE BE METAL!!!
-James
