It’s hard to believe FIREWIND has been around now for 20 years. It only seems like yesterday when I got their first album from David Chastain at LEVIATHAN RECORDS. I was very impressed with guitarist Gus G. at the time as he was already showing signs of being one of the world’s elite players. Ozzy Osbourne thought the same as he brought him in to play on the 2012 album “Scream”.
What makes FIREWIND so special is that even though it’s essentially a vehicle for Gus G., they have written and recorded some of the most memorable Power Metal tracks of all time. Regardless of the singer, they have maintained superior quality and have the kind of songs that sound amazing live.
Which brings us to “Still Raging”, a live album to celebrate 20 years of amazing music. This 2 CD set has 20 tracks recorded at a show in Greece with current singer Herbie Langhans. Admittedly I’m not the biggest fan of live recordings, but they have done a phenomenal job with the mix on this one, it captures the albums AND their live energy.
You get to hear Gus G. in all his glory playing these solos flawlessly in front of an audience, and I’m still blown away by him 20 years later. The band is ridiculously tight and I really like Herbie Langhens on the older songs. I think I like him more on this live recording that I do on the studio material.
I have not SEEN the footage but that will be available too. I prefer to hear it first myself as you can easily get distracted by the visuals. I can say this, it’s an “experience” to hear top-notch players like this. In a world of back tracking controversy, AI and awful pop stars, this will bring a tear to your eye with your fist in the air.
I was pleased to hear many of my favorites “Head Up High”, “Mercenary Man”, “I Am The Anger”, and “Falling To Pieces”. They have a good mix from the albums that have so many killer tunes I don’t know how they pick tunes, most seem to be singles which is the logical way to go of course.
The crowd was REALLY into this too, which actually adds an added dimension of excitement. When the opening of “Mercenary Man” kicked in and the crowd went crazy, I just smiled knowing there are so many others enjoying their music.
I’m still so thankful for David Chastain for seeing the talent of Gus G. in the early days and getting FIREWIND started. I’m also so thankful for getting to see them grow in popularity over the years, it’s almost surreal to think it was 20 years ago.
“Still Raging” will be available on Blu-Ray and as a 2CD edition, the pre-sale has just recently started at THIS LOCATION!
FIREWIND is:
Gus G. (guitars)
Herbie Langhans (vocals)
Petros Christo (bass)
Jo Nunez (drums)
For More Info Visit:
www.firewind.gr
www.facebook.com/firewindofficial
www.instagram.com/firewindofficial
www.afm-records.de
September 1, 2023 sees hard rock power metal titans FIREWIND release their epic anniversary live album, titled “Still Raging”, through AFM Records. Recorded in 2022 at a frenetically-acclaimed hometown show in Thessaloniki, Greece, “Still Raging” will be available on Blu-Ray and as a 2CD edition, the pre-sale has just recently started at THIS LOCATION!
Since more than twenty years, the iconic band founded by exceptional guitarist Gus G (Ozzy Osbourne, Arch Enemy, Dream Evil) enthralls heavy music fans with their exciting blend of hard rock and power metal. Razor-sharp riffs, big hooks and solos meet the incredible vocal skills of charismatic singer Herbie Langhans (Avantasia, Radiant, Seventh Avenue, amongst others), who joined the band in 2019.
“It’s hard to believe that a band like Firewind has been around for 2 decades,” Gus G said. “In 2022 we had only planned a re-issue of our debut album, but with the pandemic slowly winding down, we were fortunate enough to start doing shows in America and Europe again. Come Fall of 2022 we played 2 headline shows in our homeland, Greece to celebrate our 20th anniversary.”
“Prior to the Greek shows, my friends from OTSE film crew asked me about filming our hometown gig in Thessaloniki”, the guitar legend reveals. “In a way, the stars aligned, as we returned to the same venue (Principal Club Theater), with the exact same crew that filmed our DVD back in 2008 (Live Premonition anyone?). With this opportunity in front of us, I started thinking about a cool way to put this onto our beloved fans homes as a special thank you for the support you’ve shown us over the years. Together with AFM Records, we bring you a special BluRay + 2CD package. So yeah… Firewind Still Raging, 20 years later and it’s all thanks to YOU!
While we’re currently hard at work on some new music, we hope this commemorative Live release will keep you good company, till our new Metal anthems arrive!”
For More Info Visit:
www.firewind.gr
www.facebook.com/firewindofficial
www.instagram.com/firewindofficial
www.afm-records.de
FIREWIND Live:
29.07.23 CZ – Ostrava v Plamenech
04.08.23 DE – Helmfest
25.08.23 DE – Paddy Rock Open Air
02.09.23 GR – Metal Union Agrinio festival
03.09.23 GR – Gimme Shelter Open Air @ Athens Technopolis
22.09.23 CH – Rocknacht Tenwill
