RSS Feed


GRAYWITCH
Children Of Gods

Sleaszy Rider (2024)
Rating: 7/10

Even if you don’t like emphatic and triumphant contemporary metal, it’s still hard to ignore the epic booms of Thessaloniki, Greece-based Graywitch. Bordering on power metal, this act has been constructing heavy metal since forming in Nicosia, Cyprus during 2018 and this new outing comes three years after 2021 debut album Rise Of The Witch.

Admittedly this sort of bombastic metal I can live without even with its obvious influence from Manowar. This is the sort of album that reveals its intentions right from the cover art; the combo marching proudly with tales of gods, gods…. and more gods. Since the first outing the line-up has changed, and this seems to have benefited the band greatly. The acquisition of new singer George Papadopoulos has been a smooth transition, and any band with three guitarists – Spyros Vlachopoulos, Lampros Stefou and ex-vocalist Dino Lassis – is sure to sound formidable. Completing the band’s current line-up are bassist Dimitris Ravikalis and drummer Vaggelis Kanvitsados. However, it should be noted that Graywitch mainman Spyros Vlachopoulos is responsible for all guitars and bass on the album, while drums and percussion were performed by Thomas Chalkias.

Another major point here is the switch in musical style; whereas before the band vomited out a rather bland hard rock, this time you hear the power of acts like Blind Guardian and Helloween as influences for their Hellenic tapestry of tales. On that first album there were too many layers of cheese with songs like ‘Metalhead’, ‘Midnight Metal Queen’ and ‘Heavy Metal Life’, but now we get opening instrumental ‘Overture To Olympus’, the colossal title track and other marching anthems like ‘Odysseus’ and ‘God Of War’, as well as a trio of mighty tomes in the form of ‘Holy Lands’, ‘The One’ and ‘Immortals’.

There are hot axe solos, commanding vocals, orchestral nuances and a general feel of serious metal being played, and with nary a flake of cheese in sight. Yes it’s polished and yes it’s been done countless times before, but it’s good to see bands evolve positively and I sense that if they stick to their weapons then Graywitch may find a new fan base and do well on the festival circuit.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share