Bob Katsionis announced his new project, Stray Gods, which is heavily influenced by Iron Maiden. Their debut album should be expected in September from his own Symmetric Records.
“The start of 2020 found me for the first time since 1992, when I started playing electric guitar, that I wasn’t a member of an active band! It was a rare feeling since it was the first time in years that I didn’t feel like I should write music in a certain style for a band or project, so I could simply write whatever I was feeling like without any restrictions, or “recipes”. During the first months of the pandemic I released “Amadeus Street Warrior”, an experimental 16-bit game soundtrack album, moved to my new studio and completed the recordings for Warrior Path’s “Mad King”. It was the first time that I had so much time and inspiration.
During the second lockdown in December 2020 I grabbed a Fender, plugged it into a Marshal and started writing some ideas in the style of Iron Maiden, just for fun and just for the sake of creating something. That was something I always wanted to do, but I couldn’t find the time. A week later I had an album’s worth of material, so I started looking for the right people to get the best result possible.
My first choice was Scar Of The Sun drummer, Thanos Pappas, who except from being my bandmate in Outloud since 2014 he is also playing in Urizen, the only Greek Bruce Dickinson cover band. One also predictable choice was bassist Gus Macricostas, who lives in England and plays with Biff Byford’s solo band. We used to play together in Casus Belli, once upon a time, and I knew how much he loves Maiden and Steve Harris and thankfully he accepted my invitation to record the album.
On vocals, things were a bit more challenging. The obvious would be to get on of the YouTube viral clones of Bruce Dickinson, but I wanted someone with more experience, from an artistic point of view. Enter my friend Dan Baune from Monument/Lost Sanctuary, who apart some great guitar solos on the album, he suggested Artur Almeida, from Attick Demons, to whom I send my request and 2 weeks later the album was ready and we are mixing it as we speak and it turns out great.
I started listening to heavy metal in 1988, one night I watched “Can I Play With Madness” on MTV and I feel that this album is a big “thank you” to that band that defined my future and my life. Also, one of the most honest albums I’ve ever released”.
https://www.facebook.com/StrayGods666
Line Up:
Artur Almeida: Vocals
Bob Katsionis: All Rhythm and Lead Guitars & Keyboards
Gus Macricostas: Bass
Thanos Pappas: Drums
Dan Baune: Guest guitar solos
