Stray Gods - 'Olympus' (official album stream)

Bob Katsionis: «Το ξεκίνημα του 2020 με βρήκε για πρώτη φορά, ουσιαστικά χωρίς να είμαι μέλος κάποιας ενεργής μπάντας από το 1992 που ξεκίνησα να παίζω ηλεκτρική κιθάρα! Ήταν ένα πρωτόγνωρο συναίσθημα μιας και για πρώτη φορά ένιωθα ότι δεν έπρεπε να γράψω μουσική σε κάποιο συγκεκριμένο ύφος για κάποιο σχήμα ή project, οπότε απλά μπορούσα να γράφω ότι ήθελα χωρίς περιορισμούς και "συνταγές".»

Κάπως έτσι ξεκίνησε (το 2021) το «#μονομεηντεν project» του Μπάμπη Κατσιώνη, οι Stray Gods. Τον Μάρτιο του 2022 κυκλοφόρησε το ντεμπούτο τους ("Storm the Walls") και προ μηνός (23 Ιουνίου 2023) ο διάδοχός του υπό τον τίτλο "Olympus"...

Δελτίο τύπου: «What started by the highly acclaimed Greek Heavy Metal musician and producer Bob Katsionis as a tribute to his childhood metal heroes from England, seems to have evolved to a full-blown power on today’s Heavy/Power Metal Scene.

Stray Gods, just one year after their debut album “Storm The Walls” are back with “Olympus”, a sophomore release showing more aspects of their musical depth and abilities as well as strong songwriting skills.

After Stray Gods’ first live show at the Up The Hammers Festival in Athens, the realization dawned on Bob that the band had the potential to endure beyond their love for Iron Maiden.

The excellent chemistry between the band members, coupled with the favorable reviews comparing their debut album to Maiden’s discography, instilled a newfound sense of confidence in Bob.

Consequently, they began to compose music without any creative constraints, focusing solely on writing exceptional songs that could be performed by any band he could be a member of in the past.

This creative freedom led to the creation of “Olympus,” an album that Bob Katsionis takes immense pride in, with the title track standing out as his finest composition to date.

Although all of the band members played a crucial role in shaping the album’s sound, Artur’s vocal performance was particularly noteworthy.

Additionally, the album is dotted with Easter Eggs from Maiden’s 1986-1992 era, which adds an element of enjoyment for fans.

Despite initial hesitancy from the press, the album received a warm welcome, with industry professionals and friends alike praising Stray Gods for having a distinct sound despite its similarity to Maiden.

Finally, the album cover features an illustration by German artist Uwe Jarling, depicting an 80’s guitarist on a trek up Mount Olympus, where he has a spiritual encounter with the twelve gods themselves.»