Firewind was founded as a demo project for Greek guitar hero Gus G. (whose real name is Kostas Karamitroudis) in order to secure a solo record deal. While he found a career as an in-demand axeman, he also found much more: Firewind, with whose polished, driving, anthemic music, became one of the most enduring power metal bands on the scene. Their international lineup since 2002’s debut Between Heaven and Hell has been fluid. In fact, only Gus G. remains from the original lineup, while bassist and backing vocalist Petros Christodoulidis(aka Petros Christo) has been aboard since 2003. Twin lead guitars, overdriven drums, clean vocals, screaming harmonic twin lead guitars, and catchy melodies are all hallmark signifiers in Firewind’s sound. By the time they issued 2008’s Premonition, they had woven elements of death and prog metal into their attack without forsaking their root sound. Despite lineup changes on virtually every recording (they employed no less than five lead vocalists), the core of Firewind’s aesthetic remained. While the prominence of progressive keyboards on 2012’s unruly Few Against Many proved jarring for some as it seemed to soften the band’s attack; it was deliberate. 2017’s Immortals is considered one of the band’s heaviest. The influence of Thin Lizzy‘s Phil Lynott can be heard in the songwriting and storytelling. The combination of the two brought a new generation of listeners to Firewind’s catalo