Crosswind

“Blending the finest ingredients of what makes Metal so great: Speed, Power, Melody and Substance. CROSSWIND's sound can be described as the fusion of NWOBHM's melody, German Power Metal's speed and technique and American Heavy Metal's epic sound. This amalgam of influences rooted in fine Metal tradition as well as the addition of allegorical lyrics and an orchestral perception towards arrangements underpin CROSSWIND's new beginning.”

There’s really no better description of the essence of CROSSWIND – one of Greece’s most promising “modern” Heavy/Power Metal acts – than that provided by the band members themselves on their (now defunct) official website when discussing the group’s rebirth in the mid-2000s. However, the CROSSWIND saga began all the way back in the mid-1990s when the first incarnation of the band was formed.

At the time of their debut release, 1998’s “Dark Omens” demo CDr, CROSSWIND consisted of Adam Giannoulakis (vocals), Kyriakos Vasdokas (guitars – WISHDOOM), Nick Vlachopoulos (guitars), Vasilis Kyrkos (bass – SINNER RIDER), Vasilis Mitsaris (drums – OUT OF THE LAIR) and Sotos Noukas (keyboards – ANXIETY, SARISSA). Despite offering very likeable, NWOBHM-tinted Power Metal with a high degree of song memorability, CROSSWIND never really took off and the band was forced, for various reasons, into hibernation.

Fortunately, in the year 2005 original members Kyriakos Vasdokas (guitars), Vasilis Mitsaris (drums) and Vasilis Kyrkos (bass) decided to once again resurrect CROSSWIND. Filling in the empty lineup slots were guitarists Leon Tsorbatzoglou and Haris Vavalidis (ATRIA MORTIS, STYGIAN OATH), while original guitarist Kyriakos V. took over the vocal duties. The result of this reunion was a significantly strong and today sought-after demo couplet – Beyond (2007) and Opposing Forces (2009) – which also marked a significant development in the band’s sound and compositional department.

Whereas “Dark Omens” had all the pros and cons of an underground jewel, the new CROSSWIND adopted a more professional approach to their craft. Take for example 2009’s “Opposing Forces” demo CDr, which could just as well be regarded as an EP proper. In terms of production, performance and arrangements, the music exhibits a grander as well as speedier style in keeping with contemporary Power Metal, yet not without sacrificing their roots in HEAVY Metal (unlike so many Power/Flower metal band of the time).

Following a joint re-release compilation CD of “Beyond” and ”Opposing Forces” on the respectable US-based record label Stormspell, CROSSWIND began work on their debut full-length album, eventually arriving in 2014 under the title “Vicious Dominion”.

(to be continued…)

Compilation appearances:
* Hellenic Forces Compilation Vol. 2 [CDr, Comp: Self-released (Hellenic Forces Fanzine), 2006]
* Monuments of Steel [CD, Comp: Hard Rocker, 2009]
* Magic (A Tribute to Ronnie James Dio) [CD, Comp: Magic Circle Music, 2010]
* Heavy Metal Greece Now [CD, Comp: Metal Hammer & Heavy Metal, 2015]