(Neoclassical Heavy Metal/Shred) Perpetual - Overlord's Perpetual - 2005, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Bursting onto the scene full throttle, 21-year-old guitar protégé, Overlord and his band PERPETUAL, are Sonic Age’s newest power metal band, ala Yngwie or Thorbjorn (Winterlong). Already making a name for himself, young Overlord is already being hailed as Greece’s premier heavy metal guitar player.

The self-titled release features drummer Fotis Giankopoulos, keyboardist Bob Katsionis and lead vocalist Vasilis Axiotis. Unfortunately, the biggest problem I have with the release itself is his choice of Axiotis to perform his compositions. Not that he’s bad, just nothing special and I think in the long run even though the center should be on Overlord himself… his voice does nothing to compliment the music as say Joe Lynn Turner did while performing with Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force.

The songs themselves are high-powered and really push Overlord into the spotlight with his shredding guitar, heavy riffing, and intense arrangements. These are sometimes overshadowed by veteran keyboardist Bob Katsionis who has a resume a mile long and is able to duel Overlord almost note for note and riff for riff on tracks like “Majesty” and “The Overlord.”

"Immortal Hymn” is a nice track, a little more melodic than the others are. The heavy keyboards really give it that theatrical feel and it stands out as one of the better tracks on the CD. “I Can’t Wait” is very well composed from start to finish. It starts out a bit calmer than most of the songs but it kicks into high gear and just keeps going. Another one of my favorites is “I’ll Never Cry” which is definitely the most commercial sounding track on the disc but again, if he had a vocalist who really added to the feel of the music, this track could be absolutely amazing. You’ll find tracks like “Perpetual,” “Empire of Shadows,” and the final track “Melancholy” (a very nice acoustic piece) a little easier on the ears, as they are all instrumentals.

Power metal fans will absolutely love this release and Overlord himself should be very proud of his first effort. However, if he ever wants to try and reach a broader audience, he’s going to have to make some personnel changes. This guy can play and with the right people behind him, who knows what this young maestro can accomplish… P.S. KEEP KATSIONIS!

Fotis Giankopoulos: percussion
Bob Katsionis : keyboards
Vasilis Axiotis: vocals
Cosy 'Overlord' Varras : guitars / bass