Act II

Metal music from Greece has a great reputation so I am excited whenever I discover something new from there. One of the newest finds is Powerstorm, a one man project driven by Kostas Falieros. It seems they initially started as full band but after a while it was only Kostas who carried on the torch. No big deal in this age as there are top notch one man bands acting on the same quality level as others. Powerstorm is no exception. After the release of “Act I” in 2011 Kostas followed up with “Act II” in 2023. With 11 cuts and a playing time exceeding the hour mark there is a lot of material to sink your teeth into.

Starting things off with the rather long instrumental “The Coming of the Storm” you get a first glimpse of what to expect. Classic NWOBHM influenced lead guitars dominate and once the first real track “Burning Eyes” kicks off the initial assumption is confirmed. Powerstorm deliver an ultimately uplifting mixture of classic US influenced metal and European power metal while also honoring the likes of Iron Maid, Judas Priest and so on. Of course, there is no innovation price to be won with this formula, but Kostas clearly is a man with vision and talent and offers a fresh take on it. He obviously is influenced by the traditional side of the genre, but he still manages to keep their music from sounding too old-fashioned and dusty.

There are some really strong songs to be found here. One example is “Never Let Go”. Galloping riffs alternate with anthemic melodies and never allow boredom to set in. The song oscillates between medium tempo segments and thrashy passages in the verses, with the chorus being a bit restrained but catchy. Some of the best moments come whenever Kostas takes his time to carefully build a song and implements various rhythms, tempos and other details. “The Wolf II” is one such piece where mystic keyboard samples build the tension before calm vocals lead into the main part with emotional verse-chorus sections and impressive guitar playing. Kostas also is a fantastic singer with his voice perfectly carrying the epic and emotional weight of the instrumentation. With over 8 minutes this track is also the longest and a prime example of what Powerstorm is all about.

There are faster and slower tracks and sections mixing things up over the whole playing time. Some of the songs are bursting with jubilant leads, while others are more subtle when presenting their trademarks. The guitar work is really great for the most part, with a lot of shorter and longer solos being thrown into the mix. The drumming also sounds fine to my ears although probably being programmed (?). Certain sections are highlighted by fast fills and double kicks while other parts ask for a more laid-back approach, keeping the groove steady. There are some tempo switches within certain tracks with the different sections smoothly combined with clever transitions.

Overall, it is difficult to emphasize individual songs because the level of all songs is at the same high level. A few tracks are somewhat more accessible, but this in no way detracts from the quality of any of them. On the contrary, Kostas has created some great anthems which don’t lack finesse. Some of the cuts even show slightly progressive tendencies, but never going overboard with them. There are not too many ultra-speedy passages. Instead, we get a surprisingly good ballad with “No Place for Darkness”. He also pays tribute to one of the longest running Greek bands called Spitfire in form of a cover which is a nice way to close out this album. Rounded off by a fitting production “Act II” is a fine slab of classic and melodic metal and anyone looking for more good stuff from Greece needs to check this one out.