Live albums are a tradition in the Metal scene since the 70s, and they were release for two main different reasons; to close a chapter in the band’s history (something that can be said about “Tokyo Tapes” and “World Wide Life” of SCORPIONS, and even “Live After Death”, of IRON MAIDEN), or as a celebration for something. The second one is the reason for the release of “Still Raging: Live at Principal Club Theater”, the second live album of the Greek quartet FIREWIND.

As the name of the album reveals, it was recorded (and filmed) at the band’s live show at Principal Club Theater. Thessaloniki, Greece, in October 1st 2022. And the Heavy/Power Metal of the band is here once more, heavy and worked on a heavier way (what creates a difference between the band’s music from others of Germany, Finland and Sweden), but with clean traces of Neoclassical Hard Rock (that way usual for RAINBOW in the past, as can be heard on “Head Up”). And such album is really, really, REALLY amazing, because the ‘livecity’ of the band is clear (showing its honesty). Of course that everyone thinks the band is just a work of Gus G. (the famous Greek guitar hero), but hearing the songs, one will see that things are balanced between the four members, what boosts the value of the album. Yes, it’s one of the best live albums released in the past 20 years! 

The album was produced by Gus G. himself, and has the mixing and mastering signed by Stratos Karagiannidis (one can ask why a live album has to be mixed and mastered, and the answer is simple: to make things sound as they must). All to keep things clean and defined, heavy and really clear to the ears, in a point that even the public can be heard (pay attention to the beginning of the songs as the band and the public are in a perfect synergy), and without tearing apart the live feeling that such kind of release must bear (interesting, it doesn’t seem as being overdubbed in any moment). In reality, this package has a Blue-Ray disk and two CDs (what makes the release of this live album almost impossible in Brazil), so you can have the best of it in two doses. And the track list of the show is amazing. All songs show energy and that really catch the fans easily. 

On CD 1, “Welcome to the Empire”, “I Am the Anger”, “Head Up High”, “Devour”, “Destination Forever”, “Orbitual Sunrise”, “World on Fire”, and “Ode to Leonidas” (along with a great drum solo and the instrumental “The Fire & the Fury” as well) is excellent, hard to resist to and really thrills the hearers easily, all of them showing an homogeneous band (yes, Gus isn’t an egocentric idiot that wants the lights only on him). And if anyone complains about “Overdrive”, “Mercenary Man”, “Lady of 1000 Sorrows”, “Break Away”, “Between Heaven and Hell”, “Rising Fire”, “Maniac” (an old song of Michael Sembello that is on the band’s track list of show for more than 10 years), “Hands of Time”, “Few Against Many”, or “Falling to Pieces”, the songs on CD 2, this person needs to go to a doctor, because they’re amazing.

Again: “Still Raging: Live at Principal Club Theater” is one of the best live albums of the past 20 years, and it’s a ‘must have’ item for any Metal fan that is proud of being a fan of the genre. And FIREWIND shows again the reason that Ozzy committed a mistake (maybe, the worst one of his career) parting ways with Gus.

I really want this item!!!!