SORROWFUL WINDS

Progressive Metal • Greece

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Sorrowful Winds biography
Bassist Thanasis FRAGOPOULOS formed SORROWFUL WINDS in 1990. Their early sound was heavily influenced by 70's hard rock and 80's NWOBHM and the early period of the band involved constant line-up changes, two demo releases ("Dream Refuge" in 1994 and "Sorrowful Winds" in 1997) and several live appearances throughout the country. The band released their debut album ''The Imminent Arrival'' in July 1999 on Seven Records with the following line up: Dimitris SIRGIANNIS (ex-BRAIN FADE, vocals), Thanasis HATZIAGAPIS (ex-GUARDIAN ANGEL, guitars), Babis ZISIOU (guitars), Kostas RIGOPOULOS (keyboards), Thanasis FRAGOPOULOS (bass) and Chris KATSELIS (drums). The more sophisticated sound of this album shows influences from power and doom metal with prog tendencies. Babis ZISIOU shortly after left the band which kept on going as a quintet ever since. Promotion of the album involved a number of live appearances and as a highlight their performance with GAMMA RAY in 2000. Disputes with Seven Records forced the band to look for a new record label to release their newly composed material. In the summer of 2001 the band entered the studio once again to record their follow-up called ''The Age Of Dreams'' which was released in December by NMC Records. The sound has further evolved in this album towards more clear-cut progressive metal. Playing several headlining gigs for the promotion of the album, they also supported CANDLEMASS and EVERGREY.

Dimitris SIRGIANNIS left the band at the end of 2002 due to personal and musical differences, and after a short term collaboration with Leonidas CHATZIMICHALIS, with whom the band played along with PAIN OF SALVATION and RAGE, Alexis ZERVANOS, of the fellow band MUTINY, took up the vocal duties. In 2003 the band had some headlining acts around the country and at the end of the year they played with DEADSOUL TRIBE at AN club. In 2004 Kostas RIGOPOULOS parts ways with the band while guitarist Stavros GATSOPOULOS joins. With this line-up SORROWFUL WINDS played several concerts and supported bands like JAG PANZER, ANVIL, BIOMECHANICAL, ARTCH until 2007. After a two-year break and line-up changes, Kostas RIGOPOULOS rejoined the band, besides playing the keyboards, taking over the production and engineering of the up-coming project.

The latter sound of the band can be described as a mixture of classic and progressive metal with power and doom/atmospheric tendencies. ''The Age Of Dreams'' album remains the closest to progressive me...Bassist Thanasis FRAGOPOULOS formed SORROWFUL WINDS in 1990. Their early sound was heavily influenced by 70's hard rock and 80's NWOBHM and the early period of the band involved constant line-up changes, two demo releases ("Dream Refuge" in 1994 and "Sorrowful Winds" in 1997) and several live appearances throughout the country. The band released their debut album ''The Imminent Arrival'' in July 1999 on Seven Records with the following line up: Dimitris SIRGIANNIS (ex-BRAIN FADE, vocals), Thanasis HATZIAGAPIS (ex-GUARDIAN ANGEL, guitars), Babis ZISIOU (guitars), Kostas RIGOPOULOS (keyboards), Thanasis FRAGOPOULOS (bass) and Chris KATSELIS (drums). The more sophisticated sound of this album shows influences from power and doom metal with prog tendencies. Babis ZISIOU shortly after left the band which kept on going as a quintet ever since. Promotion of the album involved a number of live appearances and as a highlight their performance with GAMMA RAY in 2000. Disputes with Seven Records forced the band to look for a new record label to release their newly composed material. In the summer of 2001 the band entered the studio once again to record their follow-up called ''The Age Of Dreams'' which was released in December by NMC Records. The sound has further evolved in this album towards more clear-cut progressive metal. Playing several headlining gigs for the promotion of the album, they also supported CANDLEMASS and EVERGREY.

Dimitris SIRGIANNIS left the band at the end of 2002 due to personal and musical differences, and after a short term collaboration with Leonidas CHATZIMICHALIS, with whom the band played along with PAIN OF SALVATION and RAGE, Alexis ZERVANOS, of the fellow band MUTINY, took up the vocal duties. In 2003 the band had some headlining acts around the country and at the end of the year they played with DEADSOUL TRIBE at AN club. In 2004 Kostas RIGOPOULOS parts ways with the band while guitarist Stavros GATSOPOULOS joins. With this line-up SORROWFUL WINDS played several concerts and supported bands like JAG PANZER, ANVIL, BIOMECHANICAL, ARTCH until 2007. After a two-year break and line-up changes, Kostas RIGOPOULOS rejoined the band, besides playing the keyboards, taking over the production and engineering of the up-coming project.

The latter sound of the band can be described as a mixture of classic and progressive metal with power and doom/atmospheric tendencies. ''The Age Of Dreams'' album remains the closest to progressive metal to date.

Update: in October 2014, the band released their 3rd album ''Non-Aligned'', a return to discography after 13 years and to a sound that moves away from progressive metal and closer to their debut album. From the previous line-up, only HATZIAGAPIS and RIGOPOULOS remain, with the addition of Mike I. on vocals and T. Ios on bass.

Bio by aapatsos with thanks to the band's official websiteread more

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SORROWFUL WINDS discography

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SORROWFUL WINDS top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

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The Imminent Arrival
1999

3.14 | 3 ratings

The Age of Dreams
2001

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Non-Aligned
2014

SORROWFUL WINDS Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

SORROWFUL WINDS Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)

SORROWFUL WINDS Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)

SORROWFUL WINDS Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)

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Dream Refuge
1994

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Sorrowful Winds
1997

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Portrayal of Dark Delights
1998

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The Age of Dreams
2001

SORROWFUL WINDS Reviews

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The Age of Dreams by SORROWFUL WINDS album cover

Studio Album, 2001
3.14 | 3 ratings
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The Age of Dreams
Sorrowful Winds Progressive Metal

Review by b_olariu
Prog Reviewer

Sorrowful Winds is an unknown to larger public progressive metal band from Greece, with only 2 albums released so far. This is their second on from 2001 and the best they ever done since. The album entitled The age of dreams released at NMC label, some obscure label from Greece no one heared about, at least not me untill I saw this album issued, anyway the album is melodic with quite pleasent arrangements, some fine keybords passages. The production and sound is very poor, but the pieces stands as good all of them. The voice again , like on almost any band I've heared from Greece is weak, not entirely bad but this guy has no range, he tries but not fuly succeded to have some intristing and pleasent passages. Pieces like Strange days, opening track Upon a shore afar, title track or instrumental Pranayama stand as good progressive metal pieces, good musiciansip and pleasent arrangements. In conclusion an obscure band with obscure sound , but with a good album in this scene that desearve from me 3 stars, good release, but far from being something special. Fans of the genre can hear this album, but if not found they will not miss anything either. Good cover art btw.

Thanks to CCVP for the artist addition. and to aapatsos for the last updates