BALOTHIZER

Balothizer biography
Balothizer are an avant-garde Greek folk-metal trio from Crete, consisting of singer/bassist Pavlos Mavromatakis, lutist/guitarist Nikos Ziarkas and London-born drummer Steven Payne. The band perform eclectic, genre-blurring renditions of traditional Cretan folk music, drawing influence from punk, psych rock and thrash metal into a progressive approach which has drawn comparisons to Kultur Shock, Hedningarna, Greek Judas, Voivod, Korai Öröm, Killing Joke and System of a Down.

Through Louvana Records, Balothizer released two LPs of their unique post-Cretan sound - 2020's Cretan Music From Hell and 2021's far-heavier Cretan Smash, which was produced by Deerhoof's Greg Saunier and featured violinist Stratis Skarakis on the songs Jegaman and Anathema.