As I dive deeper into my journey of heavy metal from Greece, I’m finding new bands coming out of the woodwork. I think at this point these bands are finding me rather than me seeking them out. It seems like the universe is just gift-wrapping them to me. This brings me to today’s subject, the band known as Countown. Their music was recommended to me by a friend and I was immediately intrigued. Fierce and intense nu-metal that feels like it was transported from the 2000s to the modern day. To formally introduce you to the band, they hail from Athens and their music is 100% sung in Greek, which gave this reviewer an extra challenge when it came to reviewing their music. They’ve been around for a hot minute forming over 12 years ago, and they have become somewhat of a critically acclaimed darling in the Greek metal scene. With fiery lyrics and an in-your-face attitude, they’re not to be slept on. This new album from them Χαιρεκακία (translated to Schadenfreude) is something I’ve been waiting for this year since I first heard the single “Λοβοτομή” (Lobotomy). Now that the album is here, I thought I’d give it the critical ear that I love to lend.
The music hits you in the face like a brick and has that real old-school factor. You get that sharp-toned riff noise and you know something is about to go down. The first track “Κόσμος Τοξικός” (Toxic World) sets the tone for the whole record. A raucous and vicious riff and a heavy tone loom over the track and it immediately sucked me into the record. The production of this album sounds so good. It’s simplistic but effective. The creative drum work lays the groundwork for more creative vocal work. The two layers of production are linked and it creates this free-moving rhythmic style. The way the rap vocals flow sounds forceful, it’s pure and you can feel the passion behind it. Then when you get to the clean sung vocals it elevates the melodies. Like on “Αφάνεια” (Obscurity), when those clean vocals come in it gives their music another dimension. The heavy guitars are so good. From the riffs that lend the songs that real crunch and when they’re allowed to explode with their full force, the songs come to life. A song that does that well is “Βατερλό” (Warterloo). The song is so subtle in the verses then when that chorus kicks in you get an exploded fury of sonic metal noise.
Although Greek is not my first language, nor my second or third, I can fully appreciate what it takes to form lyrics like this. The fast flow of the lyrical delivery is fun to listen to as the album bounces from track to track. I’ll say this it makes me want to speed up my lessons in Greek just so I can fully appreciate everything said on this album. I think one of my favourite songs on the album from the lyrical standpoint is “Ασφυξία (Πάνω Κάτω)” (Asphyxia [Up and Down]) feat. Broken Da Rima. The words effortlessly flow in this song as the microphone is passed from Countown to Broken Da Rima while the music blasts. I think the theme of being stuck for word and feeling trapped in your surroundings and not being able to get out of one place shines through and you feel that intensity and anguish in the words and how they’re rapped. So much of this record is heavy and I felt the impact of every word, every crash of the drums and every sting of the guitars.
I wanted to get this out there because I don’t think they’re super well-known outside of their home nation. It’s the kind of music that I want to tell anyone that is even vaguely interested in this style of music. If you’re into fast-and-furious rap-rock or old-school nu-metal then this is a band I want to recommend. Their fearless approach to music is admirable and I have enjoyed getting to know them more and more.
CHECK OUT COUNTOWN: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | BANDCAMP | YOUTUBE
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Amazing review 🙏
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