New album, “Kydoimos”, out on April 19th!
KAWIR formed in the early Greek black metal scene of the 90s and have been exploring Greek mythology, literature, and mysteries for 30 years – and no other band really captures the essence of those stories and times the same way.
The name of the album derives from one of the Makhai (Μάχαι,) Ancient Greek daemons (personifications/spirits) of war. Kydoimos in particular refers to the personification of the cacophony and bedlam of battle. Typically he is referred to as a son of Eris (Ερις, no to be confused with Ares (Αρης)), the goddess of strife, and he appears in many key ancient texts. Most importantly the Iliad, where he is said adorn Achillies’ shield alongside his mother and a Ker (Κίρ.) He is also mentioned as adorning the shield of Heracles in Hesiod’s work.
The album itself takes much from both the Iliad and Kydoimos. It is a belligerent and aggressive exploration of ancient war, of they who won glory on Troy land and the many who found their end there. Fittingly for its subject matter, “Kydoimos” is an album that sees KAWIR achieve new heights in both unrelenting heaviness and epic atmosphere. You have tracks like the brutal “Tiresias (Τειρεσιας)” standing side by side with a three track epic exploring the legacy of Achilles the runs the whole gambit. In other hands this could’ve felt schizophrenic, with KAWIR it feels like an ambitious point they’ve been working towards for a couple of records now.
(Photograph by Stratos Stamatakos)
https://www.facebook.com/kawirofficial
https://www.instagram.com/kawir_official
