String Demons – Fear of the Bach

Tracklisting

CD 1

1. Hello! (String Demons)
2. Fear of the Bach (J.S.Bach – String Demons)
3. Fear of the Dark (Steve Harris – Iron Maiden – String Demons)
4. L’ estro armonico, concerto No.8, Allegro (A. Vivaldi – String Demons)
5. Vox Intro for Casino Pontiaco (String Demons)
6. Casino Pontiaco (Konstantinos Boudounis – Nicolas Chrysostomou)
7. L’ estro armonico, Larghetto e Spiritoso (A. Vivaldi – String Demons)
8. The Dance of Kaggelia (String Demons – Greek Traditional)
9. L’ estro armonico, Allegro (A. Vivaldi – String Demons)
10. Ithaca – Intro for Ikarian Bows (K.P.Kavafis – Dimitrios Doulias)
11. Ikarian Bows (String Demons – Greek Traditional)
12. Vox Intro for Life of a Scamp Politician (Lydia Boudounis)
13. I am the leader – Choral (Lydia Boudounis)
14. Life of a Scamp Politician (Lydia Boudounis)
15. Goodnight… (String Demons)

CD 2

1. Hello! (String Demons)
2. Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury – Queen – String Demons)
3. Bloods of Love (Mikis Theodorakis – String Demons)
4. Life of a Scamp Politician – Long Version (Lydia Boudounis)
5. Intro for Vamvakaris (Dimitrios Doulias)
6. Your eyelids shine (Markos Vamvakaris – String Demons)
7. Club of String Demons (String Demons)

Info

The three main “pillars” on which our music is based, is Classical, Heavy Metal and Traditional Music (mainly Greek), switching easily from one to another, combining them and borrowing elements and motifs from all of them. We are interested and influenced by all styles of music, since our set list, apart from our own work (Pontiako Casino, Piratiko, Vios ke Alitia enos Politikou, Immortal etc.), includes various covers ranging from Bach, Vivaldi, Manos Hadjidakis to Iron Maiden, Queen, Abba, Markos Vamvakaris, Vasilis Tsitsanis, traditional Greek music and Orthodox church hymns, always giving to these two age-old instruments the rock, classical, folk and even pop “form” they deserve, connecting the Greek musical tradition with the music of the West. During our live performances, the “Symphonic Feasts” as someone said about them, various styles of music and playing alternate rapidly, with a variety of tones and intense moments of percussion and drums, creating a Dionysian atmosphere based on the string instruments. We grew up in a music family and when we actually got to perform live and found out that we were having such a good time, we realized that this is what we want to do for the rest of our lives! Concerts we can’t forget: March 7, 2015, the Athens Concert Hall (sold out) September 12, 2015, Pantokrator Castle – Preveza (sold out) July 31, 2015, Ancient Plevrona Theatre -Mesollongi (sold out) October 23 & 24 2015, Athens Concert Hall (sold out) February 13, 2016, Thessaloniki Concert Hall In April 2015 we released the album “String Demons”, which contains, among others, a successful take on the more traditional “Kagelia”, in a “long version” (which became viral on the internet), proving that classical culture and art can be combined harmoniously with the soul and the playful rhythm of a traditional piece. This release also contains another one of our original tracks: “The Immortal”, which was also recorded live, in our partnership with the “200 Guitarists Orchestra”, in the CDs “200 Guitars – Evangelos Boudounis with Maro Razi & String Demons – Live at Megaron”, which was released in October 2015. Our new album, titled “Fear of the Bach” will be released soon, containing our own compositions as well as covers and theatrical surprises!

The Recording, Editing and Production of Sound were made by the “Computer Scientist” and valued partner, Dimitrios Doulias!
Artwork by Yorgos Marinoglou (huntinglunch.net)
Logo art by Kostas Papadimitriou (architect)
Translations by Pavlos Dovas

The String Demons are the siblings Lydia (violin, vocals) & Konstantinos Boudounis (cello, percussion, vocals)!

They have said about them:
– “The energy that these two young musicians create is enormous. So powerful, that can make the earth rotate backwards. It is surely magical the way they place their knowledge and imagination upon the strings. Even if you don’t believe in magic, their music will enchant you. If you don’t experience it live, you can’t understand what we’re talking about. When the String Demons perform the vibes literally bounce around the room, stirring the universe! But It’s neither knowledge nor imagination… it’s their soul that really gives another dimension to the term music. Thank you for the experience!” Alexandros Soulachakis, listener
– “Treasure! Simply sensational! Humble and skillful at the same time, charming and confident on stage, bridging ideally the excitement and “craze” of a punk band with the modesty and “quietness” of a church hymn… The shiver that I felt, says it all.” Haralambos Gamvrellis, painter – hagiographer
– “The energy of the String Demons on cello and violin, through a rich – and unexpected – repertoire, leaves you ecstatic. They maneuver from classical music to heavy metal, to Rebetiko or traditional music, with shocking ease and disarming imagination. It is impossible not to like what they play, the way they play it!” Nikitas Karagiannis, journalist
– “To watch StringDemonic concert is a truly unique experience!” Nancy Theodoropoulou, journalist
– “Shame on all my friends who knew about the String Demons and have not told me a word about them for so long! It’s been a long time since I was in tears listening to music that came from Greece.” Giorgos Pittas, journalist
– “Is it possible for two “demons” to take you to a musical paradise with their angelic playing? Two “demons” full of youth, talent and charisma ready to offer you a… hellish magical night? Well it is possible, when it comes to the siblings Konstantinos and Lydia Boudounis, the “demonic” string duet “String Demons” that we had the pleasure to enjoy – in every sense of the word – in the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, in a unique concert for the city’s public. (…) In terms of live sound and performance… we’re sorry, but whatever we tell you is not enough and unable to express this lively delight of the senses! (…) Beyond the given virtuosity of the two musicians, who despite their young age already count plenty of credentials in their resumes, an element that really impressed me, was the almost incredible synchronism between them, with accuracy so admirable, as if one single person was simultaneously playing both instruments… with four hands! As if they were tuned with a breath and a gaze… (…) The second thing that impressed, beyond the sound performance, were the imaginative covers and mixes of various disparate songs, where a conventional mind cannot imagine say Hadjidakis combined with rock music or even more the … ecclesiastical eulogies with heavy metal music! But the imagination of both artists managed to reconcile them “devilishly” in a musical result of high aesthetic, with the ever present iconic sound of the original, given exceptionally well through string orchestrations; which were supported rhythmically by percussion instruments… (…) But the musical journey did not confine itself to “domestic”… We travelled from rock to classical music (with a lovely Vivaldi) and of course with their own compositions, characterized by something very important for a composer: they have a distinct identity and a personal mark, with an exceptional combination of atmospheric melody, spirited performance and rhythm… (…) All these in a program wisely structured in terms of choices, well executed in artistic level and exceptionally “directed”, although we haven’t read anywhere about… a Director. (…) Next to the virtuosity of the string instruments, the imaginative adaptations, the wonderful sounds, along came the ingenuity and intense communication that completed the enjoyment of the evening. (…) our most serious complaint concerns the fact that… we couldn’t get enough! If all the “demons” were as the specific “string” ones, then… hell would be heavenly in a unique way!” Pitsa Stasinopoulou, journalist (review for the String Demons concert at the “Salonica Concert Hall” in February 2016)