Spartan open a new chapter with “Critias”, the first single from their forthcoming five-track concept EP exploring the figures who shaped the course and aftermath of the Peloponnesian War.
Named after one of the Thirty Tyrants who ruled Athens following its defeat, “Critias” places one of ancient Greece’s most controversial figures at the centre of Spartan’s most Greek-inspired composition to date.
The track combines soaring power metal melodies with death metal aggression, driven by twin-guitar leads, harsh vocals and a relentless rhythm section. Its sound is shaped by two distinct Greek influences: a sampled bouzouki woven into the full version of the song and a chorus inspired by Rotting Christ’s “Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy.”
“The song Critias has two distinct Greek influences: the bouzouki, which we sampled in the full version, and the ‘Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy’ by Greek band Rotting Christ, which you should be able to clearly hear in the chorus parts. The rest of the song grew out of those two themes, and we’re pretty happy with the result.” – Nick, lead guitar
“Critias” was recorded at Top Floor Studios in Gothenburg, Sweden, with drums engineered by Jakob Herrmann. The single was mixed and mastered by acclaimed producer Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios in Denmark.
The same production team worked on Spartan’s 2022 album, Of Kings and Gods.
Each song on the upcoming EP will focus on a different historical figure connected to the outcome of the Peloponnesian War, with every release accompanied by its own dedicated artwork. Together, the five tracks will explore the conflict’s final chapters, the fall of Athens’ golden age and the events that reshaped the ancient Greek world.
