REVIEW: TROTYL - Warrior: Anthology (1980-1990)

 

TROTYL - Warrior: Anthology (1980​-​1990)

Stormspell Records

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The journey toward damnation often begins with the noblest of intentions. So too did the communist regimes embark upon their path, driven by lofty ideals, only to find themselves ensnared in the web of tyranny. Do not be deceived. Irrespective of one's ideological convictions, the consolidation of power in an individual or collective inevitably begets despotism and oppressive governance.

This introductory reflection assumes significance in light of the genesis of TROTYL in the year 1979, within the confines of communist Bulgaria. Herein lay the seeds of an anomaly, as the band erred in their affinity for heavy metal melodies and harbored the audacious ambition of crafting compositions. It remains a perplexity why the Communists, ostensibly champions of the proletariat, pursued a genre of music emanating from the sinews of the working class. Consequently, throughout the tapestry of the '80s, the band found itself cast into the shadowed annals of Communist disfavor. The Iron Curtain, shrouded in its impenetrable aura, denied them access to any sanctum of state-owned studios, relegating compositions conceived during the period spanning 1980 to 1990 to a state of nonexistence in the realm of authentic recordings.

The redress for this historical injustice materializes in the present release, where the triumvirate of original band members, aided by the vocal virtuosity of Dragomir Dragiev, undertook the recording of twelve compositions. These sonic artifacts, wrought between the crucible of 1980 and 1990, bear witness to a band steadfast in their resolve to preserve the essence of their artistic identity.

The musical oeuvre of TROTYL unfurls as a tapestry woven in the threads of classical heavy metal. Naturally, the temporal genesis of their artistry rendered them susceptible to the influent waves of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) movement and the broader British metal milieu. Echoes of JUDAS PRIEST, DIAMOND HEAD, SAXON, and, to a more subdued extent, IRON MAIDEN resonate throughout, neither capitulating to facile mimicry nor losing themselves in the tide of emulation.

In the magnum opus titled "The March [1988]," discerning listeners shall discern an undeniably potent influence from the realms of MANOWAR and OMEN, rendering it the pièce de résistance of this compilation. Finally, within the composition "Lunatic [1987]," a discerning ear may catch the subtle brushstroke of ACCEPT, as perceived by the narrator.

In summation, one cannot but accord unbridled reverence to the endeavors of these musicians, who, against the backdrop of adversity, preserved the soul of our musical heritage. Beyond its historical resonance, this release emerges as a paragon of classical heavy metal craftsmanship—endowed with a distinct personality and a mosaic of variegated tones. To indulge in a listening odyssey of TROTYL is an undertaking that transcends mere auditory engagement; it is a pilgrimage into the very crucible of musical evolution.

Νικόλαος Παραστατίδης