Babis "Bob" Katsionis (; born February 17, 1977, in

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

, Greece) is a Greek guitarist and keyboardist and the lead guitarist and keyboard player for the heavy metal/

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...

bands Stray Gods, Warrior Path, Outloud, and Serious Black; he was part of Firewind, before leaving in 2020 for personal reasons. He is the only musician to ever win the same category "Best Keyboardist" in Greek

Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...

's Annual Readers' Polls for 5 years in a row (2006–2011). He is founder of Progressive Vision Group, a videoclip making company, which has produced more than 230 videos for rock and metal artists since 2002. In 2014 he started his own records label "Symmetric Records" to help bands and artists he produced/worked with in Sound Symmetry Studio release their works. To date, Symmetric Records has 14 official releases, with Warrior Path's "The Mad King" being the most successful.

Appearances

Katsionis has appeared in various small-time bands over the years (Skyward, Retrospect etc.), most of them projects he developed himself, before gaining more recognition with the likes of Firewind and Outloud. Bob Katsionis 2007

He started playing keyboards when he was 10 years old and, four years later, began learning guitar. Bob cites Kevin Moore,

Jens Johansson Jens Ola Johansson (born 2 November 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish keyboardist and pianist. Jens got famous in the early 80's when he and his brother Anders (drums) joined Yngwie Malmsteen's "Rising Force". Jens is the son of the Swedish Jazz ...

and

Keith Emerson Keith Noel Emerson (2 November 194411 March 2016) was an English keyboardist, songwriter, composer and record producer. He played keyboards in a number of bands before finding his first commercial success with the Nice in the late 1960s. He be ...

as his main keyboard influences. As well as playing keyboards, Bob is also a seven string guitar player and has played both instruments in his various bands. For instance, when Firewind play live, he performs in a dual role as keyboard player or rhythm guitarist (or both), depending on the song. He uses a standard six-string guitar in these circumstances. Bob also has released three instrumental albums with his solo project resembling mostly jazzy neo-classical/

progressive metal Progressive metal (often shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven sound of the former with t ...

. and has also joined his idol's Timo Tolkki (ex-Stratovarius) band Revolution Renaissance for the recording of their album "Trinity" without making any live appearances. He released his 4th solo album titled "Rest In Keys" in December 2012, followed by "Prognosis & Synopsis" (2016) and the experimental album titled "Amadeus Street Warrior" which was a 16-bit fictional game soundtrack. After Bob filled in live for Roland Grapow on their tour with Hammerfall (January–February 2015), Serious Black announced him as a full-time member in February 2015.

Bands currently featuring Bob Katsionis

*Warrior Path *Outloud *Serious Black *Stray Gods

Past bands and/or projects

*Firewind *Revolution Renaissance * Kamelot (as co-writer) * Nightfall * Septic Flesh *Warrior Path *Wonders (ITA) *Validor (GR) *Casus Belli * (as guest, on Torment Payback) *Scar Of The Sun (as guest and co-writer) *Keado Mores (as guest and producer) *Encomium *Fatal Morgana (guest for Rock Of Gods 1996 Festival) *Imaginary * Power Quest (as guest) * Eldritch (as guest) *NTX (Greek crossover band Nipto Tas Xeiras) *Battleroar (as guest) *Skyward (later became Retrospect) *Mirage (later became Imaginary) *Eternal Voyager (as guest) *Tragedian (as guest on "Casting Shadows" on the album ''Unholy Divine'')

Discography

Firewind

*'' Forged By Fire'' (2005) *''

Allegiance An allegiance is a duty of fidelity said to be owed, or freely committed, by the people, subjects or citizens to their state or sovereign. Etymology The word ''allegiance'' comes from Middle English ' (see Medieval Latin ', "a liegance"). The ...

'' (2006) *'' The Premonition'' (2008) *'' Days of Defiance'' (2010) *'' Few Against Many'' (2012) *'' Immortals'' (2017)

Outloud

*''We'll Rock You To Hell and Back Again'' (2009) * Love Catastrophe (2011) * More Catastrophe E.P (2012) *''Let's Get Serious'' (2014) *''Destination: Overdrive (The Best of Outloud)'' (2017) *''Virtual Hero Society (2018)''

Warrior Path

* Warrior Path (2019) * The Mad KIng (2021)

Stray Gods

* Storm The Walls (2021) * Olympus (2023)

Serious Black

* MirrorWorld (2016) * Magic (2017) * Vengeance Is Mine (2022)

Imaginary

*'' Oceans Divine'' (2001) *'' Long Lost Pride'' (2005)

Nightfall

*I am Jesus (Black Lotus records) 2002 *'' Lyssa: Rural Gods And Astonishing Punishments'' (2004)

Star Queen

*'' Faithbringer'' (2002)

Bob Katsionis

*'' Turn Of My Century'' (2002) *'' Imaginary Force'' (2004) *'' Noemon'' (2008) *'' Rest in Keys'' (2012) *'' Prognosis & Synopsis'' (2018) *'' Amadeus Street Warrior (2020)

References

External links

Myspace
{{DEFAULTSORT:Katsionis, Bob Firewind members Greek heavy metal keyboardists Black metal musicians Greek heavy metal guitarists Musicians from Athens 1977 births Living people Greek musicians Revolution Renaissance members