“Seven Kingdoms” INTERVIEW by Keith Clements
Greetings from Metalheads Forever Magazine, How are you guys doing? How are things in the Seven Kingdoms?
Hello! Everything is great at the moment, we are currently on the road with Evergrey in Phoenix tonight. Tour has been great so far, looking forward to continuing the good vibes!
“Decennium” was released early in January this year, this album has taken the band into a new milestone, how do you feel about the success of this album?
I think this record has been the best for us so far. We have put a significant amount of work in on this one, and I think it’s starting to show. Napalm has really helped open some doors for us, so we are really glad that everything has happened the way it has so far!
Although Seven Kingdoms come under the genre of Power Metal, I don’t feel it’s typical Power Metal, I feel a more of Heavy and Thrash is Involved making the band different from other Power Metal bands out there, how do you feel as you make the music?
Actually I would think that we are more traditional power metal with this Decennium release. I think that a lot of established power metal bands have strayed away (a bit) from that classic fast, melodic, catchy sound. That is what we tried to deliver with Decennium…. something that everyone can listen to and remember what first caught them about the genre.
Started as an Independent Label for Brothers of the Night and later signed to Nightmare Records and for Decennium you’ve since have signed with Napalm Records, could you please tell us how you feel about these changes, and how benefited are you through Napalm Records?
Napalm for sure is more of a real deal, working record label. Not to diminish any previous partnerships, but those are all very grass roots / starter options. Napalm has a much deeper reach into the fan base that we need at the moment and It has been really just a blessing so far!
Back in 2010, you opened for W.A.S.P in Orlando, Florida your home state, can you tell us about your experience?
That show was actually pretty terrible, haha. I got in so many arguments with the local promoters at that show that just dropped the ball. WASPs crew was some of the rudest people I’ve ever worked with and it was overall a really bad experience. We almost refunded all our tickets and walked out! But alas, we just dealt with the cards we were handed and just got out as soon as we were done. It was funny watching a large band like WASP just tracking everything minus drums. I would be very mad if I was a WASP fan.
In 2013 for two whole months you were touring with Amaranthe and Stratovarius, you guys had performed in close to 13 countries, and this being your first tour in Europe, how it was for the band, did you have any hard times and difficult moments during this tour? or was everything good and what you expected?
Everything was great on that tour minus myself getting sick for about a week which was miserable, and then towards the end I cut my picking hand open and had to do the last 3 shows with 18 stitches. Other than that the tour was what we expected and it was a great first exposure to the European market!
Music is all about changes and you guys keep bringing something new in each album, how do you feel about it? why do you want to be having changes rather than sticking to your own style which many bands do?
I think we have stayed in the same vein of sound but have developed the Seven Kingdoms Power Metal sound over the last several releases. I wouldn’t say that we change, but rather improve our style. We deliver Power Metal, and that is what we want to do.
What is “Seven Kingdoms” ? is there a concept or hidden history behind it ?
Seven Kingdoms the name is inspired of course by the Game Of Thrones / A Song Of Ice And Fire series. Our original singer Bryan, presented three name ideas for the band, and I chose Seven Kingdoms for a few different reasons.
What are your plans for this year, Since you have dropped an album do you have any bigger plans in the coming Months?
Well right now we are just over a quarter of the way through the North American tour with Evergrey. That is going great so far, so when we get home, we have a few more months of sending a bunch of emails to prepare the things we have planned for the next several years. We are trying to land a few festival dates and also a nice European tour.
A Pleasure to have this Interview with you, do you have a message for the fans and the readers of this publication?
Thank you for the support! If you have not checked out the new album Decennium, please head over to Napalm Records and grab yourself a copy! You will enjoy it, I promise…
Keith Clements/MHF Magazine
