WEEK 190 – DRAGONLAND

OK my HeadBangers, I seem to be stuck in Sweden right now so please welcome from Gothenburg the Power Metal Band:

DRAGONLAND

“The Power of the Nightstar”

“Flight From Destruction”

Let’s take a look at some bio on these DragonLords:

Dragonland is a Power Metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden.  Not only a band these guys produce The Dragonland Chronicles fantasy saga that covers albums one, two and five, also for the original symphonic/electronic part by Elias Holmlid, who does the keyboard, synthesizer and piano for the band.

The band was founded in 1999 by guitarist Nicklas Magnusson and Jonas Heidgert. Soon after Daniel Kvist, Magnus Olin and Christer Pederson joined in. Their first demo was recorded in January 2000. Only three months before the recording of their debut album started, The Battle of the Ivory Plains, Kvist decided to leave the band and was soon replaced by Olof Mörck.  The album was released on in April of 2001, and the second album, Holy War, was released on in February of 2002. Both featured singer Jonas Heidgert on drums.

The third album, “Starfall” came out in October of 2004, featuring Jesse Lindskog on drums.  Tom Englund (I love this man) and Henrik Danhage of Evergrey also with Johanna Andersson did guest performances on the album. 

Their fourth album, “Astronomy” was released in November 2006 and also had several guest appearances. Work on the fifth Dragonland album was announced via Blabbermouth in April of 2008.   In September 2009, Dragonland launched their re-designed Myspace site, together with a high-quality preproduction of “The Shadow of The Mithril Mountains”, a song from the fifth album. It took some time before the album was completely ready. Five years after Astronomy the band finally released the fifth album, “Under the Grey Banner” in November 2011.  Starfall and Astronomy are two separate albums, Under the Grey Banner continues the story of their first two albums.

“Ilmarion”

In October 2014 it was announced that they would release a reissue of the first album, “The Battle of the Ivory Plains”, and a remastered version of the second album, Holy War.  Both albums have brand new cover artwork, and they were released in December 2014. In the first album, there is also a newly recorded song, “A New Dawn”, as its bonus track.

They have worked on their upcoming sixth album “The Power of the Nightstar”, their first album in over a decade and, similar to Starfall and Astronomy, separate from the Dragonland Chronicles saga, though following a different sci-fi storyline. The band has released the title track for the album as its first single and the band’s first ever music video in June of 2022.  The album’s second single “Flight from Destruction” was released in July 2022, and the album was released in October 2022.

Let’s meet the band:

Jonas Heidgert – Vocals (1999-present), Drums (1999-2002)

Olof Mörck – Lead Guitar (2000-present), Keyboard, Synthesizer, Piano (1999-2000)

Jesse Lindskog – Lead Guitar (2009-present), Drums (2002-2009)

Elias Holmlid – Keyboard, Synthesizer, Piano (2000-present)

Johan Nunez – Drums (2014-present)

Anders Hammer – Bass (2007-present)

My Thoughts:

First let me say I really really love their music.  Some of it makes me think of being in a forrest talking to some other worldly dwellers.  There is something about music from Sweden, I know I have been on a role with Sweden, but that’s just how it happens.  My process is I hear something I don’t let go of it, you know how us HeadBangers are.  Also, this band really tours, Japan, Australia, the UK, the US.  This tells me there is a demand for their music.  Listen to the album “Under the Grey Banner”.  You will see what I mean.  These guys can really play, as you can see they really know their music and can play about any instrument they need to.  Oh and let’s not forget the hair.  Seriously check them out they are on FB and Instagram.  You will love them, have I ever lied to you…..

That’s it for this week, join me next week for another band and another song.  In the meantime, don’t stand to close to the fire if you can’t handle the burn…..