Fredrik had the ambition of creating a band of his own for a long time, but was yet to find somebody with musical ideals similar to his. However, while on holiday on the Greek islands during the year of 1999, he met guitarist Gus G (from Firewind and Mystic Prophecy). The two musicians got along quite well, despite their age difference of over a decade. Plans for Dream Evil commenced, and shortly, Gus boarded a plane to Gothenburg, on which he and Fredrik began writing material for the band.
In order for Dream Evil to become the band that they were idealizing, it would need to have musicians of exceptional talent. The person who first came to their minds was Snowy Shaw (from King Diamond, Mercyful Fate and Notre Dame), but the drummer initially refused their invitation. Later on he changed his mind and agreed to play on the band's debut album.
Vocalist Niklas Isfeldt had done backing vocals for some of HammerFall's songs produced by Fredrik, and since Isfeldt was not involved in any major project at the time, it was decided that he was a good choice for Dream Evil. Niklas had shown a lot of promise in his test, and it was soon decided that he would become a definitive part of the band. He also brought along his friend Peter Stålfors, who assumed the bass.
The fact remains that, up until the moment the promotional photos were shot, the whole of the band had not been in the same place at the same time even once. Some members did not even know each other.
The band soon got a deal with Century Media Records, and intended to name themselves Dragonslayer due to the themes of the songs which had been written by Gus and Fredrik, which had a strong focus on medieval and fantastical themes. However, their label did not find the name original enough, and thus the band settled with the name Dream Evil, inspired by the title of Dio's album Dream Evil.
Dream Evil's debut album was released on April of 2002 and received positive feedback from the specialized press. At one point, the album — entitled Dragonslayer — reached number one on the Japanese import charts. The band proceeded to play a series of festivals and also supported Blind Guardian during part of their world tour.
The members of Dream Evil got along well despite the seemingly random manner by which they had been brought together. Snowy Shaw then joined the band permanently and Dream Evil went on their first Japanese tour. During their stay in Japan the band was invited by HammerFall to support their 2003 European tour. Their label manager hinted that it would be a good idea to have a new album out by then.
With little time on their hands, the band wrote the basis of most songs on the flight to Europe and on the day of their arrival entered the studio in order to record a new album. They took two weeks in total to record Evilised and most songs were recorded as they were written. It was released on the 20th of January, and one week later Dream Evil proceeded to tour Europe with HammerFall and the less known Masterplan.
In June of the same year the band returned for a second Japanese tour and Gus G was featured on the cover of Young Guitar Magazine, a magazine well respected by musicians from around the globe. During the promotional tour of their next single, Gus was already committed to playing with Mystic Prophecy. Thus, Snowy Shawn took upon his hands the task of playing the lead guitar sections of the Dream Evil songs.
For their third album the band actually took time to write the songs and fine-tune them in the studio. The Book of Heavy Metal took two months to be recorded and was released in May of 2004.
Guitarist Gus G left the band in late 2004 in order to dedicate more time to Firewind, being replaced by Markus Black (also known as Mark U Black).
Niklas Isfeldt and Peter Stålfors briefly left in 2005 to be replaced by Jake E. Berg (aka Jake Steel, of Dreamland) and Tommy Larsson, but returned before recordings or live shows were done. At the start of 2006, Snowy Shaw abruptly quit Dream Evil.
After a half year of silence, Dream Evil published a statement on their homepage and announced that they had a new drummer, whose name was Pat Power (aka Patrik Jerksten) and that they had recorded 18 new songs. The 18 said songs where released on the album United on October 13, 2006.
On August 13, 2007, the band posted news on their official website concerning an upcoming release, titled Gold Medal in Metal, which would contain some tracks previously released only in Japan as bonus tracks and some new recordings, as well as a DVD containing a live performance from November 25, 2006 in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is tentatively set to be released in November or December of 2007.
Chasing the Dragon
Dream Evil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I leave behind my land
For I have a mission sent from god
So I set out alone, not knowing right from wrong
To fight the evil one, my heart is made out of stone
Something soars through the sky
It's the dragonfly!
This battle I have to win
We were chasing the the dragon
We were searching everywhere
In the chase of the dragon
Let the gods lead us there
In the chase of the dragon
I sacrifice my blood, in the chase of the dragon!
Wizard gazes through the crystal ball
You're the chosen one
As dark clouds shade the silver light
Evil demons whisper in the night
You will surely die!
But I have no fear my faith is strong
I saw my king stabbed by the beast
Straight through his heart, poisoned his blood
Living in fear, the only way, the only cure
To save our lord is to take my sword
Cross through the land and kill the beast!
The lyrics to Dream Evil's song "Chasing the Dragon" tell the story of a hero on a mission from god, facing off against the evil one in a battle to save their land. The hero sets out alone, unsure of what is right and wrong, but with a heart made of stone and the determination to win. As the hero runs towards their goal, a dragonfly flies overhead, a sign from the gods to lead them on their path.
The hero is not alone in their quest - a wizard peers into a crystal ball and tells them that they are the chosen one, but warns of the danger that lies ahead. Evil demons whisper in the night, telling the hero they will surely die, but the hero's faith is strong and they press on. They have seen their king stabbed by the beast, and the only way to save him is to take up their sword, cross the land, and kill the beast.
Overall, the lyrics of "Chasing the Dragon" depict a classic hero's journey, with the hero facing up against seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve their goal. The song's focus on fate, faith, and sacrifice reinforces the heroic theme.
Line by Line Meaning
The day when the sun turns into black
The apocalypse has arrived, and the world is in chaos.
I leave behind my land
I abandon everything I know in search of a higher purpose.
For I have a mission sent from god
I believe that I have been chosen by a higher power to undertake a sacred task.
So I set out alone, not knowing right from wrong
Despite my doubts, I embark on my quest alone, uncertain of what is truly right or wrong.
To fight the evil one, my heart is made out of stone
My heart is hardened against the darkness, and I will stop at nothing to vanquish evil.
Something soars through the sky
A strange and unusual creature appears above me.
It's the dragonfly!
I mistake a harmless dragonfly for an omen of my destiny.
So I run like the wind
I sprint towards my goal with all my might and fervor.
This battle I have to win
I am determined to overcome any obstacle that stands in my way.
We were chasing the dragon
My companions and I pursue a mythical dragon across unknown lands.
We were searching everywhere
We scour the terrain in a relentless pursuit of our quarry.
In the chase of the dragon
Our quest for the dragon consumes us, and we are willing to make any sacrifice to achieve our goal.
Let the gods lead us there
We put our faith in the divine to guide us towards our destiny.
I sacrifice my blood, in the chase of the dragon!
I am willing to risk my own life to capture or kill the dragon.
Wizard gazes through the crystal ball
We seek the aid of a powerful, mystical figure to help us in our quest.
You're the chosen one
The wizard reveals that I am the one foretold to defeat the dragon.
As dark clouds shade the silver light
The environment around us becomes increasingly foreboding and dangerous.
Evil demons whisper in the night
We are plagued by dark spirits that seek to lead us astray.
You will surely die!
My companions and I are warned of our impending doom.
But I have no fear my faith is strong
Despite the terrible warnings, my faith and conviction remain unshaken.
I saw my king stabbed by the beast
I recall a past trauma where the dragon killed my beloved king.
Straight through his heart, poisoned his blood
The dragon killed the king with a single, devastating blow.
Living in fear, the only way, the only cure
My people live in constant terror of the dragon, and the only solution is to end its reign of terror.
To save our lord is to take my sword
I must risk everything to stand up against the dragon and save my people's leader.
Cross through the land and kill the beast!
My only option is to fight the dragon to the death and defeat it once and for all.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
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