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.
Kingdom Of The Damned
Dream Evil Lyrics
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So many fights to get reintegration
So here I am in this land that's been forgotten
It's god damned hot and the air you breathe is rotten
It's where the dragon rules the sky
It's where you wake up just to die
Where the river flows with sand
If you can't cope with the pain you will surely go insane
In this God forsaken land
The kingdom of the damned
Everything is dead, it's not a living thing in sight
My skin is burning hot, in this supernatural sunlight
I'm not superstitious because I've seen it all
I will complete my mission for my lord
I can't wait to get out of this place
I just want to go home!
But I've got to fulfill my given task
And give life to my lord to my king!
The song "Kingdom Of The Damned" by Dream Evil is an intense description of a warrior's journey to a forgotten and cursed place. The lyrics tell the story of a character who ventured far, fought hard to arrive at an abandoned land- Kingdom Of The Damned. The environment is hostile, and the air is unbreathable, making it a risky place to be. Even though the warrior is well aware of the challenges, they have to complete their mission for their lord. The gloomy picture painted in the lyrics recommends the land is full of pain, impossible to survive, and drives people insane. The kingdom is ruled by a dragon, and the river is composed only of sand. The character has a task to give life to a lord, their king, but they long to go back home.
The song reflects the hardship and determination of the human spirit, describing what it takes to keep going even in the toughest of situations. It tells a story of unwavering willpower and commmitment to duty, fighting against all odds to complete a given mission. The lyrics beautifully paint a picture of a harsh environment, difficult to live in hence the kingdom of the damned.
Line by Line Meaning
I traveled far to reach this destination
The singer has gone through many struggles and fights to finally arrive at this forgotten land.
So many fights to get reintegration
The singer went through many hardships to regain a sense of belonging in this land.
So here I am in this land that's been forgotten
The singer has arrived in a desolate, abandoned land.
It's god damned hot and the air you breathe is rotten
The climate in this land is oppressive and the air is unpleasant to breathe.
It's where the dragon rules the sky
A powerful dragon has control over the skies of this land.
It's where you wake up just to die
Living in this land is so difficult and painful that every day feels like a struggle to stay alive.
Where the river flows with sand
The river in this land is dry and filled with sand instead of water.
In the kingdom of the damned
This land is so cursed and inhospitable that it is known as the 'kingdom of the damned.'
If you can't cope with the pain you will surely go insane
The pain and difficulty of living in this land is so intense that it can drive someone mad.
In this God forsaken land
This land is so hopeless and miserable that it seems as if even God has abandoned it.
The kingdom of the damned
Once again emphasizing the dreadful nature of this land.
Everything is dead, it's not a living thing in sight
The landscape is completely barren and devoid of life.
My skin is burning hot, in this supernatural sunlight
The sun in this land is so intense and damaging that it feels almost supernatural.
I'm not superstitious because I've seen it all
The singer has experienced so much misery and horror that they are no longer afraid of anything.
I will complete my mission for my lord
The singer has a mission they need to fulfill for their king or master.
I can't wait to get out of this place
The artist is desperate to leave this cursed land behind.
I just want to go home!
The artist longs to return to a place that feels like home and is free of the horrors they have experienced.
But I've got to fulfill my given task
Despite their desire to leave, the singer knows they must complete their mission.
And give life to my lord to my king!
This line is slightly ambiguous, but could mean that the singer needs to complete their mission in order to bring prosperity and life back to their ruler or kingdom.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind