Seven Kingdoms - The Fire is Mine

Track list:
01: Beyond the Wall
02: After the Fall
03: Forever Brave
04: Flame of Olympus
05: Symphony of Stars
06: The Fire is Mine
07: Kardia
08: Fragile Minds Collapse
09: In the Twisted Twilight
10: A Debt Paid in Steel
11: The King in the North

Release date: 9 October 2012
Label: Nightmare Records

I discovered this band through their 2010 self-titled release - Seven Kingdoms, which was a solid piece of power metal splendor. I later went back and discovered the first release Brothers of the Night, which was very different due to the male singer and rougher vocal style. I had gotten a small taste of that vocals style on the few songs containing it on the second album, but did not realize their roots were so different. Female vocalist Sabrina Valentine took over the vocals on album number two, driving the band into a different direction with their sound, and for release number three, she remains solely at the helm of this fine-tuned power metal machine.


This time around, we are served up with another full platter of power metal beauty that is sure to please old fans, and bring in plenty of new fans. The production feels a bit warmer on this release, which just pumps additional warmth and life into the musical precision and power they have provided. I can't really say there is anything really new offered here, but what we do find is a band that sounds more comfortable with themselves as a unit, and that have settled into their groove even further - solidifying themselves as a major force in the metal world. 

Official Label promo: This new offering of SEVEN KINGDOMS shows a great solidification in their sound and direction, they've amped up every aspect from song writing, vocals to production and live performance. This one goes to eleven on all counts including the number of tracks. The vocals of beautiful crystalline melodies of Sabrina Valentine are uniquely set in a furious power/thrash metal attack, blended with epic choirs and the occasional gangs of the men of S.K.

Shortly after Seven Kingdoms played the opening party at ProgPower USA and was then hand picked by legendary German power metal band, Blind Guardian, as opener for their 2010 North American tour which saw the band playing in front of thousands of metal fans throughout North America, solidifying a foothold in Metal. Seven Kingdoms went on to play several one off's and smaller tours in 2011 ending with the "Uniting The Powers Of Metal tour" also receiving endorsements from Engl Amplification and Warwick Basses / Amps.

In May of 2012 the band entered Morrisound Studios to creating a record powerful enough to hang with the best in metal. With Jim Morris at the helm and much more experience gained, Seven Kingdoms created their next melodic power thrash opus  "A band started for fun, found that hard work and dedication to your craft has it's major pay offs... Seven Kingdoms is carving its own path in metal history creating something genuinely unique, yet undeniably METAL with their latest and greatest album."

Internet:
www.sevenkingdoms.net/
www.facebook.com/SevenKingdomsOfficial
www.twitter.com/sevenkingdoms1

Discography:
2007 - "Brothers of the Night"
2010 - "Seven Kingdoms"
2012 - "The Fire is Mine"