Veonity released one hell of a new record with 'Sorrows' in August. It is an album full of infectious power metal but with a capital P. Since we appreciate a good portion of melodic metal at the Lords, we made contact with the headquarters of these Swedes and we got to speak to lead guitarist Samuel Lundström.
Hi Samuel, I had the pleasure of listening to your new album 'Sorrows' and it was a blast. Compared to the previous album, 'Legend Of The Starborn' I think you have made quite a step as a band. But before we get to the album would you like to introduce the band first?
Since our first album from 2015 'A Gladiator's Tale' we play in the same line-up consisting of: Anders (vocals and guitar), Joel (drums), Kristoffer (bass) and me, Samuel on lead guitar. On the first album we had a guest vocalist but we soon decided that Anders should sing permanently. So we're still the same four people who decided to start playing power metal with the idea of playing the traditional form that was at its peak in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since we all come from Sweden, we are of course inspired by Swedish power metal like Hammerfall but also the German variant known from Helloween and Gamma Ray and the Finnish sound of Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica.
Now that we know who we're dealing with, could you tell us how you went about writing the new album?
Before the release of 'Legend Of The Starborn', Anders, who writes the music, and I decided it was time to leave the fallen hero that dominated our previous albums and move on to new subjects. In addition, we decided to adjust our style a bit without losing our sound. We thought that if we took a more serious theme (although time-traveling Vikings is pretty serious stuff) we could also take our music to the next level. We also wanted to add some more symphonic and progressive elements.
I think the songs are on a higher level than on the previous albums. This is mainly due to the arrangements and the diversity between the songs. Was this also what you had in mind while writing and recording?
Since this album had to be different from the previous one, we wanted to offer our fans a wider pallet. That's why the songs are so different from each other and different from the previous albums. I always find it interesting, fun and challenging to write more diverse songs and at the same time want to keep the power metal feel.
The lyrics are quite heavy and I think also personal. Where did that inspiration come from?
As mentioned, we wanted a different theme than a classic hero story that we are huge fans of. It didn't take much discussion to consider that sadness, regret and pain would be the best themes as many people will identify with them. In the end, unfortunately, the inspiration was found in our immediate vicinity. All stories come from our own experiences and those of friends.
The whole atmosphere on the album is also a bit darker and heavier than on previous releases. Can we expect an even heavier Veonity on a next album?
I can still remember when I was young and listened to power metal. The joy of discovering a new band was often epic and waiting for the next album is still something I can still remember. However, it sometimes happened that a band had changed its sound to a slower and heavier sound and that the whole power metal sound had disappeared. We soon decided that this would not happen to us. Of course you can never write the same song again and that means that your sound will change a bit, but we try to stay close to the soul of Veonity.
Where, when and with whom did you record 'Sorrows'?
There was once a great Swedish power metal band Dionysus. They have released some fantastic records around and after the turn of the century. Anders and I listened to that a lot and a friend put us in touch with the drummer of that band, Ronny Milianowicz. Ronny has his own studio near Örebro and we understood that if we wanted to make a great power metal record we also had to work with someone who knew how that should sound. So from the first album we work with Ronny and on 'Sorrows' he has outdone himself and gave us a sound that we never thought possible. Modern, clear, but still that Finnish nineties sound!
You signed a deal with Scarlet Records. What are their plans with Veonity and why did you sign with them?
We had a lot of choices for this album but since our passion for power metal is very big we also wanted to work with a label that understands that and has released quite a few good albums over the years. I am very happy with our collaboration and believe that together with Scarlet we can get our music in every corner of the world. That may sound a bit difficult, but in the end power metal will prevail!
Is the story of the time traveler who tried to prevent the end of the world, which was still heard on 'Legend Of The Starborn', now completely finished?
If I'm right, the world hasn't ended so he's done a more than fine job. He eventually had to pay for it with his own life and we are of course grateful to him for that, but now he has moved on to a point beyond the physical. I wish it were otherwise but I'm afraid the story is really over so no more songs will be written about his exploits. Ultimately, the world will always need to be saved and as the hour of darkness approaches there will be a brighter light than ever before.
Was there a moment when there was an opportunity to postpone the album due to the corona virus?
Not only have thousands of people died tragically due to corona, but the entire global economy has also been affected, including the entertainment industry. Live shows have become a rarity and tours seem like forgotten stories. Bands like to share their music with their fans. We also had shows and a tour planned but they have all been canceled and I really hope that one day we can play live again. Until then people will have to make do with what they have and that is listening to music now. For us, that was the main reason to release the album despite corona. In these somewhat dark times we can still make people a little happy with that. It won't save the world from the pandemic, but it will at least make it a little more pleasant to deal with.
Are there any ideas for a next album musically and lyrically? Will it be a concept album again?
We have so many ideas that I would like to share with you but then it is no longer a surprise. All I can say about it now is… no, I'm not going to say that. Just wait and see what comes.
Then these are all the questions I had. Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?
I want to thank everyone who wants to bring back our support and the former glory days of power metal. We couldn't play this music without the help of magazines like Arrow Lords Of Metal and the fans who buy our music and come to our shows. Let's hope the gods of 2021 have something better in store for us and that it will be a year when tours are possible again. Maybe we will also go to the Netherlands!