D r a c o n i a n

[Magica Dragon]

[Holymagica]

Magica Dragon.
For your first cd...I would get "Arcane Rain Fell"this is like a concept cd,now I got want to get into debates about God...so I will quote what Anders himself said about the cd as its his work.

[Magica Dragon]

Cheers for the info Holy
I like concept albums and this one sounds particularly interseting so I'll defintely start there. Add it to my wish list
It amazes me how many great bands I'd never have heard of if it weren't for Lady Rock. Keep up the good work

[Holymagica]

You now can hear the studio version of Seasons Apart on Draconian's Myspace....
http://www.myspace.com/draconianmusic

Some new photos....

[Magica Dragon]

Been listening to the new song loads recently. Fantastic stuff, hope the rest of the album is up to that standard.

[piracy_of_life]

haha, I don't have much to say other than,

HM your new banner has gotten me all excited about the new album, I can't wait for it to come out, haha. I might end up ordering early online so I don't have to run around to different stores hoping they have it.

ahhh I hate waiting

*edit* I just listened to the teaser on their myspace page, and I think I'm going to die of impatientness.
_________________
you put your hope into the sky
for your souls salvation
I put my hope into the fire
for my soul damnation

[Holymagica]

[Holymagica]

Bobby...Draconian are from Sweden,Anders the male vocals does most of the writing of lyrics,once you understand Ander's pain and rage...its very easy to understand what he is saying on cd,sometimes some of words are spoken not sung.
The band are great...its that power and heavy sound that I really like,you are right these guys are very talented...they can also bring it to a live stage as well...check out this clip.This is a new song and they nailed it first time if you ask me.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KpAUVDC1_oc
If you want to hear the studio versions of the new songs click here
http://www.myspace.com/draconianmusic
You can hear samples of the new cd click on Turning Season Within on the player!



Bobby listen to the Guitar riffs and solos in this song
The Cry of Silence
Filled with sorrow...
Bleak inner self touched by pride,
devoured by solitude, still wrapped in time.
I'm flowing with pain!

Holding myself back in suspicion...
and lingering in the dust...
the dust of my abandoned remains.
Killed with the dagger of life...!

Such an exquisite pride in my suffering...
alone, all alone with the emotional
streams of my soul...
So real, so pure... yet I'm left aside
entangled in fear... without hope.

I am truly left alone,
but somehow... just somehow
it feels like my loneliness is a victory
over the self-delusion of joy... and happiness.

My heart beats faster,
the anguish becomes clearer
and my misanthropic view gets stronger.
Living in the shadows...
so proud of being the one,
but desperate...
so desperate for a helping hand.
Do I really want to live this life?

I have a thousand reasons to die,
and many millions of tears to cry... in silence.
The human plague has emptied my life,
and I curse the day I was born... to this world!

Still, no-one else I ever want to be...
and no-one else I intend to be...
'cause no-one else I was meant to be!

I need, I want, I long for my retribution...
I need, I want, I yearn for my retribution...
I want my retribution... I want it now!

Unity; a gathering of open wounds,
of dark... of dark clean spirits...
what a dream... what a dream so distant!
Why should I... why should I be alone
when I love... when I love my brotherhood?
Shall I die... shall I die to be free
when I cry... when I cry in silence...
so please let me die in silence...
oh my god, let me die in silence!
Draconian - The Cry of Silence pt.1
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JtWFXA_EZTA
Draconian - The Cry of Silence pt.2
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=x-VxYQ4EkW0


Bobby you really knocked me for six,posting in this topic

[Holymagica]

Songs from the new cd"Turning Season Within".
Draconian - Seasons Apart
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WPqy56fetjs
Draconian - The Empty Stare
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VijJ_inX1RY
Draconian - Bloodflower
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uijqBrAdhy0
Draconian - When I Wake
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uG6Z6AoFF2s
Draconian - Earthbound
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6ixXEQ8ZrM8
Draconian - The Failure Epiphany
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ijMc1c80acU
Draconian - Not Breathing
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ublsGpqoEG4

[berserkur]

Thanx for the links. I got Arcane rain fell and Burning halo the other day and I´m really pleased. Excellent stuff. I don't know about getting all their stuff, will see about that. Bands tend to repeat themselves, not that the material is bad, too me it's just the repetition itself.

[Holymagica]

[Holymagica]

Interview with Anders Jacobsson
Hi, how are you doing today?
It kinda sucks. Thank you!

Soon, the new album “Turning Season Within” will go on sale. I must say, it is different than your previous works. How did the decision to go into this new direction started? What influences made the band pursuit this new style?
It just happened that way along the song-making process. We needed some up-tempo material for our set and things just went on from there. Personally I favor the slower and more melodic sound, but in order to be attention-grabbing we have to stay a bit diverse.
I have no idea of influences really, but to me most of the new material sounds more Scandinavian than before. I guess the choice of studio put us there as well.

To me, each Draconian album is different in its own way: “Where Lovers Mourn” had more gothic elements, whereas “Arcane Rain Fell” was rather doomier. Is it fair to say that Draconian is a band that’s constantly evolving?
I’d like to think so, but as far as the basis go I think we’ve already found our path and we out to stick to it. You can hear the typical Draconian elements in all 4 albums and this is what is important. You should experiment and try new things as long you don’t stray from the original sound. I truly hate when great bands deviate completely from their sound in order to catch a wider audience. Music is art and emotion and it should stay that way.

Also the characteristic doomy piano parts and female vocals are great as ever, as well as the prominent bass lines. These elements are typically Draconian, is it not? How important were they on “Turning Season Within”?
I guess they are a typical ingredient of Andreas Karlsson (referring to the piano parts). I have no idea really, but I guess they add something to the picture. Personally, I think there should have been more parts like that and some more keyboard structures over all, but even if we wanted to, there was no time for it. Andreas was kinda busy and we had our asses full as it was.

Overall, how satisfied are you with this new album?
Very satisfied. All of us are better and more skilled artists on this album and we finally got the sound we wanted. But as far as the actual style go, I don’t think we are any better or worse. I love all songs we’ve made, but that doesn’t mean I love all of the recordings… far from it even. But with the skill we have today these older songs would be three times better. I think it’s important to aim a bit higher for each album... so the next one will be even better.

Looking back at the albums you’ve made, how satisfied are you with their overall outcome?
Well, I think we would have done a hell better of a job if we’d recorded the previous albums today, because we’ve have become better and better. With the new album we pushed ourselves very much to improve and sadly I think we left that out the other times.
I love the songs of all our albums, far more than the productions and some of the handicrafts. We could have done much more with it.

Can you tell us something about the way Draconian composes its music?
Johan composes most of the music on his own and then he usually gives it to me and I write a lyric. Then we arrange the vocals together along the pre-production process, and make some changes along the process. These days we first record a song in our studio and then we rehearse it. It’s very practical that way.

Concerning lyrics, on the new album the lyrics are more down-to-earth as opposed to previous albums. Could you please elaborate on the importance of lyrics to Draconian?
When I said “down to earth” I meant that I deal with things what has actually happened in my own life. And as cliché as it might seem, I have gone through some really tough situations that I wanted to reflect with this new sound of ours. Love is a wide spectrum and how to deal with life is even wider and to combine these two elements was something that "Turning Season Within" became in the end. The lyrics deal mostly with distances between two people, whether it’s about depression, solitude, drugs, suicide, pride, fear or whatever. All these aspects are very apparent on this album and for me personally this is somewhat of a catharsis. Maybe that was the idea all along, I don’t know, but I guess this is the main difference compared to the other albums because on them I was experimenting with thought and ideas, feelings and dreams about matters important to me, but now it’s for real. And maybe I am finished now… maybe this was all I needed, so next time I can write about something completely different. I cannot really say.

On “Where Lovers Mourn,” you used a famous poem by Wordsworth ("A slumber did my spirit seal"), are you a fan of the Romantics (or literature in general)?
I am a big fan of the old Romantics and when talking about lyrics I think this will be more noticeable in the future. Poetry, especially romantic-style written poetry is the most expressive kind of lyrics one can have in this music and “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” is true evidence of that, I think. I have lots of poetry I’ve never used so maybe I will deal with that later on.
I know in the past there have been many problems concerning touring; will there be a tour this time around in support of the new album?
In the process. I actually have no idea what will happen yet. All I know is that we have to change booking agency.

Are there any cool touring/recording experiences or any other bizarre story you would like to share with us?
I guess, but I am really bad at recollecting stuff like this, hehe. I know that the guys had a very fun time on my behalf after we played a gig in Västerås with the gothrockband Ghostnail when I had a really bad cold and after the show I could hardly speak. That didn’t keep me from becoming shitfaced that night and talking to the band Hellacopters (like we were old friends or something) who were staying at the same hotel as us. And I asked them a lot of crazy personal questions and God knows what. However, my fellow bandmembers had lots of fun ‘cause of this. Later that night I fell asleep with my hand between my legs in a very strange position (pictures were taken). Early next day on the breakfast I was still drunk and could hardly speak at all… and I spilled a lot of fried eggs all over the place during the breakfast. Gosh, it was a crazy, but kinda fun.

For some time now, Andreas is not a permanent member of the band any more. How is the search going for a new Keyboard player?
We have given that up since it didn’t work out very well with the two session members we had. We use backtracks now and that works just fine. The downside with it is that it leaves very little space for us for experimentation on stage. Everything must be according to click so we must play the song in exact rhythm, otherwise all hell breaks loose. I think this limits us a bit, but it works very well and we have decided to go with this for a while, for practical reasons.

How is the atmosphere among the band members of Draconian? Do you see each other a lot?
Yes, we are all friends but Lisa is working a lot and Fredrik are living in a town quite far, so we don’t see them as much as we’d like to. Me, Johan, Jerry and Daniel are the ones hanging out the most, but all of us have a lot of friends outside the band as well.

You’ve been with Napalm Records for a few years now, how did you get in contact with them? Are you satisfied with their work?
I believe they had done what they could. They are a bit hard when it comes to merchandise though, but none is perfect, hehe. But they are great in promotion and distribution. And that is really the most important thing.
I sent a copy of the last demo we made, “Dark Oceans We Cry” and I think they contacted me the very same day they got it. We only sent the demo to two labels, so I guess this was meant to be.

Could you give me a top 5 of your all time favorite albums?
Well, from an emotional perspective then… this is very hard as usual, but here goes:
1. Elend – Les Ténèbres Du Dehors
2. Anathema – Serenades
3. My Dying Bride – Turn Loose the Swans
4. Theatre of Tragedy – Velvet Darkness They Fear
5. Fields of the Nephilim – The Nephilim
Written by Randall Ras at Vampire Magazine

Review of Draconian ''Turning Season Within''Pain – love – sorrow – failure: mere nouns which describe specific human emotions. In truth, an emotion is a complex reaction pattern by which an individual attempts to deal with a personally significant matter of event. Emotions can stir our inner-self; it can move us to a higher state of euphoria, or bury us deep within the womb of desperation. It can leave us feeling helpless or at ease. Nonetheless, the human being is constantly affected by his emotions and is prone to act uppon them.
Draconian’s music tends to conjure up said emotions; it is passionate yet quite melancholic. If actions speak louder than words, then trully this emotional music will drown both the action and the word within its deafening sorrow. It is like a web, a cockoon, that enwraps you into the darkest abyss of the human heart; where the young Werther is personified in a melancholic music experience.

“Turning Seasons Within” is Draconian’s 4th studio album (including the bonus album “The Burning Halo”) and is, compared to the overal feeling of the older albums, different! Styllistically, the tracks are more intense and powerful. Nonetheless, the darkness, beauty and the fusion of Doom and Gothic metal are still there. Think of this album as an upgrade, adding new elements to already existing ones. Lyricswise, they are the most personal and down-to-earth lyrics Draconian ever wrote. Like Anders Jacobsson (vocals) said: “Failing and hopeless love relationships, as well as how we deal with them is what this album is about.”

The album starts off with “Seasons Apart,” a melancholic and utterly beautiful track. Lisa Johansson’s angelic voice is very soothing, whereas Ander’s deep growls rages a chaotic and brutal storm. It is this contrast – between innocense and evil – that balances the songs and fills the album with both tragic and beautiful passages. Both Lisa and Anders are, again, at their best on this album: the vocals are quite diverse and over-the-top.
“When I Wake” is a track that is quite the contrary to what Draconian fans (like myself) are used to. It is quite brutal, heavy and fast paced. Jerry Torstensson’s drumming is very notable on this track; he literally pounds away on that double-bass drum (as opposed to the usual mid-paced drumming). In my opinion, an exciting bonus!
On “The Failure Epiphany” we see another side of Draconian. The song starts off with an acoustic prelude (which reccurs throughout the song) but moves to a heavier passage. This interchanging between heavy and acoustic parts has made this one of the most outstanding tracks on the album (and a personal favorite to yours truly).
“Morphine Cloud” is perhaps the most traditional Draconian song on the album, reminiscence of “Arcane Rain Fell.” It's quite doomy, in the vains of (old) Anathema.
Another track I would like to mention is “Bloodflower” (if I keep this up, I would have an extensive review of each separate track. Honestly, it’s inevitable since each track has its own distinct difference and beauty). The intro – clean guitar picking by the talented Johan Ericson – is quite beautiful. In fact, towards the middle we get a great guitar solo; this, along with the wonderful vocal arrangements, the heavy riffs and the dreamy melodies make this track one of the most impressive, melancholic and beautiful tracks on the album (and again, one of my personal favorites).
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the final track from the album. “September Ashes” lasts just about over 1 minute and features the narrating of Paul Kuhr (Novembers doom) accompanied by a piano; simple yet passionate.

“Turning Season Within” is slightly different from what we’re used to from this Swedish sixteth; nonetheless, this is a change that is highly welcomed. It shows that the band is willing to take risks and embark on a different (yet ambiguously familiar) journey over the rough sea we call life. As I previously stated, the traditional Draconian elements are still present; except, they are now accompanied by newer, slightly heavier/more aggressive elements.
“Where Lovers Mourn” (Draconian’s debut album) is, personally, my favorite album. However, this album – which has been playing over and over since I received it – can easily take its position. It is, in one word: (a) masterpiece!
Recorded at the Fascination Street Studios in Örebro with producers Jens Bogren and David Castillo, “Turning Season Within” sounds crisp and clear; a well-produced, well-recorded album that will surely appeal to any doom/gothic metal fan (especially those who are into Novembers Doom or (old) Anathema). Be sure to catch this emotionally charged, melancholic, tragic yet beautiful album out released through Napalm Records.

Written by Randall Ras at Vampire Magazine

[ZeusJupiter]

[Holymagica]

ZeusJupiter...But of course they are good,great musicians always make great music...I will admit Anders style of speaking and singing is not for everyone's taste but you got to admit,those heavy Guitar riffs are something special.
I would love Ronnie to play some of his songs with these guys.
And Lisa is a great singer as well.


Check them out live
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KpAUVDC1_oc

[Holymagica]

Draconian in Moscow 8th Nov 2008
Setlist:
01. When I Wake
02. Bloodflower
03. A Scenery Of Loss
04. Heaven Laid In Tears (Angels’ Lament)
05. The Cry Of Silence
06. Seasons Apart
07. She Dies
08. The Abhorrent Rays
09. Daylight Misery
10. Earthbound
11. Silent Winter
12. Serenade Of Sorrow
13. Morphine Cloud

Encore 1:
14. Death Come Near Me

Encore 2:
15. A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal
Some photos from the show.











Fan-filmed video footage of the concert can be viewed below
Draconian - Silent Winter
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BtBEhpKVZdY
Draconian - Heaven Laid in Tears
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WjdP7ZL6e9g
Draconian - Serenade of sorrow
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FvtztKrNgDQ