Photo by Tom Mis
Despite over a decade of furious songwriting, relentless touring, and flying the flag for power metal in North America, Seven Kingdoms still hit the stage every night like they have something to prove to every audience member. Touring in support of their latest full-length, Zenith, the band dropped by New Jersey’s Dingbatz with a stacked lineup of proper melodic and symphonic metal, featuring special guests Empress and support from Osyron.
I won’t pretend this isn’t a bit of a niche show with a limited audience for the genre in the States in 2023. Given the sudden resurgence of death metal and deathcore in the States, spearheaded by bands like Sanguisugabogg, Lorna Shore, and 200 Stab Wounds, an entire evening of power metal is not exactly the hottest thing going on in the scene right now. But looking at the audience and the turnout from this evening, you would never know it. This room was packed, and the crowd was clad in denim, repping their favorite band or festival on a black shirt.
Seven Kingdoms was the evening’s crown jewel. The razor-sharp riffing and perfectly crafted solos from guitarists Camden Cruz and Kevin Byrd were as tight live as they are on record, with Keith Byrd setting the pace with precision behind the kit. Seven Kingdoms has toured for quite a few years now without a bassist, instead piping it over the PA, but that doesn’t prevent them from filling the stage with their presence, even with songs with prominent bass elements. Front and center is singer Sabrina Cruz, a powerhouse vocalist and ringleader. The band has never been afraid to laugh at themselves and make it known that they’re having a good time. Sabrina’s signature burger slippers (among a host of other burger plushies gifted to them by fans on the road) make their triumphant debut in New Jersey, a welcome moment of brevity in a scene that generally takes itself way too seriously.
Most of their setlist was pulled from Zenith, their latest release and arguably their strongest. The standout moment from the night was very clearly “Diamond Handed,” which can now be considered a defining track of the band’s career. Their 2020 pandemic output was also on display tonight, and songs like “The Great Goat Rodeo” absolutely landed live. The band gained a lot of speed in 2017 with the release of Decennium, and made sure to close out the set with fan favorites “In the Walls” and “Kingslayer,” and even a few earlier gems, including the epic “After the Fall.” Cries for one more song prompted the band to queue up their epic cover of “Boys of Summer,” overhauled as a proper metal track and a brilliant ending to a spectacular night.
Seven Kingdoms
Photo By Tom Mis
Where Seven Kingdoms draws inspiration from faster, speed-tinged power metal, and special guests, Empress are more firmly rooted in symphonic metal. Though the wave of European-inspired bands has slowed down in recent years, Empress takes the formula and mixes it up with more aggressive riffing, modern drumming, and a healthy dose of Maiden-style harmonies. They wear their influences on their sleeve; you can hear the Symphony X, the Kamelot, and the Nightwish, but never come off like a cheap copy of any, in both sound and performance. Despite having only one full length under their belt, Empress owned the stage like a seasoned festival act. If you’re not already paying attention to this band, you should be.
Empress
Photo By Tom Mis
Osyron, the heaviest band of the night, opened the show with a bang. Blending power metal with modern progressive elements, their set turned more than a few heads in the crowd. The singer’s range was absolutely wild, soaring highs to deep death growls, though the latter was used sparingly. This was the band’s first US run, hopefully not their last. The band’s engagement with the audience was fantastic. While not everyone in the audience was familiar with their material, more than a handful of metalheads were singing along.
Despite the shifting tides and constant trends in metal, the spirit of power metal endures, with a packed venue and passionate crowd celebrating the genre’s unwavering appeal. Always count on Jersey to show up.
Osyron
Photo By Tom Mis
