INTERVIEW: DRAGONY

 

Genre: Melodic/Symphonic Power Metal

Country: Austria

Questions by: Nick Parastatidis

Answers by: DRAGONY

Site: Homepage

1. When you switched from THE DRAGONSLAYER PROJECT to DRAGONY, it was clearly a significant transformation. What ignited that change, and how did it shape your identity as a band?

Well originally the band was intended as more of a studio project, hence the original name. But when it became clear that we wanted to go out and play live as well, it turned more into a “traditional” band and we decided to change the band name to something shorter and catchier, to coincide with the release of our debut album “Legends” in 2011/12. I think that the “real” history of the band starts with that debut album, whereas the time as “The Dragonslayer Project” was more of a trial run, haha.

2. Your first gigs were in 2008. What was that initial rush like? Can you recount a particularly vivid memory or a hilarious moment from those early shows?

Actually, one of the very first shows we played was a support show for FIREWIND back in November 2008 at Vienna’s Viper Room. That is still one of our best memories from the early days of the band, as it was really a fantastic atmosphere at that show, and I think the Firewindguys also remember it fondly!

3.Your music draws heavily from bands like HAMMERFALL, EDGUY, and NIGHTWISH. How do these influences shape your songwriting process and sound?

Quite a lot I would say, especially Hammerfall and Edguy, who are some of my favorite bands from those days of Power Metal around the turn of the millennium. In my opinion, Tobias Sammet is probably the best songwriter when it comes to this type of melodic metal, and his output is unrivalled. I think you can hear a lot of these influences in many of Dragony’s songs as well.

 4. Compare your musical evolution to a mythical creature. If "Legends" was a dragon and "Hic SvntDracones" is another beast altogether, what creature would it be and what powers would it wield?

Haha I think the new album would be a “Super Saiyan Dragon”, as it incorporates all the elements from our previous albums, but combines it to form a much stronger entity, with tighter songwriting, better individual performances and also an improved production, this time done by the great Jacob Hansen.

5. Each album tells a story. If you could step into one of the worlds from your albums for a day, which would it be and what adventure would you seek?

Personally I would probably go with the world (or worlds) of our album “Masters of the Multiverse”, as many of the songs on that album were inspired by pop culture like popular fantasy novels, TV shows and video games, and it would be pretty fun to enter some of these worlds I think!

6. "ViribusUnitis" represents a satirical twist on history. How do you balance the line between playful storytelling and serious commentary in your songwriting?

I think this approach really suits the feeling of Dragony very well, as we have always seen the band as an entertainment product, and have never taken ourselves all too seriously. So to approach our most recent albums with a slightly “phantastical” twist on actual history fits well with that tongue-in-cheek attitude.

7. You’ve shared stages with iconic bands. Who has left the biggest impression on you during these collaborations, and what was the most valuable lesson you learned from them?

I think the biggest support shows we’ve played were for Blind Guardiand and Gamma Ray, and especially Gamma Ray, who we were able to join for our first-ever international tour in 2015, were very kind and helpful, especially for a young newcomer band like us. It was a very chill tour and the guys were super helpful and kind, so that’s a great memory for sure. It’s still very nice whenever we happen to run into some of the guys from time to time, mostly Kai, Henjo or Michael Ehré.

8. With this new album on the horizon, if "Hic SvntDracones" were a movie trailer, what teaser line encapsulates the essence of this next chapter in DRAGONY's saga?

I’d say: “From the creators of Cyber Punk Joseph comes the new historical fiction ‘Hic SvntDracones’, which blends the story of the ‘Lost Colony’ of Roanoke in North America with the spirit of Jules Verne and the gods of Norse mythology that culminates in a gigantic showdown in the ‘Ragnarök’, the mythical Twilight of the Gods.”

9.New members often bring fresh perspectives. How has Chris Auckenthaler's arrival shifted your dynamics or creative flow in the band?

I think the biggest dynamic shift came due to the age difference. Chris is only 24 years old, so he is very excited and enthusiastic about all project and activities surrounding the band, so that brings a lot of fresh energy into the band dynamic. It was a very welcome refresher that I think the band really needed at this stage – after all, we’ve already been around for almost 18 years now if you count the time as “The Dragonslayer Project”, so at some point, a shot of adrenaline was sorely needed.

10. What does the 10-year milestone mean to you as a band? How has your perspective on your music and the industry changed during that time?

Well our 10 year anniversary basically already happened in 2017 if we count the entire time the band has been working together, haha – so we’re now actually closer to the 20 year anniversary, even though the band lineup has changed of course, and it’s only myself and our bass player Herb left from the original Dragonslayer Project lineup now that both our guitarist Andreas and drummer Frederic left the band in recent times.I think the perspective changed in so far as it became quite clear to us what is necessary if you really want to “make it” in the music business – and that is the fact that you need to invest 100% of your time, money and energy into your band, especially in a niche market like Heavy Metal, as otherwise you will simply not make it. There is a lot of grind involved, and if you’re not willing to walk that walk, don’t expect to get to a level where you can make a living off of your music alone. We in Dragony don’t, we all have our regular day jobs and treat the band as basically a hobby, which we still want to live professionally, but we know that on the level we are right now and with the time we can invest into touring and band-related activities, we’re probably not going to be headlining Wacken, haha. But we still enjoy making music a lot and want to keep going for as long as we can on this level – but we’ve sure gotten a taste of the “music industry”, and as you would expect, some aspects of that industry aren’t great – but you’ve gotta take the good with the bad, and roll with the punches, if you’re looking to get into the music business.But if you do – make sure to be certain that you’re also ready to treat it as a “business”, because that’s what it is, and you got to work for everything if you want to make it.

11. Have there been fan requests or influences that made a significant impact on your music or performance style?

I don’t think so – our music has always been mostly informed by our personal preferences and tastes, and that’s why Dragony still mostly sounds like the Power Metal bands I grew up listening to in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That’s not going to change, as that’s just my favorite kind of music and that’s what I enjoy creating and playing. Maybe there will be some side projects some time down the road if some of us feel like it, but I don’t think that outside influences will decide that – it will still be a decision that we make ourselves.

12. What does it mean to you to perform at the Ghostlands&Ravenlands Festival for the first time?

For me personally quite a lot actually, as I have a lot of close personal friends in Greece, and used to visit Athens quite frequently in pre-pandemic times. Unfortunately time and money don’t often allow it anymore, and I think the last time I was here was in 2019 – so it’s really about time to come back! And I’m especially excited to return to Athens to finally come here and play, and at Kyttaro no less – I’ve been to a few shows there, like Up The Hammers back in 2014 and Primal Fear in 2019, so it will be very cool to be able to play that venue. It’s also Dragony’s first-ever show in Greece, so definitely something to look forward to!

13. What can fans expect in terms of your setlist at the festival? Will you be incorporating new material or fan favorites?

Well since our new album “Hic SvntDracones” was released only in October last year, so we are certainly focusing heavily on songs from that record, as we also think it’s some of our strongest material to date that really works well in a live environment. But of course there will be a few classics from the back catalogue included in the setlist as well!

14. Thanks for your time answering my questions. Please close the interview in any way  you like…

Thank you very much for the interview, we look forward to heading to Athens in February! Stay glorious!