KAMELOT

\r\nKamelot are a rising promising band in the metal scene. I wouldn’t like to put them in the narrow barriers of the power metal genre as they are becoming more and more experimental with every new album. We had the chance of having a brief e mail interview with Thomas Youngblood, founder and guitarist of Kamelot, just before they announced the addition of the new keyboardist and from what he told as Kamelot have a DVD on the works and are still touring to support The Black Halo album.
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\r\nMetalzone: Hello Thomas. I hope things are going well for you both in a personal and professional level.
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: Things are going fine, thanks. The band is still touring from The Black Halo album and we will shoot our first DVD in a few months. We have been going like crazy since the release of The Black Halo.
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\r\n Metalzone: I guess you are beginning to see for yourself that KAMELOT are becoming more and more popular in Greece. Last years gig must have given you a hint.
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: Its great to see the band growing everywhere around the world. Our fans give us inspiration to make better songs and albums and give 100% every night on stage. The trip to Greece was fantastic and even better than I remember from our first trip to Greece in 2000 with Crimson Glory. \r\n

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\r\nMetalzone: KAMELOT are now a substantial part of the Metal scene. How do you feel about that and what is, in your opinion, the key to your success?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: I think anyone can be successful with hard work and a dedication to being unique and original. I am also a firm believer in getting the best people possible working with the band, whether its producers or artists. These albums have to stand the test of time for me. And when I look back on them in 10 years I want to feel good about the outcome. Another very important thing for is the fan interaction and staying true to our fans.
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\r\n Metalzone: Your debut album was back in 1995 with the album “Eternity”. In my opinion an album that stirred the waters of the scene. Had you imagined that it would turn out this way?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: We never really had a lot goals in those days. Kamelot was only a hobby for us. We recorded the first three albums on the weekends whenever Morrisound had an opening and we didn’t do very much pre-producer either. Looking back now I think we were very naïve and we have learned so much since then its amazing we even got the third album.
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\r\n Metalzone:Up until Siege Perilous KAMELOT’s musical direction was different comparing to the following albums. What made you change in that way?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: We were very fortunate to find Casey Grillo and Roy Khan for the band. They gave us an opportunity to write songs with no limits. The co-writing with Khan since has been a big factor of Kamelot evolving and growing. Personally, in those days I began listening to a lot of different types of music that was instrumental in the New Age Metal sound we staring forging.
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\r\n Metalzone:Do you believe that the release of KARMA was part of the reasons that KAMELOT became more famous in Metal?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: Well, thanks of saying we are famous but we feel we have so much more to do musically and professionally. I felt that The Fourth Legacy was a turning point for the band. With new producers and Khan on board as a fulltime member, that album set a mark for us in the scene.
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\r\n Metalozne: How would you describe the kind of music you played in both EPICA and THE BLACK HALO albums?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: It’s a little bit of everything we do but to the extremes. We have fast double bass songs, midtempo songs, ballads, and heavy slow songs. But these two albums also are part of storyline based around Goethe’s Faust legend. This gave us an opportunity to make an album with characters, like a movie to a lesser degree.
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\r\n Metalozne: What was the reason for using interludes within the Black Halo album? It kind of gave me the atmosphere of a concept album.
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: The interludes are there to tie the songs together and make the storyline as one.
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\r\n Metalzone: Tell me about the song writing process. How do you work, how do you come up with the new material? What gives you ideas for your songs? Do you collaborate on your ideas in the studio together or do you work by yourselves?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: The simple answer is a little of all these things happen. We do a lot of writing on the spot during songwriting sessions. Maybe Κhan has a cool piano based intro and I find a riff that fits it. Or like March of Mephisto, most the song was done alone in my home studio and Khan rearranged the vocal melody to the current and unique form it is in now. And of course Sascha has some great ideas while we are doing preproduction.
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\r\n Metalzone:Tell us, how did the cooperation with Shagrath of Dimmu Borgir come up?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: The idea first came up on the Epica album. But Shagrath was too busy or something. So we worked well in advance on the special guest for The Black Halo. Khan worked with Shagrath in Norway, they live quite close to each other and this was of course very convenient for us. We also shot the video for March of Mephisto with him and he was very cool to work with.
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\r\n Metalzone: From what I have read in your web site, two of your favorite bands are IRON MAIDEN and QUEENSRYCHE, however I can’t spot any influences by them in KAMELOT’s music. How come is that?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: Hmmm….I would say that there are definitely Queensryche influences in some of our songs. I agree on Maiden however, not really anything I could point out. Maybe the way Kamelot and Maiden has used historic themes in the music would be a good example.
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\r\n Metalzone: KAMELOT’s music is popular even among listeners who don’t listen to metal. Is this something you do οn purpose or does it just happen by itself?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: I think that since we do not only listen to metal ourselves that we somehow add elements of non-metal music in our sound. This could be the reason for the fanbase being diverse, also Khan’s voice is not as harsh as some and I think this contributes to the diversity of the band’s sound and fanbase.
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\r\n Metalzone:You become more popular by every album. Does it scare you that this makes your fans more and more demanding with each new album?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: Not at all, we think the pressure is good for us. If we get lazy and not put 100% into a song, we always remind ourselves of the bar we have set personally and either work harder on the song or completely throw it away and start on a new idea.
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\r\n Metalzone: What are your ambitions for the future? Where do you see Kamelot in the future?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: We are still a growing band, both musically and in terms of our fanbase. So in a sense we feel like we are just getting started. Our goals are always based on first and foremost writing the best songs we can. Remembering to stay true to our sound and fanbase but also stepping outiside of the typical metal band and transcend the steroptypes of a power metal band.
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\r\n Metalzone: Are you currently working on your new album? Do you have any ideas about the grounds you will be working on?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: We have some ideas but they are very vague. We will start working on the new album in the beginning of 2006.
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\r\nMetalzone: Which album do you believe to be the best of KAMELOT?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: My personal taste is a cross between Karma and The Black Halo.
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\r\n Metalzone: What do you think about the Greek fans. Do we like KAMELOT?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: You would need to ask the fans but we felt very welcomed when we toured there this year.
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\r\n Metalzone: I am sure that I represent an awful lot of people when I say we want to see you again in Greece. What are the chances of that happening any time in the future?
\r\n Thomas Youngblood: I am sure we will add Greece to the touring for the next album. We love the fans and country! \r\n

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\r\nOk? Be strong and keep the faith! \r\n

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\r\nHelen "Blackie" Michailidou
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