IRON KINGDOM

“The world is at an ever-strange crossroads; it feels that anything could happen at any moment.”

“We write the albums in a blocked period of time – that’s where the cohesion comes from.”

“Our independence has created honest music out of us.”

“If an idea excites us, we go for it.”

“Sometimes life throws you around and you just want to talk about it.”

“We’re somewhat veterans of the road now – that changes how you see things.”

“Anything can happen – and that uncertainty is part of who we are.”

“We play the music we enjoy listening to – that’s always been the point.”

With ‘Shadows and Dust‘, Iron Kingdom present an album shaped by both uncertainty and resilience – a record that reflects personal struggles as much as a world in constant flux.
Balancing classic heavy metal roots with a growing sense of atmosphere and introspection, the band continue to evolve without losing their core identity.
In this interview with Chris Osterman by Fok ’bs’, the band reflects on independence, songwriting discipline, and the mindset behind one of their most cohesive releases to date.
‘Shadows and Dust‘ revolves around impermanence and endurance.
Did those themes emerge from personal experiences, or from observing the world around you?
“I think the most correct answer here is both. The world is at an ever-strange crossroads; it feels that anything could happen at any moment, and that sense of uncertainty is definitely part of how this album came to be. Internally, there have been some hardships within some members’ personal lives, and that has also made its way into the songs. As musicians, we’re artists, and this is our way of showing our experience of the world we live in, be it personal or otherwise.”
The album is not a strict concept record, yet it feels deeply cohesive.
How do you create that sense of unity without relying on a single narrative?
“I think it has more to do with how we write the music. We write the albums in a blocked period of time; in other words, we more or less stop gigging, and we focus strictly on the album. We write until we complete an album. Once we complete the writing process, we will often go straight into the production of that album, and we no longer have the time to keep writing new material. So I think that cohesive feeling comes from a certain frame of mind that existed within us all during the writing process of the whole album. And since we can’t just re-live a certain time whenever we want, we get into different thought patterns for the next album, and that becomes the next cohesive sound.”
The release date carries historical weight with its connection to D-Day.
How consciously did that symbolism influence the album’s identity?
“D-Day was actually the day we formed as a band, so we’ve carried a connection ever since 2011 when we settled on the name. This particular date in 2026 was a connection to the fact it is our 15th anniversary as a band, but also, it happens to be our 6th album, releasing in 2026, on the 6th month, on the 6th day!”
Your earlier work strongly embraced classic heavy metal traditions.
At what point did you feel the need to expand your sonic palette?
“Do you feel we have strayed from that? We play the music we enjoy listening to, if it happens to change from album to album, it’s just because we felt a little different at that time, or maybe expanded our influences a little bit. We love classic Heavy Metal and Power Metal and all we want to do is help bring it back, and have a good time while doing it!”
There’s a noticeable shift toward atmosphere and introspection on tracks like ‘Dreamless Sea‘.
What inspired you to explore that more vulnerable side?
“We allow the music and the lyrics to support each other, the lyrics in ‘Dreamless Sea’ are quite sad and introspective, and we needed to support that concept with the music, it really was just what felt right to us, so we did it. This song in particular comes from a personal place, but with the world the way it has been, I’m willing to bet there’s a lot of people out there who can relate.”
The imagery of an army crossing a hostile landscape suggests struggle without clear resolution.
Do you see that as a metaphor for the band’s own journey?
“No, if anything it’s more a metaphor of the world’s current state.”
Being a fiercely independent band, you’ve built much of your infrastructure yourselves.
Does that independence shape your creativity, or mainly your work ethic?
“Can it be both? I feel like the work ethic is absolutely present, we fix our own tour buses, we build our own website, we record our own albums, where does it end? Haha but that’s also just what the times demand.
From a creative perspective, we don’t really want an outside perspective, because, isn’t it what we wanted to write that should matter the most? Otherwise, it’s not really true to ourselves, and I think our fans would notice. I think our independence has created honest music out of us.”
Recording the album entirely in your own studio is a milestone.
Did that environment change the way songs were written or refined?
“Well, we’ve been tracking our own albums for a while now. The main difference for this particular record was that we had finally completed the construction of a soundproofed studio. It allowed us to track whenever we were available, and it allowed us to take our time and do things the way we wanted. (While also maintaining our full-time jobs) But the process was very similar to previous albums, except that we had done everything in the same room. Any other albums before ‘Shadows and Dust’ were tracked in two different studios, usually with drums being that drums were done elsewhere.”
Dual guitar work has always been central to your sound.
How do you and Megan approach creating harmonies that feel both classic and fresh?
“I personally find the melodies come very easily to me; it’s the most fun I have in the writing process. I also tend to write them quite quickly and can, with relative ease, write new melodies if we need to change the vibe.
Megan has a real ear for harmonies. Growing up, her grandma was actually a very successful violinist and performed at a professional level. So I believe that really helped tune her ears, and is a huge help in us actually finding out which harmony suits the melody the best.
We both come at writing from different angles, which might help that ‘fresh’ feeling as you describe.”
Many songs balance historical, mythical, and personal elements.
Do you consciously blend those layers, or do they naturally intersect in your writing?
“I think it’s just the topics we find interesting, sometimes life throws you around and you just want to talk about it, other times you see the world around you and you want to say something about it. In the end I think we write what feels interesting to us at the time. If an idea excites us, we go for it.”
After 15 years as a band, how has your definition of ‘Heavy Metal‘ evolved compared to when you first started?
“Back when we started, it felt that when we said we played Heavy Metal, people would often say, ‘oh I really hate that genre’, and then we would have to clarify with, ‘well we play lots of guitar solo’s, and we use clean vocals, like Iron Maiden, you know?’ The response would often be, ‘oh I love that style! When do you play next?’
Where as today, I find that Heavy Metal has become a lot more accepted, I think people are a lot more open minded to the genre, but also more aware that not all of it is super extreme, that there are in fact, multiple sub-genres, and they might even enjoy a few of them.”
You’ve played everything from support slots to headlining your own shows.
Does stepping onto a stage today feel different in terms of purpose or responsibility?
“You know, I feel like the album release on June 5th will feel a little bit different. There is a sense of, well we’ve been around for a while, it is our 15th anniversary after all, and we’re not just some young kids releasing our first album anymore. We’re somewhat veterans of the road, and of the stage, and at least for myself, I feel like this show might be the start of a transition into a more mature version of the group. However, maybe I’m wrong haha, maybe it’s just another show. I won’t know until we play it! Haha”
If ‘Shadows and Dust‘ represents both reflection and forward motion, where do you see Iron Kingdom heading next – deeper into tradition, or further into uncharted territory?
“For now, I think it’s all about turning this new album into an epic new show. However, I’m not sure about our next musical steps. Do we carry on with what we have right now? Do we try for something faster? More epic? More progressive? More doom? I really don’t know. I think the tours will affect the music, and I think our state of mind will as well. Anything can happen, but for right now, it’s all about making this album the biggest thing we can, and playing our music to as many people as we can!”
For Chris Osterman and Iron Kingdom, ‘Shadows and Dust‘ is less about defining a fixed direction and more about capturing a moment in time – shaped by experience, uncertainty, and a relentless dedication to their craft.
Built on independence and driven by authenticity, the album stands as both a reflection of where they are and a gateway to wherever the road leads next.
After 15 years, one thing remains clear:
Iron Kingdom are not chasing trends or expectations – they are simply following their own path, wherever it may lead.
by Fok ‘bs‘