STORMBORN

track-list:
Call of the Void
Land of the Servant King
Fear of a Monster
The Unending Night
Dawn Will Come Again
Out in the Weird
Serpentine
Death Incarnate
Echo

produced by Andrew Felton, Laurence Armitage
recording engineer (Vocals): Andrew Felton
recording engineer (Guitars): Laurence Armitage
recording engineer (Drums): Alessio Garavello – Rogue Studios
mixed and mastered by Andrew Felton

Stormborn are:
Andrew Felton – drums
Laurence Armitage – guitar
David Viner – Guitar
Simon ‘Steve’ Ball – bass
Christopher Simmons – vocals

discography:
2012 Stormborn Full-length
2015 Carl Casagrande Split
2016 Far from Heaven Single
2022 Fear of a Monster Single
2022 Serpentine Single
2024 Out in the Weird Single
2024 Zenith Full-length

Moshville – Gig Review: Bloodstock M2tM Kent Finals (18th June, 2022):
“The next band on were Stormborn, a slightly heavier band than the previous and just as powerful. They very much interacted with the crowd, earning a lot of shouts of encouragement. Their vocalist’s range was undeniably impressive and the rest of the band sure as hell kept up with him with his fast pace and ability to start with low vocals and jumping right up into a high note within seconds.”
Reflection of Darkness:
“STORMBORN were inspired but with the vibe turned up to an emphatic 12. You could not help but notice the vocalist, his body expanded to fill up the stage, ‘I am here’ it exclaimed”
Planet Mosh:
“A show that is deserving of any metal audience in the UK from the smallest bar right up to a major festival”

The slithering earworm sounds of Stormborn’s power metal force are presented in their latest music video for the single ‘Serpentine’ off their forthcoming album ‘Zenith’ due out this coming April 2024 from Rockshots Records.
‘Serpentine’ is a roaring power metal anthem inspired by The Liveship Traders, a trilogy of fantasy novels by American author Robin Hobb.
The song is about a ship possessed by the soul of a dragon and features a guest solo from one-time Stormborn guitarist Dan Smith and showcases the band firing on all cylinders with its high-flying chorus.
Their new album ‘Zenith’ showcases an evolution in their songwriting and style, while still retaining that fast, riffy, melodic essence of classic Stormborn.
The full-length strikes a balance between growth and familiarity and they’re optimistic that both their loyal fans and new listeners will find something to appreciate and enjoy.
“While we appreciate heavy and technical elements in music. The album itself was really honed and manicured to be listened to back to back, and intended for the listener to settle down with a pair of good headphones or speakers and get lost in that experience. There’s a lot of intricacy in the composition and mixing that is really only there to emphasize that experience.”
adds the band.
“Aside from 3 days in a studio to record drums, ‘Zenith’ was entirely recorded, mixed and mastered in house. All guitars were engineered by Laurence, and Andy tackled the mixing and mastering. We really wanted to make sure this album sounded the way we wanted it to, and without a huge budget to afford great studios and producers, there was no way to accomplish that without doing it ourselves.”
‘Zenith’ is due out on April 26th, 2024 on Rockshots Records.
Stormborn – a melodic heavy metal band hailing from Kent in the UK, has forged a unique path in the music world.
With influences ranging from heavy metal titans like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Dio, Stormborn’s sound is a compelling mix of classic and modern elements.
The band’s journey began as teenagers, originally known as ‘MegaFist,’ with members Chris Simmons (Vocals), Andy Felton (Drums), Dave Viner (Guitar), Laurence Armitage (Guitar) and others.
The evolution from ‘MegaFist’ to ‘Seven’ and eventually to ‘Stormborn’ saw many lineup changes, with the eventual addition of Simon ‘Steve’ Ball (Bass) and Carl Casagrande (Vocals), leading to their debut album in 2012, which saw them crowned winners of Metal to the Masses London 2012, and of the New Blood award at Summer Breeze festival 2013.
Later, Matt Oakman replaced Carl as the vocalist, and Dan Smith joined as a third guitarist.
Despite lineup changes and a hiatus, the band reunited in 2021 with its original members with the now stalwart addition of Simon Ball, rejuvenated and ready to deliver their now refined, unique and signature sound.
Stormborn’s sound, described as the ‘New Wave of Melodic Heavy Metal,’ is a testament to their innovative approach.
Their upcoming album ‘Zenith’ incorporates the bands love of power metal combined with more extreme sub genres and the vocal range of Chris Simmons, who can go from a death metal growl to a power metal scream in one breath.
The band’s sound has evolved over time to become heavier and more intricate, with complex compositions and diverse textures.
The upcoming album ‘Zenith’ represents this evolution and the first step into a new era for the band, showcasing their now signature ‘Melodic Heavy Metal’ sound.
Stormborn’s are a band that has to be seen live.
They are known for their wild energy and collaborate nature, with the band engaging actively with the audience.
Their shows all across the UK have gained them a dedicated fanbase, and were once referred to by Dave Bedlam of Planet Mosh as ‘a show that is deserving of any metal audience in the UK from the smallest bar right up to a major festival’.
“Once upon a time, after reaching the final of a global battle of the bands, we all squeezed into a tiny hatchback with all our gear and drove from England to Germany to play at the final hosted at Summer Breeze festival. The drive took 14 hours, and we arrived less than an hour before we were due to play. Having driven the whole way there in one sitting, Andy collapsed onto the grass behind the stage for about 5 minutes before the drum tech came to get him and take him to get set up. We were so exhausted after we played, and considering we were playing against a load of German bands on their home soil, we were sure we’d lost, so went off to find some food. We then received a call from one of the organisers to ask where we were. They needed us at the stage as we were about to be announced as the winners! We had to sprint back to the stage where we had to wade through the other bands to get to the front and accept the award. When then opened the main stage the next morning even more exhausted!”
“We were once told by a famous and prominent metal musician to cut our beards and wear nicer clothes and then we’d be successful. Needless to say, we promptly refused, and needless to say we have yet found no major success – so perhaps he was right, but we’re never going to change who we are.”
Why did you form? How did the idea come to be?
“We originally embarked on our musical journey as teenagers fuelled by a shared desire to form a band. Initially known as ‘MegaFist,’ our group comprised Chris Simmons (Vocals), Andy Felton (Drums), Dave Viner (Guitar) and later Laurence Armitage (Guitar), along with two other friends. Eventually, Andy, Laurence and Dave departed to pursue a more defined musical direction, forming ‘Seven’ before transforming into ‘Stormborn’ after some lineup changes. Simon ‘Steve’ Ball joined as the bassist, alongside vocalist Carl Casagrande, resulting in the release of our debut album (2012’s Stormborn). Carl was later succeeded by Matt Oakman as the vocalist and Dan Smith joined as a third guitarist. Following an attempt at a fresh start with the single ‘Far From Heaven’ in 2016, guitarist Dan departed, swiftly replaced by Danny Cox, but despite another year of performances, the band decided to take an indefinite hiatus. However, in 2021, Stormborn resurfaced! The original lineup of Andy, Laurence, Dave and Steve reunited with friend and former MegaFist vocalist Chris Simmons. It’s as if the band has almost completed a full circle! With age and experience on our side, we’re back, driven by a resolute commitment to deliver Heavy Melodic Metal to our loyal fans and new listeners alike.”
How would you describe your sound in five words?
“New Wave of Melodic Heavy Metal”
Your upcoming album, how do think it will be received by fans?
“We’re excited about this new release as it showcases an evolution in our song writing and style, while still retaining that fast, riffy, melodic essence of classic Stormborn. We believe it strikes a balance between growth and familiarity, and we’re optimistic that both our loyal fans and new listeners will find something to appreciate and enjoy.”
What kind of listening experience is trying to give fans with this album, its singles?
“Our singles ‘Fear of a Monster’ and ‘Serpentine’ display a powerful intensity while preserving a strong melodic core. While we appreciate heavy and technical elements in music, we strongly believe that there should still be a song within! Despite the ferocious nature of most of the album, it maintains melody amidst the raw energy. The album itself was really honed and manicured to be listened to back to back, and intended for the listener to settle down with a pair of good headphones or speakers and get lost in that experience. There’s a lot of intricacy in the composition and mixing that is really only there to emphasize that experience.”
How is the writing process for the band?
“We write everything independently from one another! We were never good at the whole ‘jamming’ thing so we actually write all of the music in a program called ‘Guitar Pro’ and then send the files to each other for feedback or refinement! We find that songs come together best when given the time and space to breathe and reveal themselves. One of us might come up with an idea and send it to the others. The rest of the band will listen to that idea over and over again until some kind of spark comes and the next layer is added. It is unorthodox but it works for us.”
Are any of the band members known on the local scene from any other bands?
“Chris Simmons is the vocalist in the band ‘Wretched Soul’ and Andy Felton plays drums in ‘Prolapse A.D’. Both bands have played up and down the UK and at the famed festival Bloodstock.”
How did you decide on the tracks for this album? How much more music can fans expect?
“There were a lot of songs to pick from, but ultimately it comes down to the flow and listening experience of the album as a whole. We are quite old-school in the respect that we imagine an album being listened to in it’s entirety and the song choices play into that. We have a lot of material in the bank and Album 3 is essentially already fully written with pre-production demos being crafted as we speak. Beyond that we have dozens of completed songs and ideas just waiting for their finishing touches, so there is a lot more music to come! The songs for Zenith are a mixture of songs written a few years ago as well as some more recent compositions, and even a reworking of a song we wrote as kids when we first formed the band ‘MegaFist’!”
What can people expect live from your band compared to other bands?
“An absolute blast! Whilst we take the music itself seriously, we don’t take ourselves seriously, so we have a ton of fun onstage and the audience quickly realizes that and get on board. We run around, we jump off of things, we banter with ourselves and the crowd and we often get into the crowd to run around and headbang with them. Laurence once nearly broke his legs jumping off of an eight foot stage to join the crowd.”
Where do your lyrics come from? What inspires your writing?
“The influences can come from the world around us, history, personal thoughts and feelings, books or sometimes just our own imaginations. Most of our songs will generally have an overt story they are telling, and then an undercurrent of true meaning behind. Some might describe our music as power metal, but the lyrical content is often where we diverge from that genre, as the lyrics are generally at their core more grounded in reality.”
Are the songs a collaborative effort?
“Yes and no. Sometimes one person may write everything from start to finish and other times the bones of an idea is presented and we might add and refine things. For the most part it’s 80-90% one person and then maybe the remainder by one or two others.”
Does the band have a main songwriter?
“No, the music of ‘Zenith’ was written by Andy, Dave and Laurence. Andy is the main lyricist for the album however. He played a big role in helping finish the songs lyrically. As a band and beyond this album though, most of the songs are written by either Andy, Laurence, Dave, Steve or a combination of everyone.”
How does the music affect the lyrics and vice versa?
“At times, a song may begin with music but lack vocal direction. ‘Death Incarnate’ was written by Dave, but without a vocal melody or lyrics. Laurence can write really awesome melodies and added a vocal melody with humorous lyrics referencing Homer Simpson. As Dave started to refine the lyrics, the phrase ‘Death incarnate’ emerged, sparking an inspiration to centre the song around J. Robert Oppenheimer. Andy took this concept and rewrote the lyrics shaping it into what you hear on the album which is really an exploration of the mental struggle between duty, morality and purpose that Oppenheimer may have dealt with. It’s a prime example of a song lyrics that started light-heartedly but evolved into a serious exploration of a profound theme! Other times a song is written and presented to the rest of band as a complete unit with music and lyrics finished.”
How would you describe the evolution of the band’s sound?
“We think it’s a bit cliché to say ‘we are heavier and faster’ but that is quite true for the most part! The songs are definitely more intricate and complex than what was featured on the first album, which, were fine songs but that album was dynamically more one-dimensional. There is more texture as well, ‘Echo’ is a power ballad, where as the singles ‘Fear of a Monster’ and ‘Serpentine’ are balls to the wall metal with these big choruses! ‘Out in the Weird’ is a very dynamic and heavy song featuring synths and more open space between the crushing riffs.”
Name the Top 5 band influences of the band-Top 5 Bands that your band sounds like that fans like…
“As a band we are big fans or metal both old a new. We are all very big fans of the giant’s like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest but we all have our own wide reaching influences which include bands like: Dream Theatre, Death, Sonata Arctica, Amon Amarth. I guess for bands that we sounds like there is a healthy influence from Iron Maiden, Dio, Judas Priest, Unleash the Archers and Orden Ogan.”
What metal genres influence you as a band the most?
“Metal of all breeds, haha! If it is good music, it is good music, regardless of genre! Our melting pot of inspiration is what really forges our unique sound, as we incorporate ideas from all sides of metal. Though of course, the melodic backbone of Traditional Metal, Power Metal and Melodic Death Metal is what really shines through. We like to refer to our sound as Melodic Heavy Metal, as it better defines us than other existing sub-genres.”
Describe the album as a whole…
“We see it as our debut 2.0. Album one was us finding our feet – jumping around, trying to work out what music falls out of us. ‘Zenith’ though, is the top of the mountain we’ve been scrambling up to see what we can do. The album is a journey through time, space and emotion! As no doubt most bands will say, this album is the sort of music WE wanted to listen to.”
Describe each song track by track…
‘Call of the Void’:
“An instrumental opener that sets the stage and is designed to blow open the doors and show old fans (and new fans) that we are back and we mean business. It’s big, moody and heavy, and it’ll blow your face off.”
‘Land of the Servant King’:
“An explosive opener that starts with intense double bass and a blisteringly fast twin guitar part before Chris kicks in and weaves a story about a splintered society that would subjicate themselves to a charlatan. There’s political commentary there but you won’t have to dig too deep to find it.”
‘Fear of a Monster’:
“The first single from the album and its another fast one about battling the demons that lay within us all. In a quite literal sense, this song was about that unceasing hunger to make music at a time when the band was on hiatus. It was the first song we put together when we decided to reform and make this album.”
‘The Unending Night’:
“A moody and atmospheric instrumental piece to set the stage for the next song…and to give the listener a moment to catch their breath!”
‘Dawn Will Come Again’:
“A riffy, moody and intense number about being lost and isolated. It’s all about that feeling we have when we’re at our lowest and darkest, and we wonder whether the light will ever return.”
‘Out in the Weird’:
“Back to the thinly veiled political and societal commentary. This ones dynamic but huge, with massive thematic melodies, stripped back brooding verses, soaring choruses, and even an obligatory acoustic bridge. Laurence absolutely lets rip with his solo on this one whilst Chris tells a tale of people who couldn’t bear the changing surface and delved deep beneath the earth to fester and rage.”
‘Serpentine’:
“Inspired by the Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb, this ones a more straightforward power metal romp with another high-flying chorus. This one features a face-melting guest solo from past Stormborn guitarist Dan Smith.”
‘Death Incarnate’:
“Probably the oldest song on the album which was originally from our very first band, but it has been completely re-worked and released here for the first time. The song is about an incredible scientific breakthrough that is met with the horrifying realisation that it may also bring about the end of the world as we know it. We should point out that the song was written before the release of Christopher Nolan’s film. We were here first!”
‘Echo’:
“A melancholy yet fittingly powerful epic to close. This one’s about the failing mind, and the struggle some of us have with drifting memories – either directly or through proximity to fading loved ones. In the end, this song is really about grief, acceptance, and savouring each moment while it lasts.”