Power metal band Warkings are set to release their fourth album entitled Armageddon on July 4th. The Viking, Warking’s bassist spoke with Metal Express Radio about their upcoming album, working with the special guests on the album such as Dominum, their recent appearance at the Feuertanz Festival, and more. Check out the chat below!
Metal Express Radio: Your band, Warkings, are set to release their fifth studio album entitled Armageddon on July 4th, what can you tell fans about your upcoming album?
The Viking: It’s EPIC. That’s it. ’Nuff said. We made everything bigger, more Hollywood, more thunder, more glory. The choruses are huge, and the riffs are sharper than a Crusader’s sword. The whole album feels like standing on a mountaintop, battle axe in hand, shouting at the gods while rain, thunder, and a suspicious amount of lightning crash around you. And of course… a whole lot of POWER METAL.
MER: How was the writing and recording process being your band’s fifth album?
The Viking: This time, we did something wild. We invited a few fellow warriors, musicians we met on our long march through the realm of the living to write songs with us. And guess what? It turned out ridiculously epic. We’d never opened the gates to our inner circle before. But then the Tribune’s mum told us to be more open-minded, and you do not ignore a Roman mother. So, we tried. And behold, glory was unleashed! The entire album was forged under the mighty hammer of Felix Heldt, who didn’t just produce it, but also added ideas like some kind of melodic sorcerer. We recorded across multiple strongholds throughout Europe, then brought the whole beast north to Denmark, where the legendary Jacob Hansen mixed and mastered it into a sonic weapon worthy of the gods.
MER: You’ve released three songs from the album so far, do you feel they represent the album well?
The Viking: Oh, by the Gods… YES! We love these songs like a warrior loves his axe. They have everything we wanted to scream into the skies with this album: Riffs sharp enough to cut through armor, choruses so mighty you’ll sing them even in Valhalla, and we’ll say it again — they are EPIC. So epic, in fact, even Odin tapped his foot. Probably.
MER: How was it working with the special guests on the album such as Orden Ogan and Dominum?
The Viking: These kinds of collabs are pure fun, like raiding with old allies. You ask some trusted warrior-friends to lend their voices to your song… and they don’t just join; they own it like a true conqueror. We’ve crossed paths with the mighty Orden Ogan and the fierce lads of Dominum so many times on festivals and battlefields, it was only a matter of time before we united forces. And they answered the call. There was music, there was mead, there were long nights…and hangovers of legendary proportions.
MER: You recently played the Feuertanz Festival, how was that experience for you and your band?
The Viking: It was like storming a castle. Wait… it was storming a castle! An unbelievable location, an ancient fortress rising from the heart of a town, just waiting for battle. The sun burned like the breath of a fire demon and the heat was straight from Muspelheim. The crowd was like warriors and shieldmaidens sent straight from Hel herself — fierce, loud, and glorious. But in the words of the mighty Tribune: “Veni, vidi, vici.”. Followed shortly by ‘Veni, Vidi, Sunburni”. Still worth it. We’d storm that castle again any day.
MER: Is there anyone you hope to tour with and why?
The Viking: King Diamond. No further words needed. THE KING and the WARKINGS, a match forged in the fires of metal and blessed by the gods themselves. We’d die for that moment… Oh wait, we already did die! So where is the tour?
MER: Is there anywhere you hope to play live that you haven’t yet and why?
The Viking: Fire. Smoke. Battle cries. Roaring warriors and shield-maidens ready for glory. After long months locked in the studio, swinging axes at riffs, filming videos, and battling the endless scrolls of album release rituals…it’s finally time for what we crave most: EPIC. GLORIOUS. FUN. Let the real battle begin!
MER: If you could pick a Norwegian God to sit down, have a beer and play one of your album’s for, who would it be and why?
The Viking: It would have to be Thor. You can drink with him all night, get into a glorious tavern brawl, and still stumble out alive, more or less. You can even punch him, and he won’t die. That’s a very useful trait in a drinking companion. Loki’s too creepy, and Odin… well, he’s The Allfather. Bit too serious for a pub crawl. So yes! Thor it is. Might be time to give him a call… if he hasn’t smashed his phone again.
MER: Out of your band’s five albums, what is one you would suggest to a new fan and why?
The Viking: The new one, of course… Armageddon! What else would we say? It has everything we stand for, thunderous riffs, battle hymns, tales of glory…even a ballad. Yes, a ballad. Because even warriors have feelings. Just very loud ones.
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