Midnight Priest se formó hace 10 años en Coímbra Portugal. Influenciados por el Rock y Metal de los 70’s y 80’s, un grupo de amigos decidieron iniciar una banda como como lo hacían las bandas de aquellos años. Sus letras hablan de magia negra, ocultismo y mujeres. Midnight Priest está formada por Joe Dalton en el bajo, War Tank en la batería, Iron Fist y Tiago Steelbringer en las guitarras y Lex Thunder en la voz, y todos ellos nos transportan a un viaje a los años dorados del Heavy Metal, recordándonos a grandes bandas como Saxon, Judas Priest, Mercyful Fate o Iron Maiden, Su historia discográfica comienza en 2009 con el demo “The Priest is Back”, en ese mismo año ellos sacaron el disco “Raina da Magia Negra” y 2 años más tarde su primer LP “Midnight Priest”. En 2014 la banda sacó otro demo “Hellbreaker – Demo XXIV” y su Segundo LP “Midnight Steel”, su ultimo disco es “Last” un split con Alkateya, Shivan, Cruz de Ferro, Ravensire y Leather Synn… así que vamos con la entrevista.
1. What was the reason you first form Midnight Priest?
We were a bunch of die hard loosers that once, together with booze, drugs, women and rock n roll decided to start a band in order to have fun, make a tribute to those great bands from 70s 80s that we all love and eventually go to play in some great heavy metal festivals that we couldn’t go because we couldn’t afford it.
2. Where does the band’s name come from?
The name Midnight Priest comes from an old portuguese legend about a thief who sold its soul to the Devil in order to save is life from a linch mob. When the Evil Lord came to claim what was his by right, the thief, who didn’t want to burn eternally in Hell, summoned through black magic an old priest buried in the mountains. Back to life, the priest faced the Devil in a full Moon night at the midnight hour and sent him back to the dephts of Hell, claiming the thief’s soul. From that day no one ever saw the priest again. However Satan swore revenge and nowadays in that region ( northern Portugal ), every women that gets pregnant go to the Midnight Priest thumb in order to get his blessing so that their child won’t be the Devil’s revenge… the Devil’s son.
3. Metal has been around for 40 years or so, for you as a band of the new generation, what does it means to have the responsibility to keep the legacy of the old bands going on?
The same as those great bands… Rock Roll!!!
4. With 10 years of history, what are the most difficult trouble that you have overcome as a band?
Well, besides sleeping on the streets with 5 bad smelling guys and no girls, no alcohol and no drugs. Hitchhiking with the Devil…
5. Does Midnight Priest party every day? Or is it just in the weekend that you guys break the law?
We party every day.
6. There’s been a boom of new Heavy Metal bands for some years now, what is your opinion of this new wave of Heavy Metal? We have even Black & Roll bands these days.
We could be speaking about this all-night long…. It won’t be no good. We are all going to die. So, let’s go to Hell listening to Heavy Metal…
7. Are you on tour right now? Have Midnight Priest any plans to bring holy blesses to their fans in Mexico?
For now we are recording a new album and then of course we’ll hit the road again. And yes, it would be a great honor for us playing in Mexico and South America. Who knows, maybe one day…
8. The song “Into the Nightmare” is one of my favorites, and my eight-year old daughter loves it too, this was the first Midnight Priest’s song I have ever listened, what was your inspiration for writing that song?
Black Magic.
9. In 2012 you played in Wacken Open Air, for every band its an honour to be in a festival like that, tell us how does the band feel after playing there?
Completely drunk… and a fuckin’ hangover…
10. Some time ago you had a different vocalist, what was the reason for his departure and how does the band feel with the arrival of the new one?
The Priest left the band for it’s personal reasons. We are not a band, we are a gang.
11. Midnight Priest has changed over the years, from singing in portuguese to english and changing the topics of the lyrics, what are the reasons for these changes?
We were learning foreign languages.
12. How does the band see itself ten years from now?
Ahahaha!!! We believe that we all be dead…
13. Do you have any plans for touring? Any chance to see you in Latin America?
Yes. It would be a great honor for us to play in South America. We’ve already ask Lord Satan for it, but he is a looser…
14. What are your toughts on the metal scene and metal bands from Portugal?
Portugal has a great underground scene, black, death, heavy, punk… there are great bands. The only problem is the Portuguese people. (Male Portuguese people, the girls are awesome…)
15. A lot of metal legends are starting to retire, because of age and/or health problems, do you think metal is going to die soon too?
Heavy Metal Will Never Die !!!
16. We have reach the end of the interview, we thank you for the time that you gave to us and answer our questions, Metal Tower and I thank you once again, any message that you want to send to your mexican and latin-american fans? Oh and by the way, my daughter is a big fan of yours, she is only 8 years old and her favorite songs are “Into the Nightmare” and “Hellbreaker”
Thank you for all, and we sincerely hope that one day we’ll play South America, spreading black magic and inspiring revolution!!! Rock n Roll, Heavy Metal, these are the only reasons that keep us alive… Until we are Dead…
