Theatrical symphonic metal.
Upredictable beauty. Unexpected brutality.
Stories and songs.
Soaring high notes, desperate screams.
Nostalgic melodies, shattered violins.
This is Ethereal Kingdoms.
Enter Hollow Mirror
Denmarks new symphonic metal act, Ethereal Kingdoms, deliver a unique and modern take on theatrical symphonic metal.
Enter their sonic universe, explore the full range of musical emotion.
From nostalgic melodies to haunting dissonances, from soaring high notes to shattering screams, from heartfelt solos to destroyed violins.
October 11th 2019 the band unveiled their debut album “Hollow Mirror” via Mighty Music.
Hollow Mirror is a collection of ghost stories, brought to life by 16-voice choirs, intricate orchestrations and classical soloists in fusion with the metal ensemble.
Guest performances by renowned folk artist Sigurboði Grétarsson (Danheim, Niðafjöll) and award-winning singer-songwriter Amalie Skriver brings a larger-than- life quality to the storytelling of Ethereal Kingdoms.
Torn fates, ghost stories and metal fuse in a grandiose soundscape on the coming album, produced by Jakob Gundel (Invocator, The Interbeing, Black Book Lodge and more).
With the lyrics embodied by Sofia Schmidt’s characteristic vocals, spanning the highest soprano notes to the most desperate growls, Ethereal Kingdoms create poignant stories and moods with heartfelt passion and unexpected turns.
….and much more in our reviews section.
CD, Vinyl and digital versions available via Mighty Music.
"Ashes within" Full live clip out now
Portraits: by Mark Stoumann of Metal-A-Day,
"Endings"
Official lyric video
gaffa.dk Nordic Noise Festival - Review
Review of Nordic Noise Festival performance with special guests, May 11th 2019
Score: ★★★★☆
"People (…) have heard something akin to this with Nightwish and Within Temptation and Ethereal Kingdoms is well on their way to their league”
“Ambitions are sky high with an efficient and talented metal band behind the vocalist”
"(…) I felt that something big is on its way with a new album this year.””
By: Keld Broksø
Published: 12th of May 2019
Photo: Mark Stoumann, Metal A Day
Revolution-inc.dk- Royal Metal Fest - Review
Review of special performance at Royal Metal Fest 2019, April 6th
Score: 4,5/5
“There’s more attention to detail than what is found within several bigger acts in symphonic metal.”
“They are a refreshingly ambitious project”
“I would watch them live again, not only because I feel truly entertained but uplifted, inspired and hopeful on behalf on the group”
By: Andreas Kielland
Published: 9th of April 2019
Photo: Jacob Dinesen, Devilution
Heavymetal.dk- Royal Metal Fest - Review
Review of special performance at Royal Metal Fest 2019, April 6th
Score:★★★★★★★★★☆
“I was absorbed by what was happening on stage (…) I left with an experience of having witnessed something unique.”
“Lead vocalist Sofia Schmidt’s voice is incomparable to anything else in the Danish metalscene”
“The theatrical aspect of Ethereal Kingdoms is something nobody else in Denmark can do”"
By: Jeanett Meibom
Published: 10th of April 2019
Photo: Jacob Dinesen, Devilution
Metaltone.dk- Royal Metal Fest - Review
Review of special performance at Royal Metal Fest 2019, April 6th
Score: ★★★★☆
"There were different highlights at Royal Metal fest this year. One of them definitely was Ethereal Kingdoms"
"An incredibly ambitious show"
"We experienced death, joy, sorrow, love and ghosts this night (...) one of the interesting performances this year"
By: Fravn
Published: 9th of April 2019
Heavymetalwebzine.it- Sofia Schmidt - Interview
Interview with vocalist Sofia Schmidt after the band's show with Finntroll, Vanir, Sylvatica, Ethereal Kingdoms at Gimle, 21st of September 2018
By: Davide Bonavida
Published: 11th of December 2018
Heavymetalwebzine.it- Finntroll, Vanir, Sylvatica, Ethereal Kingdoms - Review
Review of Finntroll, Vanir, Sylvatica, Ethereal Kingdoms at Gimle, 21st of September 2018
"Those who think that the symphonic metal has nothing more to say will soon have to change its mind. This band, young and well organized, has all the qualities to write new pages in the history of this genre"
"The charming singer Sofia Schmidt (...) has a truly phenomenal voice capable of alternating lyrical singer virtuosities, evolving unexpectedly into a true growling beast."
By: Davide Bonavida
Published: 18th of October 2018
Den Tunge Time - Ethereal Kingdoms og symfonisk metal tema - Podcast
60 minute radio show with special symphonic metal theme and interview with Ethereal Kingdoms vocalist Sofia Schmidt about the Danish symphonic metal scene, her view on composition in the genre, the band's recent signing with Mighty Music and her unique vocal technique.
With: Jeanett Andersen and Kasper Behrendt
Den Tunge Time via Den Tunge Radio
Published: 9th of October 2018
Heavymetal.dk - Kunstnerportræt: Sofia Schmidt fra Ethereal Kingdoms - Interview
Interview with Sofia Schmidt
By: Jeanett Maibom
Published: 2nd of October 2018
Blastbeast.dk - Finntroll, Vanir, Sylvatica, Ethereal Kingdoms at Gimle - Review
Review of Finntroll, Vanir, Sylvatica, Ethereal Kingdoms at Gimle, September 21st 2018
Score: 5/5
"Gimle (...) havde sørget for den noget nær perfekte sammensætningen af bands denne aften."
"(...) Ethereal Kingdoms, med Sofia Schmidt’s smukke rene vokal, og bandet’s sans for store melodier var som skabt til Gimle’s fortræffelige lydbillede
“
By: Weiss
Published: 25th of September 2018
Metal-a-day.dk - Finntroll, Vanir, Sylvatica, Ethereal Kingdoms at Gimle - Review
Review of Finntroll, Vanir, Sylvatica, Ethereal Kingdoms at Gimle, September 21st 2018
Score: 4/5
"Man kunne under deres fremførsel denne aften blandt andet risikere at få stykker fra en violion, der blev smadret på scenen, i hovedet, hvilket blot understreger detaljerigdommen i dette orkester."
"(...) vokalregister fra forsangerinde Sofia må indynde beundring fra andre personer, der aspirerer og drømmer om at optræde på en scene.
“
By: Anders Lundtang
Published: 24th of September 2018
Metal-a-day.dk - Wacken Metal Battle - Review
Review of Wacken Metal Battle Denmark finals, May 26th 2018
Score: 4/5
“Første band på scenen var Ethereal Kingdoms, som jeg havde set frem til at opleve live, da jeg via vores andre anmeldere og musikelskere havde hørt positivt om bandet [...]
det er langt fra rammende nok til at beskrive deres teatralske tag på en omgang metal-opera, som jeg bedst kan betegne det ud fra det, der blev (forsøgt) kanaliseret over scenekanten“
By: Anders Lundtang
Published: 29th of May 2018
Devilution.dk - Morgendagens Stjerner - Interview
Interview in connection to Wacken Metal Battle Denmark 2018
“I vores take på symfonisk metal kan man både få lov til at svæve oven på skønne violinpassager med englestemme og skrige helt nede fra bunden af hjertet, mens tunge riffs kommer væltende ind over dig.“
“Generelt er det det store, dramatiske, udtryksfulde lydbillede, der er idealet, samtidig med at der godt må være nogle strukturelle elementer, der tager røven på én og overrasker. [...] En af vores store drømme er at kunne spille shows med et symfoniorkester i stedet for backingtrack. [...] ”
“Vi går efter drømmene ved at sætte meget konkrete målsætninger og deadlines for os selv. Vi arbejder, til det er færdigt, og stopper ikke før. Det hele handler om at arbejde igennem og også gerne være lidt opfindsom. Inden for musik er intet umuligt, man har bare ikke fået øje på løsningen endnu."
By: Adriana Zak
Published: 23rd of March 2018
Heavymetal.dk - Detektoren - EP review
Review of debut EP
“Ethereal Kingdoms har alt det talent og al den dygtighed, som skal til for at kunne blive Danmarks største band indenfor genren. “
“Den operaagtige stil, som man kender fra både Nightwish og Within Temptation, er straks at høre, og den nailer [Sofia Schmidt] perfekt.”
“Introen [på Paper Stars] med orkesteret og Sofias stemme er ganske smuk og sætter virkelig en fantastisk stemning. Et mere anonymt vers følger, men hold nu op, et stykke, der kommer bagefter. Den flerstemmige overgang er helt fænomenal og går lige i hjertet på denne anmelder! "
By: Carsten Bach
Published: 23rd of January 2018
Rockfreaks.net - The New Shit Pumpehuset - Review
Review of Blastbeast.dk Presents: The New Shit Showcase pt V, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen
“[...] Ethereal Kingdoms play through their debut concert with a great attitude that never gets too dramatic for the setup to follow through.”
“ Their lead singer [...] delivers some pretty impressive notes that also get some impromptu cheers in the middle of songs [...]"
"Other people smile a little overbearingly at the group's initial songs but everyone looks like they wake up properly when the singer goes on to add some solid growling to the mix as well. “
“[...] for a first show, they made everything on their end work well and I'm sure they have gotten some new fans who are eagerly looking forward to new music in the coming years. “
By: LL
Photo: Michael Hyldgaard Løgtholt
Concert: 6th of January 2018
Published: 12th of January 2018
Metal A Day - The New Shit Pumpehuset- Reportage
Reportage from Blastbeast.dk Presents: The New Shit Showcase pt V, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen
"Overraskede mange mennesker. [...] Syret at se en så lille pige lyde så brutal."
"Frisk pust på den danske symfoniske scene (hvis ikke starten på den danske symf-metal-scene"
By: Anders Mikkelsen
Photo: mikkelsen-photo.com
Concert: 6th of January 2018
Published: 11th of January 2018
Devilution - The New Shit Pumpehuset - Anmeldelse
Review of Blastbeast.dk Presents: The New Shit Showcase pt V, Pumpehuset, Copenhagen
Score: 3/5
"[...] den rene vokal fra Sofia Schmidt gav hints til Nightwish og Within Temptation. Men der var også takter fra noget mere kaotisk og ondt, og her kom Sofia Schmidt også med brutal vokal, både growls og nogle formidable hysteriske skrig."
"Det var specielt skiftene fra de pæne passager til disse hidsige sager, der gjorde Ethereal Kingdoms til en interessant oplevelse."
"[...] en solid indsats og bestemt godkendt som debut."
By:
Casper Willumsen
Photo: Jacob Dinesen
Concert: 6th of January 2018
Published: 10th of January 2018
Den Tunge Time - Podcast
"Et band man på ingen måde forbinder med den danske scene"
"Rigtigt gode takter på EP'en. Lidt Epica møder Wintersun - krydret med lidt poppet Nightwish."
With: Kasper Behrendt, Søren Pedersen and Søren Weiss
Published: 2nd of January 2018
DR P6 - Sort Søndag - Podcast
"Allerede navnet - det er episk!"
"Det er ikke tit man hører den type musik lavet i Danmark (...) slet ikke på det her niveau, hvor det er et nyt band (...) "
With: Anders Bøtter and Søren Weiss
Published: 17th of December 2017
Blastbeast.dk - The New Shit December 2017
"(...) Friske vinde blæser over den danske metalscene og med dette The New Shit navn har vi glædet os til at løfte sløret for et band, der spiller en stil, som vi på ingen måde forbinder med Danmark og danske metalbands (...) "
By: Søren Weiss
Published: 1st of December 2017
