Posted by 
by Nicky N. Meyer
Back in the early 2000s, a Swedish band with a theatrical name and an old-school heart quietly slipped onto the metal radar: VII Gates. Their debut Fire, Walk with Me turned more than a few heads with its unapologetic homage to classic heavy metal – and more importantly, with solid songwriting and fiery solos that didn’t rely on trend-hopping.
I caught up with the band (or more precisely, with singer Criss Blackburn) via email back when the album had just begun gathering international traction. What emerged was a chat about metal as theatre, the philosophy of purity in genre, and the band’s unexpected influence from everywhere – including Disney and EuroVision.
“Call us old-fashioned,” Criss said, unapologetically. “We don’t play death metal or nu metal. We don’t care if it’s modern or not – we play what we love: traditional heavy metal.”
The album, Fire, Walk with Me, is packed with high-pitched vocals, galloping riffs, and enough drama to stage a power metal opera. It’s no coincidence. The band treats their sound as a deliberate throwback, citing inspiration from icons like Judas Priest and King Diamond.
And no, the album title isn’t a nod to Lynch’s surreal universe. “It’s just a cool title,” Criss admitted, laughing off any deeper Twin Peaks connection.
When asked about their local scene in Sweden, Criss was surprisingly blunt: “Honestly, there isn’t much support for this kind of metal here. It’s mostly death and black metal. But we’re not here to fit in.”
Instead, they looked outwards – toward fans in Germany, Italy, and Japan. “They get us,” Criss said. “They understand the theatricality, the fun, the emotion.”
Speaking of theatrics, the band had plans for elaborate stage shows from the beginning. “We’re all about performance. It should be more than five guys in jeans on stage.”
The album’s lyrical themes range from fantasy to war to introspection. But Criss made one thing clear: “We’re not preaching. We’re telling stories.”
✦ Final Words
VII Gates might not have been the biggest name in metal’s early-2000s landscape, but they knew exactly who they were – and who they weren’t. Fire, Walk with Me remains a love letter to traditional heavy metal, crafted by a band unafraid to wear their influences on their sleeves and crank the amps to eleven while doing so.