All traditional fairytales start with “Once upon a time…” and end with “And they lived happily ever after”. Except for German symphonic metal band and storytellers SNOW WHITE BLOOD, they truly believe theirs is “A story not meant to end”. That’s why they are set to add a new chapter to their neverending story through the single “If Arthur Was A Jerk”. Not quite the title for a modern myth, but we got to ask singer Sarah 5 questions to find out what this is all about.
Questions by: Henk van Nieuwenhoven
The new single “If Arthur Was A Jerk” is SNOW WHITE BLOOD’s third this year. Is it right to conclude that a new full-length album can be expected in 2025?
“We’re giving it everything we’ve got! But first we’re planning something smaller. So, with a bit of luck there will be more music, yes.” 😉
If you put the words “Once upon a time…” before the title of the new single, how would that fairytale go and how would it end?
“Alright, here we go: “Once upon a time, there was a jerk who dreamed of becoming king, punishing everyone who saw right through him” (it rhymes, hooray! – sorry, little quirk of mine – 😉). In our fairytale, of course, he’d never succeed. As the song progresses, the truth slowly reveals itself, leading to a fitting final line: “What a terrible king I would be.””
On the cover of “If Arthur Was A Jerk” we see a king dressed as a court jester holding a sword. What exactly do you try to portray with this?
“Pretty much the same story – a fool dreaming of grandeur, hoping to be a mighty king. But one look at his face, and you can sense the madness lurking beneath. It’s bound to end badly. That’s what I love about modern fairytales, in the end – and even if it doesn’t seem so at first – good will always win out.”
SNOW WHITE BLOOD are telling fairytales and sagas wrapped in a bombastic and orchestral symphonic metal sound. Is that also how you would describe the music on “If Arthur Was A Jerk”?
“That’s definitely the goal! But “If Arthur Was A Jerk” has its own unique flair, standing out with a more progressive edge and extra drive. It just felt like the perfect moment to release this one.”
Your website says: “A story not meant to end”. But doesn’t every book, film or fairytale have an ending? Even bands don’t last forever…
“You are completely right, nothing will and probably shouldn’t last forever. But in 2024 it has become clear to us that the story of SNOW WHITE BLOOD has not been fully told yet, and that we have the chance to start this exciting new chapter.” ■