Kamelot - Poetry For The Poisened

After the canceled North American tour, there has been much theorizing, but little hard facts surrounding the last minute decision by Roy Khan to return to Norway for "medical treatment." In an interview last week with the Norwegian daily newspaper, Østlendingen, the KAMELOT singer opened up about his condition, a hasty English translation follows:

Broke down right before the tour started...

The vocalist of famous metal band Kamelot, Roy Sætre Khantatat from Elverum, is reported sick after a breakdown just before the start of the North American tour, and has decided to postpone the tour that would have started on Wednesday. "I am burned out, pure and simple. A breakdown a couple of weeks ago gave me a serious indication that something was wrong. Now I'm just glad and relieved that I got to the doctor," says an honest Roy Sætre Khantatat to Østlendingen. Khan, as he's also known, says that he's been going completely "offline" lately. "I haven't had the energy to check either my cell phone or my mail. It's been difficult to keep up with my own and other people's expectations of me," he explains.

Much uncertainty...

There has been a lot back and forth lately regarding Kamelot's planned North American tour after the band's frontman and vocalist, Roy Sætre Khantatat, became ill. First the plan was to continue the tour with the help of CIRCUS MAXIMUS vocalist Michael Eriksen. But on Tuesday this week came reports that the band had changed their minds. "No. Now, I haven't talked much about that either, except supporting myself on my family. This whole thing is feeling very real. I need this break."

Resting in Elverum...

The future is something Khan hasn't thought very much about. "Most things has really been about getting back on my feet again, but I want to get back to Kamelot," he says. The metal singer says he wants to spend time around his hometown as part of the restoration process. "I want to be around my family, my home region and the mountains," says Khan.

That basically explains why this album sounds the way it does. Its very blah even Khan doesn't seem like he's into it. I don't blame him either. They have busted their butts for a couple of years now without any real break.

I have it ordered and am awaiting it's arrival. I think their best album is Karma hands down but I do like the two after it. Ghost Opera bored the hell out of me but I don't give up on bands with one bad release but once I listen to this one I will make my decision on what I will do with Kamelot. The album cover does nothing for me however.

I didn't know much about this until I read about it in Scream Magazine today. Turns out Kamelot have hired Fabio Lione to do the tour, and Roy says he's probably finished with Kamelot for good.

I know he has been batteling depressions for years, and now they seem to have overcome him.

Wow looks like Zetrariculli was right. You could really tell on the new album though that Khan just didn't seem interested in the music at all. He sounded so blah the whole album was blah.

I heard about Fabio doing the tour which is pretty cool. I don't think he would really fit in with Kamelot though if they were to do an album with him. I have no idea who they would get to replace Khan though, he was a very unique vocalist.

Well, I hope Khan can overcome his problems and continue his career. He's one of my favorite vocalists.

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Wow looks like Zetrariculli was right. You could really tell on the new album though that Khan just didn't seem interested in the music at all. He sounded so blah the whole album was blah.

I heard about Fabio doing the tour which is pretty cool. I don't think he would really fit in with Kamelot though if they were to do an album with him. I have no idea who they would get to replace Khan though, he was a very unique vocalist.

I strongly disagree with you about the album but you're right about replacing him.

Really? I'll have to give it another listen. It just seems like they are stuck in a rut and don't know how to get out of it. The last 3 or 4 albums have sounded almost identicle to the point where it seems like they just keep redoing the songs and put new lyrics to them. I have lost a lot of interest in them since Ghost Opera.

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Really? I'll have to give it another listen. It just seems like they are stuck in a rut and don't know how to get out of it. The last 3 or 4 albums have sounded almost identicle to the point where it seems like they just keep redoing the songs and put new lyrics to them. I have lost a lot of interest in them since Ghost Opera.

I'm with you on Ghost Opera though, I hate that album and only listened to it a few times before giving up on it. You may still dislike it, but for some reason Poetry really clicked with me. It could be that I was bound to like anything after the major disappointment of GO.

I'll give it another try. i just remember it being very bland and the songs really didn't go anywhere. Like one continuous song.

i tried to like the new album but its boring as hell. what a huge letdown.
it sounds like it cost a million dollars but nothing memorable.

I like "Peorty For The Poisened" a whole lot more than "Ghost Opera"! Jon Oliva does a guest stop

There really should be a complete works thread for this band.

kmorg wrote:

I like "Peorty For The Poisened" a whole lot more than "Ghost Opera"! Jon Oliva does a guest stop

My sentiments exactly! Not their best (for me that would be Karma), but enough not to loose me as a fan.