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Narnia were founded in 1996 by vocalist Christian Liljegren and guitarist Carljohan Grimmark. The duo first met in '93 and immediately realized that they shared the same musical taste and a fondness for the metal heroes of the golden '80s, which heavily inspired the pair. Christian reveres vocalists such as Joey Tempest (Europe), Ronnie James Dio and David Byron (Uriah Heep), not surprising considering he grew up with bands from that period; however, it's a bit astounding to consider that Carljohan is inspired by guitarists like Yngwie Malmsteen, Ritchie Blackmore, Joe Satriani, Gary Moore and John Norum, as he's only 24 years old.
In May '97 drummer Andreas Johannson, keyboard player Martin Claesson and bassist Jakob Person completed the line-up. After the release of the debut album, The Awakening, in '98, the band were able to get the support slot for the comeback tour of metal legend Ronnie James Dio. The band stunned audiences with their incredible talent, causing the Japanese press to do a six-page feature on Carljohan in the country's most important guitar magazine, Young Guitar, proclaiming him the new "guitar hero."
In 1999 the second album, Long Live the King, was released and received excellent reviews by the international press. Sadly, due to personal problems, no tours were booked. That won't be the case for Desert Land, which was produced by guitarist Carljohan Grimmark himself. The latest album sees the band move in a slightly heavier direction when compared to the two predecessors, which echoed bands like Europe or Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. This time around, snatches of Dio-era Black Sabbath can be heard, and songs like "Inner Sanctum," "The Witch and the Lion," or "Revolution of Mother Earth" truly showcases the band's newfound heaviness.
Like its predecessors, Desert Land is inspired by The Narnia Chronicles, the Christian allegories by famed author C.S. Lewis.
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