So it was a very nice experience to actually play there, our release show. It was very surprising for us to be able to have our own release show at Z7 in Pratteln (Switzerland), because it’s this beautiful stage, and for me, it was very special because while growing up, I was seeing my favorite metal bands there. MELISSA BONNY: It was pretty good, actually. Ad Infinitum hasn’t gotten to play a lot of shows so far. The new album, “Chapter II: Legacy,” just came out on Friday, and you played a special record release show for it. LIVE METAL: It’s a pretty exciting time for you and your band right now.

Live Metal’s Greg Maki recently caught up with Ad Infinitum vocalist Melissa Bonny to discuss “Chapter II,” Vlad the Impaler, returning to the stage and her new project, The Dark Side of the Moon. For the new album, the band again looked to history as its muse, basing songs on the life and “afterlife” of Vlad the Impaler, the 15th century Romanian ruler and inspiration for Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” The album maintains a tricky balancing act, with lyrics that are relatable to listeners without the historical context, all backed by appropriate levels of symphonic metal bombast.

Symphonic metal band Ad Infinitum has done exactly the opposite, releasing its debut album, “Chapter I: Monarchy” ( review) in April 2020 an acoustic version of the record, “Chapter I Revisited,” in December 2020 and its sophomore effort, “Chapter II: Legacy” ( review), in October 2021. Many bands have chosen to sit on the sidelines throughout the pandemic, unwilling to take the risk of releasing new music in the midst of so much uncertainty.

Download melissa bonny ad infinitum