Kyng Talk Excitement of Playing Orion Festival + Offer Details on Next Album

Kyng have had a pretty epic 2012 so far. Touring with acts like Trivium, Danzig and The Sword — and set to hit the road in September with Seether and Sick Puppies — many up-and-coming bands would kill for a schedule like the one Kyng has had this year. Oh, and don’t forget to throw in a set on the Damage Inc. stage at Metallica’s Orion Music + More festival!

Hanging out at Orion at Bader Field in Atlantic City, N.J., on Saturday afternoon, Kyng took a few minutes to catch up with Loudwire and unload about Metallica, touring and their new album.

Let me start out with the obvious question: What’s it feel like to be handpicked by Metallica to play Orion?

Eddie Veliz (guitar/vocals): It felt like the hand of God swooped upon on us and lifted us into the clouds. That’s exactly what it feels like, man! It’s surreal and we’re just like, “Wow, what is going on?” You know, we started out as this little band from Los Angeles and it snowballed into us playing Orion. It’s crazy.

What did you guys do when you got the call you were on the bill?

EV: We literally got into our schoolgirl uniforms and started going, “Weeeeeee!” Because you can’t do that unless you’re in the uniform, you know?

What do you think sets Orion apart from other shows you’ve played?

EV: All these bands that we love and have wanted to play with, we get to play with them in one shot.

Tony Castaneda (bassist/vocals): I think also the fact that there are so many different genres. It’s awesome, we’re really excited.

Who are some of the bands you’re excited to play with?

EV: Baroness, Red Fang, The Sword. Well, we’ve actually gotten to play with The Sword before

You guys just wrapped up a tour with The Sword, right?

EV: Yeah, last night, and actually The Sword was our first tour ever. That was great.

TC: Who else are we excited to play with? Suicidal Tendencies.

Pepe Clarke (drums): Sepultura, definitely. [The Black Dahlia Murder], too.

You called yourself a little band from Los Angeles. What have been some of the obstacles you’ve faced along the road to get to Orion?

PC: We almost shot a girl in the face, I guess you could call that a speedbump.

Hold on, you have to explain that. We can’t just dismiss that as a speedbump.

PC: Laughing. We can’t get into details. We almost shot a girl, but money is definitely our biggest obstacle. She was a hitchhiker, it’s a long story. Everything is okay now. But yeah, money. Finding it, getting it, sending money home to pay bills, all that kind of stuff.

A lot of music comes out of California. What sets Kyng apart from other acts?

EV: I don’t know. We didn’t really jump from that whole Los Angeles music scene.

TC: We just happen to be from Los Angeles, but we’re not really that same type of genre that comes out of there. A lot of people say, “You guys have a real Southern feel. We thought you were from Georgia!”

Besides the bands you said you’re looking forward to playing with at Orion, is there any new music that you’re really digging on?

EV: We are total huge fans of a band called MonstrO out of Atlanta. Great, great band. Another band, Graveyard, is amazing. I love those guys.

PC: I’m really into a band called Decapitated right now. I just got into them.

You released your debut album, ‘Trampled Sun,’ last September. It hasn’t been that long, but do you have any plans for new material?

PC: We’re hoping by the end of the year we can get something recorded and have it ready for next year.

TC: Yeah, we’ll hopefully have it all ready and recorded by the end of this year.

Besides working on the new music, what’s on the horizon for Kyng?

EV: We’re going out on tour after this, with 10 Years and Fair to Midland. Then in September and October, we’ll be out with Seether and Sick Puppies on the Triple Threat Tour. Everyone tells us that’s going to be a huge tour.

Watch Kyng’s ‘Falling Down’ video

Kyng 2012 Tour Dates with 10 Years and Fair to Midland

6/27 – Jefferson, La.

6/29 – Dallas, Texas

6/30 – Houston, Texas

7/1 – Corpus Christi, Texas

7/3 – Pensacola, Fla.

7/5 – Tallahassee, Fla.

7/6 – Knoxville, Tenn.

7/7 – Chattanooga, Tenn.

7/8 – Nashville, Tenn.

7/10 – Baltimore, Md.

7/11 – Sayreville, N.J.

7/13 – Portlaind, Maine

7/14 – Hampton, N.H.

7/15 – Bristol, Ct.

7/18 – Flint, Mich.

7/19 – Fort Wayne, Ind.

7/21 – Chicago, Ill.

7/22 – St. Louis, Mo.

7/24 – Fayetteville, Ark.

Kyng 2012 Tour Dates with Seether and Sick Puppies

9/18 – Clifton Park, N.Y.

9/20 – Boston, Mass.

9/21 – Sayreville, N.J.

9/22 – Baltimore, Md.

9/23 – Norfolk, Va.

9/25 – St. Petersburg, Fla.

9/27 – Atlanta, Ga.

9/28 – Sauget, Ill.

9/29 – Oklahoma City, Okla.

10/01 – Tempe, Ariz.

10/08 – Blackfood, Ind.

10/11 – Billings, Mont.

10/12 – Casper, Wyo.

10/16 – Minneapolis, Minn.

10/19 – Grand Rapids, Mich.

10/20 – Detroit, Mich.