Sovereign Strength| “We Are Never Promised Tomorrow”

Written By: Jeremy Seick

These dudes from The Antelope Valley have been treading the pavement for what seems like a while now. I remember my first encounter with Sovereign Strength was at a West Coast festival about three summers ago now. They got an early slot but when those guitars started chugging they opened one of the biggest pits that day would see. Still working hard they, just days ago, dropped their second Mediaskare release which includes guest vocals from the likes of A Plea For Purging, Close Your Eyes and I Declare War. Check out our interview with guitarist Nelson Flores and then go out and pick up their very latest, The Prophecy, at your local record store.

So this is your second full-length release on Mediaskare Records. What has been the major difference between your DIY days and your time with Mediaskare thus far?

Nelson Flores: The difference between doing it DIY and having a label backing is a big difference in some ways. When it comes time to record, our label throws us into the studio with no hesitation. As in the DIY days, we would all have to scrounge up money for a couple of days in the studio. Its stuff like that which makes us grateful for being signed to Mediaskare Records.

What are the main themes running through this album? Talk to us a bit about what you hope to get across to listeners…

NF: It talks a lot of the end days and personal struggles. We hope to open people’s eyes to what is coming and what our God has helped us through. Life is rough sometimes but the everlasting love of Jesus Christ can get us through anything.

Tell us a bit more about why you believe the end days are upon us, and how that is playing out in your individual lives and as a band unit…

NF: The end days are obviously getting closer and closer. A lot of biblical events are happening in our generation. We need to prepare for what is upon us. We are never promised tomorrow.

There are some guest vocal spots on this album that are really rad and work to add diversity to the album. Who are some of those and how did those come about?

NF: We got our friends Jamie Hanks from I Declare War, Shane Raymond from Close Your Eyes, and Blake Martin from A Plea For Purging. We have been long time friends with all of them and we felt like they would add a diverse feel to our record. We couldn’t be happier with the way it came out.

You guys have been on Scream The Prayer all summer. What was that experience like? We always hear mixed reviews from bands being it is such a big tour and all…

NF: It was honestly an amazing but draining experience. We are at the venue everyday by 10-11 am and don’t end up leaving until midnight. It’s definitely tough with the heat as well. We didn’t have AC in our van for the majority of the tour (Laughs). All and all, it was awesome and we would love to do it again next year.

You have got to have a good story for the readers about the STP Tour… Hit us with your best one.

NF: There are so many…(Laughs!) Let me tell you a few briefly…a kid got stabbed in the neck with a pen at one of the shows, someone’s vision got restored, someone’s back problems got healed, and The Chariot was just insane every night.

Wow… (Laughs) Rumor has it Sovereign Strength comes out a pretty crazy scene. Tell us a bit about your roots.

NF: We are based out of The Antelope Valley. We couldn’t ask for a better hometown fan base. They have been supporting us for so long, through all the different member line-ups, different music directions, and venue changes, (Laughs). Our scene has a hard time of keeping a solid venue open.

So after your release on the 2nd of August what is your plan?

NF: We are doing a CD release tour with Redeemer and Mureau in California. Both those bands are awesome and you should check them out. There are a few tours in the works and we will be announcing soon.

Awesome! Any final thoughts?

NF: Go pick up our record that drops on August 2nd on Mediaskare Records. We put a lot of heart into this record, musically and lyrically. Please feel free to talk to any of us when you see us at a show. Our ministry is based on loving on people. We show our love for Him, through showing our love for you. Thanks for reading this interview!