Progressive Reviews

Legendary Tales
RHAPSODY

Rhapsody are : Luca Turilli on Guitars, Alex Staropoli on Keyboards, Fabio Lione on Lead Vocals and Daniele Carbonera on Drums.

The tracks are 'Ira Tenax', 'Warrior Of Ice', 'Rage of The Winter', 'Forest Of Unicorns', 'Virgin Skies', 'Echoes Of Tragedy', 'Lord Of the Thunder', 'Legendary Tales'.

The CD starts with 'Ira Tenax', there are some nice keyboards and the vocals are operatic style.

Next is 'Warrior Of Ice', this is an excellent track. There are some nice changes in tempo, mood and direction. The keyboards are excellent, there's a slight medieval feeling to this track with some great guitar and some very fast riffs.

Track three is 'Rage Of Winter', an excellent track, the vocals are superb, the keyboards are great and there's some nice changes in direction, mood and tempo. There's a great melody and some stunning guitar.

Next is 'Forest Of Unicorns', a medieval folk tune that is very well executed.

Track five is 'Flames of Revenge', a great rocking track, excellent guitar. The vocals are superb and there's some great keyboards. There's some nice changes in mood, tempo and direction with a medieval theme running throughout the track.

'Virgin Skies', another track with a medieval theme. With just an acoustic guitar and flute.

'Land Of Immortals', is an excellent track with some excellent keyboards and guitar.

Track Eight is 'Echoes Of Tragedy', medieval acoustic track.

'Lords Of The Thunder', an excellent track with some excellent keyboards and guitar. Great vocals.

And the final track is 'Legendary Tales', which is another excellent track, mixing metal with medieval themes, great vocals, great keyboards and superb guitar.

Legendary Tales is the debut album from Rhapsody.

Rhapsody are a symphonic power metal outfit and this CD is just superb.
This CD combines classically influenced Metal with a theme of ancient, legend and fantasy. There's lots of fast riffs interweaved with baroque and medieval folk music with great melodies and superb lyrics.

This is one CD you just have to have in your collection.
This CD is released by :
Limb Music Products : http://www.world-online.de/limb-music

The Tracks:

1. In Tenebris
2. Knightrider of Doom
3. Power of the Dragonflame
4. The March of the Swordmaster
5. When Demons Awake
6. Agony is my Name
7. Lamento Eroico
8. Steelgods of the Last Apocalypse
9. The Pride of the Tyrant
10. Rise from the Sea of Flames (bonustrack)
11. Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness
i. Angeli di Pietra Mistica
ii. Warlords' Last Challenge
iii. ...and the Legend Ends...

Rhapsody are a band who have been constantly evolving since their debut 'Legendary Tales'. The symphonic/medieval metal sound of Rhapsody has been growing louder and heavier as each album passes and Power of the Dragonflame is another step in that direction. Many of their fans will be relieved to know that their latest work is, for the most part, heavier than the previous release 'Rain of a Thousand Flames', but unlike 'Rain...' has not sacrificed melody for power.

As part iii of the final track suggests, this album is the fourth and final record in 'The Emerald Sword Saga' quartet. Power of the Dragonflame contains a perfect sound that wraps up the medieval melodies of 'Legendary Tales', the dark moodiness of 'Symphony of Enchanted Lands' and the pace and power of 'Dawn of Victory'.

As the Rhapsody trademark would suggest the album opens with 'In Tenebris', an orchestral opening that sets the scene of medieval fantasy. After the choir holds its final note in the song the band races into 'Knightrider of Doom'. As usual, this first offering of metal combines fast guitars with the melodic verse and catchy chorus. The title track enters next with a guitar unusually distorted and low for a Rhapsody song, which soon turns to the classic big Rhapsody chorus section.

'The March of the Swordmaster' is next with a medieval flute-type opening that incorporates a Russian or Celtic dance sound, then into a slower version of the trademark Rhapsody metal sound. 'When Demons Awake' is next; a choir is used to start this off and then into one of the heaviest songs I've heard from this band, with uncharacteristically growling vocals from Fabio Lione.

Track 6, 'Agony is my Name' comes in with a fairly quick paced sound, not at all unlike 'Holy Thunderforce' from Dawn of Victory.

'Lamento Eroico' is this albums ballad, and as the name suggests has a very sad sound. Slow, with a nice piano backing over which Fabio displays his beautiful voice, all in Italian. 'Steelgods of the Last Apocalypse', track eight, lifts the pace at first with a violin/guitar riff, then a delicate voice leads us into a heavy verse, with the big Rhapsody chorus.

'The Pride of the Tyrant' tells of the much anticipated meeting between the son of ice and Dargor as the Emerald Sword Saga starts to draw to a close. Catchy chorus here and some fairly quick drum beats and guitar riffs. 'Rise from The Sea Of Flames' will follow if you were lucky enough to get yourself a disc with this bonustrack. Well worth whatever you'll have to do to get it, I think it may only be available on the DVD/CD package (The DVD contains some of those budget Rhapsody film clips that my friends like to laugh at, but I love them. If you have DVD I'd recommend you give it a try.)

The dynamic progression of the last three songs is bound to one track; 'Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness'. A classical guitar starts things off here (not played by Luca), with a classical progression leading into a fast electric guitar riff. New bassist Patrice Guers makes his presence felt here with a fat rhythm beneath the vocals and into the catchy chorus. This track features the first bit of narration so far on the record, with Mr Lansford summing up the end of the saga for us. Almost 20 minutes of Rhapsody at their best here, a worthy end to a brilliant series of albums.

Overall, this album is heavy, fast, dynamic, and powerful. Without doubt the best Rhapsody record so far in my eyes. Do yourself a favor, go and get it as soon as possible.

Reviewed by Rhys Brown.
jack_the_stripper@mail.com