Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Rhapsody Of Fire
Label: SPV Records
Released: 2002
Rating: 2.5/5
As laughable as they are with their thoroughly chewed-over, clichéd fairytale lyrics, power metal iconography full of excess (dragons, swords and wizards) and endless recitations of “chronicles of magical gnomes,” you can’t really accuse the Rhapsody boys of not being something special and recognizable with their musical approach (which their label, in rather fitting style, dubbed “epic-Hollywood symphonic metal”) in an otherwise uninventive power metal world. I’d be playing dumb if I denied them their pioneering knack for deftly mixing orchestral arrangements (however plastic those may sound) and metal, with the odd folk element thrown in, into a pretty interesting combo of pompous, dramatic sounds. If we tune out the dreadful lyrics and the occasionally overly repetitive guitar passages, we have to admit they can conjure up a “cinematic” vibe, even if it’s often easy to work out where they got the idea for a particular motif.
“Power Of The Dragonflame” is their fourth album, and unlike its predecessor “Dawn Of Victory” (2001), it doesn’t bring anything particularly new to their sound. It sticks to the tried-and-tested recipe and, once again, packs in slightly more symphonic arrangements. The lineup change is an extra guitarist, though you can barely tell on the album’s sound. Guitarist Luca Turilli and keyboardist Alex Staropoli are, as usual, the driving force behind Rhapsody’s sound, while Fabio Lione with his operatic vocals is, well, a matter of your mood. The most annoying factor (just like on the predecessor) is once again the drums, which, besides the otherwise excellent Alex Holzwarth, were supposedly played by a drummer going by the pseudonym “Thunderforce”. Personally, I’d say that’s more likely the name of a cleverly used drum machine than a flesh-and-blood person, because at times they sound pretty unnatural. On “Power Of The Dragonflame”, which is, among other things, the final chapter of Turilli’s fairytale about the diamond sword and the ice warrior, Rhapsody are again slightly more symphonic, yet no less punchy than they were on “Dawn Of Victory”.
The first change compared to the predecessor is a somewhat fuller sound, a result of the extra guitar, with Mr. Turilli of course leading the charge with his relatively inventive riffs. Epicness and pomp are, as usual, a constant across most of the album’s tracks, which would surely have been at least a notch better without the hopelessly cheesy lyrics and the “gnome’s” recitations, instead of provoking gales of laughter in the musically tensest moments. The lightning-fast title track is among their fastest to date. The hard-hitting “When Demons Awake” falls into that category too, with Fabio showing off his most aggressive vocals so far. Keyboardist Staropoli especially gets to shine here, and judging by what you hear, he can increasingly hold his own against the likes of Jens Johanson (Stratovarius). “Knightrider Of Doom” and “The March Of The Swordmaster” are two very typical epics that bring nothing particularly new. They get a bit more inventive on “Agony Is My Name”, which, thanks to the intro and some of the guitar riffs, veers a little toward some Running Wild material, even though it’s basically yet another recognizable Rhapsody product, loaded with orchestral elements and choral, operatic singing. “Lamento Eroico”, an operatic semi-ballad where Fabio sings in Italian, offers yet another new approach, though it may well spoil many people’s “appetite” for further listening. The best track on the album might be “Steelgods Of The Last Apocalypse”, which stands out for its considerable variety and the right dose of epicness, drama and aggression. “The Pride Of The Tyrant” is another assault-minded operetta that doesn’t exactly break new ground. The closing “Gargoyles, Angels Of Darkness”, the longest and most dramatic track on the album in terms of atmosphere, is, despite its tasteless, long-winded and mind-numbing recitations, a pretty solid demonstration of their symphonic side.
With this final, tragically tinged chapter of their fairytale saga (the hero dies, you see; how you feel about that, if you’re a fan of fantasy stories, I’ll leave for you to judge), Rhapsody have made a fairly consistent and solid album, I’d say a classic Rhapsody album, which will mostly delight their fans, while leaving lovers of musical (in their case, metal) innovation and adventure rather thirsty. Even though the album is supposed to close a chapter in their career and serve as the grand finale of the fairytale saga, it comes across far too much like a transitional record, with far too many reservations for me to call it a step forward in their development. Rhapsody will simply have to learn a lot more and change plenty before they earn a place among the biggest names in metal. Maybe start by ditching most of the metal clichés mentioned above.
Lineup
Fabio Lione – vocals
Luca Turilli – guitar
Alex Staropoli – keyboards
Alessandro Lotta – bass
Alex Holzwarth – drums
Dominique Leurquin – guitar
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Herby Langhans, Miro, Robert Hunecke-Rizzo, Cinzia Rizzo, Oliver Hartmann – epic choir
Bridget Fogle, Previn Moore – church choir
Bridget Fogle – female baroque vocals
Manuel Staropoli – baroque arrangements
Dana Lurie – lead violin
Jay Lansford – narration
Sascha Paeth – bass
Thunderforce – drums
Production
Sascha Paeth and Miro
Tracklist
1. In Tenebris (1:28)
2. Knightrider of Doom (3:56)
3. Power of the Dragonflame (4:27)
4. The March of the Swordmaster (5:04)
5. When Demons Awake (6:46)
6. Agony Is My Name (4:58)
7. Lamento Eroico (4:38)
8. Steelgods of the Last Apocalypse (5:48)
9. The Pride of the Tyrant (4:53)
10. Garoyles, Angels of Darkness: Angeli Di… (19:02)
Album length: 61:00
