If you are an early reader of metalreviews.com, you know that we really like this band. We dedicated our first ever interview to this band because we trust they are the next big band on this planet. When I said big, I like to compare them to Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall or Nightwish. However, music is a matter of business where luck has a big role. We believe Manticora deserve much more attention and this new record is somehow "our own gift" for betting on this band.

After the excellent Roots Of Eternity (previous record), where Blind Guardian and Iced Earth's influences where more than evident, Manticora come back with Darkness With Tales To Tell. This time Manticora start to have their own sound, their own profile, their own music style and leave behind their direct influences. The third full album will be Manticora's coronation (I'll bet a fortune on that !).

But for now, let's talk about Darkness With Tales To Tell and lets talk about Manticora's singer, Lars F. Larsen. Without any doubt Manticora could not sound this way without the help of their vocalist Lars F. Larsen. He is unique and his vocals, giving again another dimension to Manticora's songs, are awesome. Don't try to compare him to another metal singer because Lars sings like ... Lars, full stop. Guitars solos get printed in your brain on first listening and the overall tempo is damned fast.

Blind Guardian is still present (fast rhythm and progressive breaks) but this time Manticora has added its own feeling, its own recipe to create an "epico-metalico-power-metal" masterpiece. The more I listen to it, the more it drives me mad. Dragon's Mist and Felice (forth & fifth track) resumes perfectly what is Manticora nowadays. Fast, melodic, catchy, progressive, magical, epic and what a mature song-writing! Roots of Eternity was made of two killer songs, Darkness With Tales To Tales is full of good songs, including one or two killers (The Chance Of Dying In A Dream, Dragon's Mist).

Ah before I forget, the cover-art is really great (booklet amazing!). I cannot tell you more about the artist as you have to discover by your own who is the artist (surprise !). Let's just say you know the guy ... pretty well. New album, new label, new logo, new sound, Manticora is rising slowly but surely. After all, it took more than three records to Blind Guardian to get finally recognized.

Fans of Blind Guardian, Stratovarius, Iced Earth, Nightwish and fast melodic (true?) power metal, this one is a must. After Black Lotus (previous label), I hope Manticora will have a decent promotion from Scarlet because here ... we are still waiting for the promo!