If there is one word that best describes France’s Eternal Flight, it is progress. Not progressive, though they do display progressive tendencies within their power metal foundation, but progress as in consistent improvement. Positive Rage (2004) was a decent debut, with a few notable songs, but ultimately unremarkable in the vast ocean that is the power metal genre. Under the Sign of Will (2007) showed strides in the songwriting department and was an improvement overall, but still not quite there. Then in 2011 Diminished Reality, Elegies and Mysteries (DREAM for short) was released, and with it the potential finally merged with experience and Eternal Flight released an album that stakes its claim within the genre.

Gerard Fois (singer and primary song writer) has been commonly referenced as a weakness when it comes to his vocals, and when you listen to the first two albums you can hear why some people might be turned off. While possessing all the range in the world, Gerard’s tone tended to waver at times and for every strong moment their was a weak one lurking around the corner. This was not the sign of a bad vocalist, but simply one still working to find his comfort zone within his voice and the music. Fortunately with DREAM it would seem his voice and its use have matured greatly, emerging as a high point of the album and not a hindrance. In fact I would go so far as to say his unique tones do a great deal to separate Eternal Flight from the average power metal group, and bears some resemblance to Dio in his lower ranges and Geoff Tate when he reaches for those higher notes. Those that were turned off by his previous efforts could very well be in for a surprise. One thing I did note while following along with the lyrics is that his pronunciation of certain English words are incorrect. Whether this was done intentionally for effect or simply because English is not his primary language I am unsure, but it is distracting for someone like myself who's primary language is English. As for the music itself, there is no shortage of strong songwriting and technical flourishes on offer. Everyone is quite competent in their playing, and as you would expect there are plenty of riffs and solo’s to please the ear. Choruses are all very strong (not always the case on the previous albums), and there is a lot of diversity on display to keep you interested. Production is also an improvement over previous efforts, with a clean and crisp sound.

Overall each song on DREAM has its merits but it is fairly easy to pick out the winners. Highlights include the ass-kicking opener Release the Unreal, Fantasea (with an opening that reminds me of Journey), The Meeting, and album closer Goodbye. Best song of the album is a toss-up between the awesome Nightmare King and The Tower, which features the best chorus on the album amidst some great riff work. The less interesting tunes in my opinion are Firedancer and Black Sun, neither of which is bad but neither do they stand out against the album’s better moments. Special mention also goes to an inspired cover of Dio’s Night People, which is done extremely well and does the man himself justice.

Those left unimpressed by Eternal Flight with the last two albums should give DREAM a chance. It is nice to see a band continually improve and grow over time, and this album is a prime example of hard work and dedication leading to success. A worthy album in the genre, and certainly worth any power metal enthusiasts time.