Metal Reviews

Alright, so I've been listening them over the past little while and I'm not sure which album I should get first. Usually when I get into a new band I'll end up buying their most recent album. I've heard a few tracks off of Triumph Or Agony and I really like them but then I kept reading that their previous albums are a lot harder. I've listened to some songs from the previous three albums and I love them too.

So is their latest album a good place to start for someone new or should I go back to something older?

Definitely something older. Probably Dawn Of Victory.

Dawn of Victory, Symphony of Enchanted Lands part I or Power of the Dragonflame. You can't go wrong with those albums. AVOID Triumph or Agony. It's by far their worst album yet.

Get any one of these three:

Symphony of Enchanted Lands (not Part II)
Dawn of Victory
Power of the Dragonflame

I would start with Symphony Of The Enchanted Lands (part I).

By the way, does anyone know anything about a new Luca Turilli album?

What is it exactly that makes it a bad album? I mean, I've heard about it being a lot softer but is there anything else besides that? Or is it just not as good as their previous records?

Well, a few months back he said he was working on the second Dreamquest album (awesome!) and his fourth solo album, which would be an "imaginary" Keeper Of The Seven Keys III if it had come out in the 90s with Kiske still in the band. Obviously he was referring to the style of the album, not actually intending to do a third Keeper album.

I've heard nothing more since then, though.

There's just something missing. Fabio sounds like he's on valium, the guitars are weak and uninspired, and the songs simply doesn't grab me like Rhapsody's songs used to do. I think that the softer, more orchestral sound was a step in the wrong direction for them.

Triumph Or Agony is a good album, but pretty different. It's almost like the name change was intentionally made due to the departure in style.

Oh yeah, that's right.

I still have to check out the Dreamquest thing. Some love it, some hate it ...

Dreamquest was a great surprise. It is a killer album.

+ 1

I was surprised, the vocalist is unbelievable, some of the notes she hits will make you stop doing whatever your doing and just be wowed.

Anyways, Power of The Dragonflame is my favorite Rhapsody of Fire album, When Demons Awake is probably one of my favorite songs by them, I really wish they would make harsher music like that more often. And Triumph or Agony isnt bad at all, I quite enjoyed it and felt it was a huge step forward over the crapfest Symphony of Enchanted Lands II. But yeah, it does deviate from the usual sound.

So yeah anyways, Power of The Dragonflame is the best IMO.

Dawn of Victory. I think it's the one with the best balance between the orchestration and metal elements. I also think it's their most interesting to listen to overall. the music on this one rises above the cheese.

Agree blew Rhapsody latest away great cd. Anyway get either Rhapsody's first or second release or Luca's first solo cd "King of The Nordic Twilight" it's better than them all and one of my all time favourites.

If you do happen to pick up the first album "Legendary Tales", whatever you do, no matter what, skip over "Forest of Unicorns" at all costs. After a song like that, its sometimes real hard to take these guys seriously at all.

Buy Power of the Dragonflame, take a huge dump on it, then buy some real power metal like Pagan's Mind instead.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Pagan's Mind "real" power metal?? They're a least 50% prog. Damn good band though.

I agree.

Dawn of Victory. Its the only one I can listen to straight through without puking, and its a damn good album.