Friday, November 11, 2016

Throwback Thursday: Symphony of Enchanted Lands, by Rhapsody (of Fire)



In 1998 Italian symphonic power metal pioneers Rhapsody (now Rhapsody of Fire due to trademark issues) put out what is arguably their best album to date (with the best singer they ever had: Fabio Lione): Symphony of Enchanted Lands. For those of you who don't know what power metal is, it is a sub-genre of heavy metal that often sounds more positive, melodic, and uplifting while telling grand epic fantasy tales in the lyrics. Basically, it's like if Dungeons and Dragons met metal. This album was the second in a series of five albums that tell the epic tale of the Ice Warrior and his quest across the land to find the Emerald Sword so that he might defeat the dark lord Akron and save the world.

Musically speaking Symphony of Enchanted Lands is a glorious blend of melodic heavy metal with traditional classical music with occasional Baroque tones thrown into the mix. Never in my life have I heard two styles that are seemingly altogether different work so well together. It doesn't even sound like metal music with orchestra backing. It actually sounds like the two are woven together in such a way where both are meant to be there and without the other, each would have nowhere near the impact that they do together.

Symphony of Enchanted Lands is a four part suite with the kind of vibe that this 13 minute epic should have been in an 80's fantasy movie, but not in a bad way. The way the orchestra plays is so emotional. A single flute note will pull at your heart strings, making them twang. It will hit you in your feels HARD. Lione sings so emotionally as well. You can hear how powerfully and mournfully he feels. You would swear you were listening to an opera performance. Then again, that is no surprise considering this is one of the most story-laden tracks on the entire album.

My absolute FAVORITE track on this album and Rhapsody of Fire track of all time however has to be Emerald Sword. The way it drives and keeps everything so upbeat while at the same time instilling just how important and vital this quest is gets me wanting to mosh every time I play it. The chorus alone makes me feel like this is the kind of music that would happen if the main characters in The Lord of the Rings made heavy metal. In a way it also feels like the kind of song that you would sing in unison with a bunch of heavy metal brethren at a show. It has that come together kind of feeling in the chorus especially.

If you're interested in giving a form of metal you might not have ever listened to before a try, I cannot recommend Symphony of Enchanted Lands enough. It will capture your imagination and make your emotions soar like a dragon on the wind. You might feel like a bit of a geek for listening to such music, but I guarantee that as soon as you start headbanging along to the music you will easily forget all about that and enjoy the music for just how amazing it really is.

Symphony of Enchanted Lands, by Rhapsody (of Fire) receives 4 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Epicus Furor (Epic Fury)
2. Emerald Sword
3. Wisdom of the Kings
4. Heroes of the Lost Valley
5. Eternal Glory
6. Beyond the Gates of Infinity
7. Wings of Destiny
8. The Dark Tower of Abyss
9. Riding the Winds of Eternity
10. Symphony of Enchanted Lands

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Symphony-Enchanted-Lands-Rhapsody/dp/B002JGVXBI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478852217&sr=8-1&keywords=symphony+of+enchanted+lands

No comments:

Post a Comment