Rhapsody
“Power of the Dragonflame”
(SPV)
The album opens with a grandiose orchestral arrangement complete with choral chanting: in Latin, no less. It then proceeds into rip roaring power metal territory as the band weaves their conceptual tale that has something to do with power, dragon flames, a sword master, a tyrant, steel gods, angels of darkness and gargoyles. It’s the usual Iron Maiden rigmarole made speedier, key-boardier and sillier but neither heavier nor better. The lyrical content would make Tolkien hang his head in shame for more likely then not having influenced at least a small part of this over bloated puree of wank.
Nearly every chorus is sung by a choir to emphasize the song’s intended majesty. Keyboards dominate the intros of the songs as do “Star Trek Theme” wailing vocals. The songs do tend to differentiate themselves from each other more than the songs on most albums of this ilk, but then again the band does little to differentiate themselves from most bands of this ilk making the overall affect of frantic keyboards, frenetic guitar picking, blitzkrieg drum work, dog howl vocals and synthesizer emitted noises oppressive and irksome.
