Rhapsody
Dawn of Victory
Review by Mike Korn
By the bristling beard of Odin, what manner of mortals be these? The members of the Italian power metal band Rhapsody have taken the fantasy theme to new...and often ridiculous...heights. Think Blind Guardian lay it on pretty thick when it comes to Tolkienesque imagery? They are like Limp Bizkit compared to Rhapsody. What other band has the likes of “Aresius The Ancient Wizard” (probably a roadie wearing a mask from Spencer's) in their ranks?
Seriously, Rhapsody makes no secret of their desire to combine classically-influenced heavy metal with a bombastic Hollywood soundtrack kind of approach. These guys thank the likes of Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams in their notes instead of the usual Megadeth, Motorhead, etc. They use tons of choirs, orchestras, flutes, violins and sound effects to get over their pompous style. Does it work? Frankly, it was too much for me . Like listening to opera, you are first blown away but eventually exhausted by the sheer overkill. The band's musical prowess is good, with vocalist Fabio Lione being a standout, but it lacks the distinctiveness of other fantasy metallers like Blind Guardian and Manowar. Guitarist Luca Turilli knows how to play but there's nothing original about his Yngwie-cloning arpeggios and speedy runs.
My response to "Dawn of Victory" is similar to my reaction to Robert Jordan's bloated "Wheel of Time" fantasy series...way too much of a good thing. Well, the disc has its good moments but only those with an endless tolerance for classical overkill and fantasy cliches will acclaim it as being great. I much prefer the more focused and metallic effort from their labelmates Shadow Keep.
The band is Fabio Leone: Lead and backing vocals. Alessandro Lotta: Bass Luca Turilli: lead guitars Alex Holzwarth: Drums Alex Starpoli: keyboards, harpsichord and piano Aresius The Ancient Wizard: financial advice?
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: The Early Years Volume 3 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-The-Early-Years.
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