Draconicon are not a band who stand still. After a very impressive debut back in 2021, this Italian Power Metal band have ditched the fantasy realms, costumes and dragons. However, they do retain their not-so-mysterious pseudonyms and have come thundering back with a sophomore album packed with speed, energy, power and melody, but focused on a slightly heavier, more personalised direction for the band. That debut (my review can be found elsewhere on Ave Noctum if reference is needed) was very much in a bombastic, anthemic Symphonic Power Metal tradition, adding their own footprints to the well-trodden path of many a European Power Metal outfit, but the band have taken forward what they wanted, yet added so much more.
The only line-up change is that Nightland Bassist Philip Skrim (Filippo Scrima) is now in the ranks and whether by coincidence or intention, the music is heavier and more diverse. There has been an obvious shift from Fantasy Power Metal as, having made an impact with their debut, the band introduce more of their own influences. The songs have an edgier quality to them – there has been more progressive elements introduced and the orchestration (courtesy of Fleshgod Apocalypse’s Francesco Ferrini) echoes this by being less formulaic and more adventurous, with the rhythms and guitar-lines taking a similar stance to bring further cohesion.
Arkanfel’s vocals are still as impressive as ever, but the melodies are less immediate and, to match the music, more unpredictable, with other vocal forms also being incorporated to further illustrate his impressive repertoire. This feels like an album that may have more longevity than its immediate predecessor and demands repeat plays for further illumination. One thing that did set the band apart from others in the style of their debut was the fabulous violin work, which is still very evident on “Pestilence”, but maybe a little less obvious and interwoven into the progressive orchestration at times, yet still giving them another angle to add to their own identity.
So often a band makes a noteworthy impact with their first album and tries to emulate this on the follow-up, more often than not watering down the energy of the debut, but Draconicon’s approach makes this album much more interesting. With the obvious talent that this band have it would have been so easy to replicate the frivolity of their debut, chuck in more dragons, a wizard or two, donned more elaborate capes and really capitalized, but this is thankfully not for Draconicon, as there are plenty of bands currently ploughing that particular furrow. Yes, this is still an album with plenty to hook you in, but also with so much more depth. This is a band who have morphed from an obviously impressive but familiar sounding Power Metal band into a powerful unit that are looking to push the Power Metal genre into different, more innovative territories, which makes this and future releases a much more enticing prospect.
(8.5/10 Andy Barker)
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