Firmly claiming the term ‘stalwarts’ (and maybe even nudging towards ‘veterans’) of Symphonic Power Metal, Rhapsody Of Fire are a name familiar to so many. As they should be, almost thirty years since that ground-breaking fantastical debut “Legendary Tales” helped to reignite the European Power Metal scene, paving the way for a swathe of similarly bombastic, epic albums by this unapologetically talented Italian Metal band. As the band morphed from simply Rhapsody into Rhapsody Of Fire, guitarist Luca Turilli departed, followed by a few different members coming and going until the unmistakeable voice of Fabio Lione was also replaced in 2016, leaving keyboardist and songwriting mastermind Alex Staropoli as the only original member.
A defining part of Rhapsody Of Fire’s sound, Lione had such an instantly recognisable voice that surely it was always going to be a difficult act to follow – or was it? Giacomo Voli wasted no time in making the back catalogue his own with 2017’s “Legendary Years” and proved he was a formidable vocal force on his first album of originals “The Eighth Mountain”. Personally, I felt the band played it a little safe song-wise on that one, understandably so in hindsight as it also enabled them to rekindle the energy that they had in their earlier days, but it also showed that the band were willing to allow their new vocalist a little more wriggle-room, as they did on its follow-up “Glory For Salvation”. And although Rhapsody Of Fire very much follow their own blue-print, that trait of vocal freedom has happily continued on “Challenge The Wind”.
Voli’s voice is very accessible, he has a warm, approachable tone that doesn’t rely on the warbling operatics of his predecessor, but let’s be honest, Rhapsody Of Fire’s songs are more about the music and arrangements than just the vocals, so it’s how everything in each composition fits together that is key. There’s once more a smoothness to “Challenge The Wind”, an effortlessness, that shows the band utterly at ease in what they do, but there are those hints that they’re willing to just push things around in the vocal department a little more, and even occasionally in the arrangements. There is of course plenty of musical depth to every track as well as there being plenty to hook you in immediately, both musically and vocally.
Nobody listens to a Rhapsody Of Fire album to hear the band sounding outlandishly out of character, so it’s just small details that long term fans will notice, and when you play this album alongside 2019’s “The Eighth Mountain”, those subtle nuances become a little more obvious, highlighting that the band are still slightly pushing themselves, whilst maintaining their trademark sound. You still have your 16-minute epic (a real highlight of the album with its varied vocals and enchanting guitar work), nestled happily in with the punchier, galloping Power Metal tracks and driving Symphonic anthems, luxuriously drenched in orchestration and choirs. The musicianship? Come on, if you know anything about Rhapsody Of Fire, then you know it’s not a question worth asking, as the class and professionalism on display on this album oozes out from every pore as it always does. That’s Rhapsody Of Fire. Really all you needed to read was that it’s all fine, all’s good, Rhapsody Of Fire are still at the top of their game and if you enjoyed any of their previous albums, you’re going to love this one. Apologies that it took me this long to just tell you that.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
Leave a Reply