Rhapsody of Fire: "From Chaos To Eternity"

[NovembersDirge]

If you're a fan of Rhapsody you are guaranteed to love this, and I think this record will appeal to non-fans or people who haven't been as hot on the band because it is expanding the music outwards. But I mean, it's still Rhapsody, which means it's still over-the-top cheese and if you're not into that, you're not going to be into this.

But I love this record and I love the last one, too. They're both stellar orchestral power metal records and it's nice to see they're back with such a passion and fire.

Hi, btw, I'm Phil. Also known as Angry Metal Guy. And I got a pingback.

 

[1928]

it's nice to see they're back with such a passion and fire.

Oho!

Welcome Phil! Stellar review, you nailed my thoughts on the album. I have to say I love the attention the bass gets on the songs, particularly the title track. Fabio's eerie whisper-soft singing over that evil bass line has to be one of the coolest sounding things Rhapsody's created in a long time, in my opinion. Everything about that song just works wonderfully.

Fabio is in my opinion a contender for most consistent and impressive metal vocalist. He can do it all - soft singing, growling, really high notes - and he's been doing it for over a decade, and he still sounds amazing! I really wish he would be invited for something like Avantasia though... he'd be perfect

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

Fabio is in my opinion a contender for most consistent and impressive metal vocalist. He can do it all - soft singing, growling, really high notes - and he's been doing it for over a decade, and he still sounds amazing! I really wish he would be invited for something like Avantasia though... he'd be perfect

There's a lot to be said for this, actually. The man has a set of pipes on him that's for sure. Hearing him in Avantasia would make me an exceedingly happy man.

For any not too clued in with Rhapsody by best recommendation would be Legendary Tales & SotEL but really their whole discography is stellar. Luca is my god.

 

[1928]

Yeah, Rhapsody's discography is one of the few in which every full-length album is top notch, and even the two EPs are pretty good (though Cold Embrace of Fear may be the weakest release overall just because it's an attempt at a real epic cinematic score with all the dialogue, etc.). I'd definitely recommend SOEL for anybody not familiar with the band, as well as Dawn of Victory and Power of the Dragonflame - the three albums where Rhapsody really hit a bullseye on just about every track.

 

[moleSG]

If you're a fan of Rhapsody you are guaranteed to love this, and I think this record will appeal to non-fans or people who haven't been as hot on the band because it is expanding the music outwards. But I mean, it's still Rhapsody, which means it's still over-the-top cheese and if you're not into that, you're not going to be into this.

But I love this record and I love the last one, too. They're both stellar orchestral power metal records and it's nice to see they're back with such a passion and fire.

Hi, btw, I'm Phil. Also known as Angry Metal Guy. And I got a pingback.

Aah, awesome!
Not listened to Rhapsody before but I think it might be worth checking out, OTT Cheese doesn't really put me off.

Hi!
Love the reviews, they're pretty insightful!

 

[1928]

Not listened to Rhapsody? My friend, you should most definitely look up these following songs, you won't regret if you like cheese and/or grandiose power metal!

Emerald Sword
Dawn of Victory
Knightrider of Doom
Unholy Warcry

Also look up the Sea of Fate music video, it's not really cheesy but you get to look at the beautiful singer that is Fabio

 

[Cronopio]

And Holy Thunderforce! The song for the win.

 

[Kingface]

http://www.metalstorm.net/pub/review.php?review_id=9250

A review by Baz Anderson of Metal Storm of the new album, for those interested.

 

[Gibbon]

Reading the info for this album on cdjapan and it got an extra bonus song called tornado and just wondering is it the demo version/no vocal version of song number 8 on this album?

 

[1928]

That's wrong; Tornado's simply the 8th track on the album. The only bonus track on this album is a cover of Iron Maiden's Flash of the Blade.

The only other version of Tornado (or any of the other tracks) will be in the collector-edition 3-CD set - one CD with the regular album, one CD with no lead guitar, and another CD with no vocals.

 

[moleSG]

The only other version of Tornado (or any of the other tracks) will be in the collector-edition 3-CD set - one CD with the regular album, one CD with no lead guitar, and another CD with no vocals.

That's a really cool idea - wish other bands released stuff - even on a seperate CD - minus vocals.
Karaoke metal night, anyone?

 

[1928]

I'd totally join in

 

[Gibbon]

That cleared things up a bit, getting confused by all diffrent versions there is, special, limited, mailorder, japan only and on it goes...thanks for the help dude!

And Karaoke metal night plus the velvet PQ cape would kick ass hah!

 

[NovembersDirge]

Oho!

Welcome Phil! Stellar review, you nailed my thoughts on the album. I have to say I love the attention the bass gets on the songs, particularly the title track. Fabio's eerie whisper-soft singing over that evil bass line has to be one of the coolest sounding things Rhapsody's created in a long time, in my opinion. Everything about that song just works wonderfully.

Fabio is in my opinion a contender for most consistent and impressive metal vocalist. He can do it all - soft singing, growling, really high notes - and he's been doing it for over a decade, and he still sounds amazing! I really wish he would be invited for something like Avantasia though... he'd be perfect

I like Fabio a lot, but he can be a bit much sometimes. He has such strong vibrato (and such a strong accent) that he turns me off sometimes. He works perfectly in the Rhapsody context, but I'm not sure how he'd do in other contexts (though I did see him singing for Kamelot and that was good).

This record is really pretty remarkable. I'm happy for the guys because they really have upped their game a bit.

 

[1928]

I kind of hope the streak of constant releases doesn't stop. I mean, three releases, two of them full-length in the span of 14 months! And they're all quality! I'm totally stoked to find out what they're planning for the future now that they're done with Algalord and Dar-Kunor and all that.

 

[Cronopio]

But we're gonna miss Alwar and Aresius, aren't we?

 

[1928]

I thought Aresius died before the start of The Dark Secret! I will certainly miss Dargor and Christopher "Iras Algor" Lee though

 

[Gibbon]

So, which songs are you're favourites on this one?

I think for me, personally it's the 19 mins track, HEROES OF THE WATERFALLS’ KINGDOM. Normally I'm not a huge fan of songs over like 12 mins, but this song has simply blown my mind away all the way to Ainor! But I like all the songs on here and it's a true masterpiece. I do think TFTOA was slightly better(it has become one of my all time fav. albums), but as someone said about elysium: it's a well worthy follow up of it's prequel.

 

[1928]

I really like Heroes of the Waterfall's Kingdom, especially since the chorus is a reference to Beethoven's Sonata No. 1, but I think the harsh vocals about 11 minutes in are mixed way too low, you can't hear them too well. It's a really good song, but I do think Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness is a bit better My two cents, haha.

My favorite song is the title track. Can't praise it enough, not one bad thing about it. One of the best power metal songs I've heard in years, honestly. Follow-up would be Tornado, that's a pretty epic chorus.

Also, the cover of Flash of the Blade is incredibly good!

 

[Gibbon]

Think I've only heard like one song by beethoven or something, so must have missed that

Overall though Heroes of the Waterfall's Kingdom, From chaos to eternity and Tornado seem to be the favourites to most. I'd agree if you add "I belong to the stars" to that list.

And never though I'd say this about a Rhapsody song but don't like Flash of the Blade at all. But I've never been a fan of Iron maiden covers tbh. Guess there's been too many of those.