CHALLENGE THE WIND
REVIEWER – GRAEME WRIGHT
I’ve always enjoyed Symphonic Power Metal, but the market has been over saturated in the last few years and I sort of stepped away from the genre to get myself up to speed with modern Metal music. There are always a few bands within the genre that you can rely on to get the juices flowing however, and one of those bands is Rhapsody Of Fire.
People were worried when the band announced an amicable split with Luca Turilli in 2016 because he was one of the bands founder members and their vocalist. However, Giacomo Voli proved to be a more than worthy replacement and his recruitment allowed the band to continue in the tradition of never having produced a bad album since their inception in 1993 (under the name Thundercross.)
Don’t get me wrong, this album isn’t perfect. It’s starts incredibly strong, and the first three tracks on the album are superb. The vocals are excellent, the guitar work is fabulous and overall this is everything you could hope for from a band who are pioneers of the genre. The drums thunder along and my only complaint is that the bass could be a touch further up the mix than it is here. Title track ‘Challenge The Wind’ gets this album off to the best possible start. It’s bombastic, fast paced and Voli has the vocal range of an air raid siren and it’s a really impressive example of prime Symphonic Metal music. ‘Whispers Of Doom’ is up next. It’s slower paced, majestic and immediate with stunning fret work that almost dances around it’s that intense. ‘The Bloody Pariah’ has an ominous opening before it hits the ground running and thunders along to a satisfying climax.
‘Vanquished By Shadows’ is a sixteen minute epic that is really impressive and complex and shows how talented this set of musicians really are. ‘Kreel’s Magic Staff’ again highlights the impressive vocals but is perhaps a touch too generic and safe for a band who have shown they aren’t afraid to take chances, while ‘Diamond Claws’ could easily be tarred with the same brush. ‘Black Wizard’ picks up the pace again and is a comfortable fit within the bands “storytelling” style, while ‘A Brave New Hope’ is heartfelt and upbeat. ‘Holy Downfall’ has a fabulous orchestral opening and an agreeable pomposity from start to finish.
‘Mastered By The Dark’ is an off-cut of an earlier song (‘Vanquished By Shadows’) and while it’s an odd choice to end the album with it still works even though it echoes what had come before. In conclusion, if you’re a fan of the genre you can sit back, relax and enjoy this album. It’s been produced by a band who are talented musicians of the highest quality who really know what they are doing. Rhapsody Of Fire are acknowledged as being one of the masters of this type of Metal music and it’s clear that after all this time they are still sitting in the top branches of the Symphonic Power Metal tree. Highly recommended and an album I’ve already purchased myself to go along with the rest of my Rhapsody Of Fire collection.
BAND
Giacomo Voli – Vocals
Roberto De Micheli – Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar
Alex Staropoli – Keyboards
Alessandro Sala – Bass
Paolo Marchesich – Drums
ALBUM TRACK LIST
1. Challenge The Wind
2. Whispers Of Doom
3. The Bloody Pariah
4. Vanquished By Shadows
5. Kreel’s Magic Staff
6. Diamond Claws
7. Black Wizard
8. A Brave New Hope
9. Holy Downfall
10. Mastered By The Dark
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