Dragony – ‘Hic Svnt Dracones’

Symphonic Power Metal

Steamhammer

Release Date – October 11th 2024

Review By Smudge Smith

Prepare to be pressganged into a life at sea with the latest offering from Dragony. Formed in 2007 by former members of Visions Of Atlantis and Orden Ogan they started life as The Dragon Project but after three years they shortened it to Dragony. This is their fifth full length and their first in four years but let me tell you it’s been worth the wait.

Opener ‘From The New World (1584)’ is a melodic, symphonic blast that sets up ‘Dreamchasers’ nicely and once it sets sail it rides over waves with its sails full which propels forward at a steady pace. The double kick from Chris Auckenthaler helps too. It’s a wonderful dual vocal between Siegfried Samer and Ambre Vourvahis from Xandria before we get some fluid solos from Saito and Plekhanov. ‘Silver Blood’ continues the huge production with a cinematic Pirate adventure that gets the fists pumping before the spidery riff of ‘Dragon Of The Sea’ takes us into rougher waters with another fine metal shanty. Blow me if things don’t get even bigger on ‘Ill Met By Moonlight’ – the beginning has a huge choral line before they go steaming along on an armada of orchestration and riffage all steered along by Samer’s impressive lung power. Blimey this is good full of wonderful melodies and counter melodies that bring images of a stormy sea, talking of which ‘Perfect Storm’ brings a modern edge with some stabbing synths on the intro before it steps into traditional metal territory with a chugging riff so it’s not until the huge chorus that we get a bigger backing. ‘Hic Svnt Dracones’ (‘Here Be Dragons’) for those not versed in Latin has an eerie dramatic start kind of Disney where it sets the scene with some bright strings and piano before the classic power rock comes in and Samer shows his range. This is epic stuff that gives you goosebumps. Things get heavy on ‘The World Serpent’ where Saito and Plekhanov show their chops over another driving rhythm from Auckenthaler. ‘The Einherjer (What Dreams May Come)’ brings a celtic/folk feel then ‘Twilight Of The Gods’ has an 80’s sounding synth riff over

crunchy guitars before it settles into a heavy rocker before ‘Beyond The Rainbow Bridge’ takes off on a rate of knots with a choppy riff on another fist pumper that prepares you to board, land and pillage. It’s epic time once again on ‘The Untold Story (Albion Online)’ where it sounds like they have put everything into it including the galley sink!

This is totally accessible to anyone from 8-80 with something for everyone to enjoy. It’s got huge riffs, pounding drums and dramatic orchestration but it’s also got subtlety, catchy melodies and world class performances not least Siegried Samer who has never sounded better or stronger! For me this is probably the best record yet from Dragony. The songs tell some very vivid stories which keep you entertained, and the music reflects the moods within as it should, but this has gone way above. Absolutely stunning album – great songs, great sounds, great performances.

Band –

Siegfried Samer – Vocals

Simon Saito – Guitar

Mat Plekhanov – Guitar

Herbert Glos – Bass

Chris Auckenthaler – Drums

Manuel Hartleb – Keyboards

Track list –

1 – From The New World (1584)

2 – Dreamchasers

3 – Silver Blood

4 – Dragon Of The Sea

5 – Ill Met By Moonlight

6 – Perfect Storm

7 – Hic Svnt Dracones

8 – The World Serpent

9 – The Einherjer (What Dreams May Come)

10 – Twilight Of The Gods

11 – Beyond The Rainbow Bridge

12 – The Untold Story (Albion Online)