Review by JD on August 20, 2011.

Musicianship means a great deal, when your in the metal world. You cannot (or not very often) get away with being a bad musician and end up succeed in this business. You have to be able to perform with both substance and passion. Many are capable of sheer greatness but some do not deliver because of many reasons coloured by bad choices.

Italy is really pumping out the metal these days, and Rhapsody Of Fire just adds another layer to the metal that this country has. There latest export is symphonically sweeping, technical metal in the vein of Dragonforce or Trivium with shadings of Dream Theatre thrown in there for a good measure... but that is as far as it goes. It is like all of these bands, and nothing more. Not a shred of originality went into the music, and almost feels as if they just regurgitated every note they produced.

Tracks like 'Silent Dreams' and 'Old Age Of Wonder' show a world of promise, but sadly it holds no originality. It is true that these are amazing musicians that hold their own with anyone out there, it is the fact that they never use the talent to be original is my sticking point. It is all regurgitated fluff, and not a band that could chart its own course doing so. Rhapsody Of Fire sounds so much like so many of the bands of today... they have no identity.

Rhapsody Of Fire is a band that has all the talent and power needed to forge a long and very amazing career that could inflences the newer breed of musicians that are coming around the corner as we speak. But with no sense of identity those impressionable musicians will look elsewhere. I hope that Rhapsody Of Fire will find that certain something that will make them stand out... lord knows they have the talent to pull it of when they do.

If this band can do that and keep their talent in check and growing, they will change the shape of Symphonic/Power Metal.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship:9
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 8
Originality: 6
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.6 out of 10