If you have you have been on my site before you will know how much I love Rhapsody, this Italian Power Metal band began emulating their heroes, Helloween, Stratovarius, Manowar and have now ventured into new territory, like the heroes they sing about , this is epic Symphonic Metal. You could even say Metal Opera.

Everything about this CD is totally over the top, it features the Martino Philharmonic Orchestra from the Czech Republic, a 50 pieces choir and even the might Christopher Lee makes an appearance.  The first track" Unholy Warcry" sets this mini album off in fine style, brash, swaggering and Rhapsody as we love them.  The next track "Thunders Mighty Roar" is just as good and the orchestration is the best they have done yet.

The neo classical "Guardians Of Destiny" is mostly an acoustic track and it sound so medieval with the acoustic guitars, orchestra and recorder it could easily have been written 200 years ago. The 10 minute epic "The Power Of  Raging Wind’s" (no sniggering at the back) is truly a masterpiece, superb Orchestration one minute, blistering guitar solos interspersed with choral stabs and a recorder solo, I kid you not.

If you can put aside your fashionable prejudices and get past the cheesiness of it all there is a fantastic and enjoyable CD here.  If the great composers, Paganini, Vivaldi and may be Wagner were alive today they would want to have been involved in a project like this.  The production and mixing of this must have been an absolute nightmare and a special mention must go out to Luca Turilli, Alex Staropoli and Sacha Paeth who have done an exceptional job.

IF this is what "Symphony of Enchanted Lands II is going to sound like, I can’t wait to hear it. The DVD is well worth getting with interviews, behind the scene footage and the "Unholy Warcry" Video.