Artist: RHAPSODY
Album: "POWER OF THE DRAGONFLAME (CD)"

Year: 2002
EAN/UPS: 693723650326
Media type: CD

Trieste based epic Metal act RHAPSODY started life in 1993 under the name of THUNDERCROSS. Galvanising guitarist Luca Turilli's classical heritage, his father being a famous concert cellist, with symphonic Metal made the 1994 THUNDERCROSS demo, fronted by singer Cristiano Adacher, stand out from the crowd. The 'Land Of Immortals' session hosted tracks that would subsequently evolve into RHAPSODY numbers, 'Invernal Fury' becoming 'Rage Of The Winter' and 'Holy Wind' re-worked into 'Riding The Winds Of Eternity'. The cassette attracted the attention of noted German melodic Rock guru Limb Schnoor. Signing to Schnoor's LMP production company the band soon changed titles to RHAPSODY.

As RHAPSODY, fronted by ex-LABYRINTH and present day ATHENA vocalist Fabio Leone, the act debuted with the 7 track 'Eternal Glory' demo tape in 1995. RHAPSODY's debut album 'Legendary Tales' scored the band massive plaudits across the European Metal community. Bass player Andrea Furlan departed prior to its release. Despite RHAPSODY's rising profile Leone still stuck out his vocal position with ATHENA.

RHAPSODY's second album, which found ex-SINESTHESIA bassist Alessandro Lotta joining, really put the band on the map selling in excess of 100'000 copies in Europe alone. The band was also joined by ex-SIEGES EVEN drummer Alex Holzwarth and former DREAM CHILD guitarist Dominique Leuquin.

Turilli issued a highly successful solo album in 1999. Leone busied himself with an outside project too forming VISION DIVINE for a self titled album in alliance with LABYRINTH guitarist Olaf Thцrsen in 2000. Meantime, RHAPSODY commited their version of 'Guardians' to the 2000 HELLOWEEN tribute album 'Keepers Of Jericho'.

Holzwarth united some of his ex-SIEGES EVEN colleagues to found project act LOOKING GLASS SELF in 2000. The drummer was also found sessioning on EDGUY's Tobias Sammet's mammoth AVANTASIA project album the same year. Meantime Fabio Leone would guest on the 2001 debut album from Argentinean Symphonic Metal band BETO VASQUEZ INFINITY, a band that often performed RHAPSODY's 'Land Of Immortals' as a cover version at gigs.

RHAPSODY re-emerged in November 2001 with the grandiose 'Rain Of A Thousand Flames' opus. The following month it would be announced that bassist Alessandro Lotta, going on to join Finnish Progressive Metal band WINGDOM, had been replaced by Patrice Guers, a man boasting credits with PATRICK RONDAT and CONSORTIUM PROJECT. RHAPSODY drummer Alex Holzwarth acted as a stand in for the first nine shows of KAMELOT's January 2002 European dates. Regular KAMELOT drummer Casey Grillo took back the reins for their Offenbach gig. RHAPSODY would continue with touring in Europe with an April schedule packaged alongside ANGEL DUST and AT VANCE.

The band would reveal plans for two working project, one entitled 'Rhapsody In Black' and the other a J.R.R. Tolkein inspired 'Lord Of The Rings' piece. However by June RHAPSODY had scotched both ideas, apparently deeming 'Rhapsody In Black' as not in keeping with the band's 'positive' image. During August BLIND GUARDIAN pulled in the services of RHAPSODY drummer Alex Holzwarth for Brazilian dates, regular drummer Thomas Stauch suffering from a tendon infection. Holzwarth also donated his services to Greek Electro-Metal band DOL AMMAD, appearing on their debut 'Star Tales' record.

The band scored a major coup for recording of their 2004 album, the 'Symphony Of Enchanted Lands Part 2 - The Dark Secret' opus being crafted in four different studios across Europe. Donating narrative texts would be none other than veteran actor Chritopher Lee, world famous for his roles as Count Dracula and the evil Sauron in the "Lord Of The Rings' trilogy. His daughter Christina also contributed, marking the first father and daughter had worked together professionally. This portion of the album would be produced by Joey DeMaio of MANOWAR. Also on hand to give the record an additional sense of the epic would be the entire Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra from the Czech Republic as well as a 50 piece choir.

In November, RHAPSODY re-entered the recording studio with Christopher Lee once again to re-record the song 'The Magic Of The Wizard's Dream'. The new version of the song would be produced in four different languages, English, German, French and Italian, and featured a duet by Lee, a noted bass/baritone vocalist in his own right and fluent in no less than twelve languages, and Fabio Lione. A promotional video for the song, filmed director Neil Johnson, featured a 40-piece orchestra and a 20-piece choir.

US dates in North America witnessed a touring partnership with MANOWAR. In July Christopher Lee would narrate the track 'Unholy Warcry' live on stage for RHAPSODY's appearance at the MANOWAR headlined 'Earthshaker' festival in Germany. The band then teamed up with MANOWAR and HOLYHELL for US dates commencing 2nd June in Cleveland, Ohio. This same combination of road partners accompanied RHAPSODY on the 'Demons, Dragons And Warriors' tour into Europe in the Spring of 2006.

TRACKLIST:

1. In Tenebris
2. Knightrider Of Doom
3. The Power Of The Dragonflame
4. The March Of The Swordmaster
5. When Demons Awake
6. Agony Is My Name
7. Lamento Eroico
8. Steelgods Of The Last Apocalypse
9. The Pride Of The Tyrant
10. Gargoyles, Angels Of Darkness:
I) Angeli Di Pietra Mistica
II) Warlord's Last Challenge
III) …And The Legend Ends…

LINE-UP:

Fabio Leone (vocals)
Luca Turilli (guitar)
Alessandro Lotta (bass)
Alex Staropoli (keyboards)
Daniele Carbonera (drums)

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