Rhapsody - Dawn of Victory

Alright, so we have that opening. Before proceeding into the meat of a typical Ilya review (ya know, the multicompounded sentences hurriedly describing the music in such great detail as to appear vague; the subtle song mentions, or given a different format, the messily assorted comments; maybe a few little tasteful metaphors bestrewn here and there), let me try another introduction. Yes, it should ideally appear within the next few lines, but prior to your finding out whether or not it really will, I should just like to say that in this, the most tangling process that is the process of album reviewing, Dawn of Victory is indeed a very difficult album to approach. Whilst I really care not for the general consensus of the disc, which at the moment happens to be rather black and white, I will say that to me, it is a huge disappointment. It also happens to be chock full of some absolutely fantastic music, and moreso than that - a hallowed sense of FUN that many a disc strives to attain; whether you play one song or the entire album, you are bound to be enthralled and/or entertained all the way through. Therein lies the dilemma of the approach (or, thus far, lack thereof). So moving right along...

I suppose Dawn of Victory shows several things. For one, the folly of overblown expectations. To elaborate? Dig out the Symphony of Enchanted Lands review, put together (assembled?) by none other than myself. Granted, from my aged perspective, the writing now seems a tad sketchy, but that enthusiasm, oh so very evident in those musings, remains true to this very day. Even having widened my musical horizons as infinitely as I have done since then, I still hold the first two Rhapsody releases as quite phenomenal, redefining in every possible way and manner the well worn cliche of not only European metal, but - and kid you I NOT when I say this - music in general. Poignant, beautifully over the top, bombastic, and passionate, with both albums residing comfortably as some of my all time favorites. To me, the move made from Legendary Tales to its successor was nothing short of astounding, and with Symphony...'s absolutely divine synthesis of the orchestral and the metallic, one (being myself, of course) could but dare to imagine what and where the band's next step would be. So in one sense, Rhapsody did not disappoint, for a step was indeed taken here. The disappointment lies in its being a step backwards.

Yes, yes, how clear it all becomes now: whilst I was hoping for some grandiose, otherworldly, and, well, heavier emphasis on the orchestrations, I in fact got the very opposite. It seems that after some less than enchanting touring experiences, that have left the fans with all but UNlegendary memories (am I the pun master or what?!), Luca Turilli decided to write music that would more easily be carried over to the live environment. GAAAAAWD...........Y'know, the prospect of ~selling out~ is a multilayered beast and all, but at least there is some money to (hypothetically) be made of it. That "selling" ain't there for nothing. Alas though, since Rhapsody's version of "selling out" seems to belong to that non-monetary lowering of standards for the sake of lowering of standards category; forgoing the traditional emblems and insignias associated with the term, they have rather opted to demonstrate their uncanny knack for sacrificing artistic vision, in writing the simpler music (and that it is, pilgrim, that it is) presented herein, meant to ideally sound better and play easier live. Ideals...pshaw. If "ambition makes you look pretty ugly"** then what, pray tell, can be said about its polar opposite brethren??

That of course brings me to the other of the several things which Dawn of Victory goes out of its way to show, that being that try as he might, Luca Turilli is incapable of writing poor music. The songs are simpler. Those lone orchestrations, filled to the brim with their beautiful, beautiful pomp, are all but gone. There is no harmonious ballad filled with au naturale sounds of bubbling brooks and rushing springs. And...did I mention the orchestrations...scrapped? Yeah, I thought so. 'Tis not all though. I s'ppose the more intrinsic nature of the disappointment comes from the now streamlined music's inevitable lack of soul. While the deficit is but slight, it is a deficit nonetheless, and given Turilli and Co.'s previous release based repertoire, the subtle slightness makes it all the more noticeable. The songs are still beautiful and adventurous, but they also have the obvious potential to be infinitely more so; as the music rages on in its whirlwind-esque manner through all the forty nine minutes, I would oft wish that it would just stop for a second and realize what sort of music it really WAS, and take advantage of that, something that - alas - happens sporadically at best. And yet despite all, the songs are still fantastic. All niggling little flaws and inconsistencies aside, there is still that beauty and adventure, the overblown passion and grandeur as only Rhapsody can provide. Just not to the same extents as before...

What say we now take a much deserved break - wenches, ale, and all - and look into the actual songs.

I. Lux Triumphans
In other words...the requisite intro. Legendary Tales had it, Symphony of Enchanted Lands had it, and as stroke inducingly shocking and surprising as it was, Luca Turilli's solo album had it as well. So come on now, did you really expect a Rhapsody album to start off with a freaking song?! I thought not. Thus there should really be no surprise that Dawn of Victory follows suit. With that being said, this is a great piece, reveling in its bombast and all. The English lyrics do deprive this non-canticle of its supposed Latin-ness, but...anyways... Ah yes, and of course there is the obligatory segue into the second song (a pause, much unlike the intro, is not the order of the day when it comes to the transition between the first and second song on a Turilli-penned album...).

II. Dawn of Victory
Whereas a less world-weary Rhapsody fan, not yet experienced with all the disenchanting ways of the world, may miss the subtleness of it all, I am much more worn and in the know. So I noticed: placing the title track second - and its not even being the longest song on the album...What is UP? Is this the Symphonically Enchanted Land of Algalord that I know and love or what? Placement quandaries aside, all I can say is hell yeah. A fierce, fire spewing dragon of a song, coming forth as a more intense version of Legendary Tales' "Warrior of Ice." And then of course there is the little touch of genius that is the "Gloria...Perpetua" in the chorus. I don't know how Turilli keeps doing it, and God forbid he ever stop...

III. Triumph for my Magic Steel
Ah, did you really think you were going to find me bringing up the oft mentioned phallic references? Cum on now, would I be that predicktable? *sigh*...(if you'll never want to read another one of my reviews, I'll understand) While a perfectly solid and decent song, Triumph also represents the low point in Turilli's songwriting. It took three years, but here we finally have it - a somewhat forgettable, by the numbers (and it is just that) Rhapsody track. Sign of the impending cataclysmic destruction of the planet? You betcha. Still, shall I take upon myself the duty of playing the bright eyed optimist when I say that this must have been just a momentary dip of inspiration (Luca blinked and his entourage of muses went to get a beer or something), and it shan't happen again. It shan't, sayeth I, it shan't!! Still fairly good and all though, just with that less than stellar"Look Ma, I'm Symphonic Metal!" vibe.

IV. The Village of Dwarves
A folksy, hymnal tune that thumps along as does many a folksy hymnal tune. If I was feeling particularly cynical, I would note that the inspiration seems a bit lacking here as well, but no, no. You ignore that for now. With that being said...

V. Dargor, Shadowlord of the Black Mountain
You know, Akron (that's the bad guy, right?) may have raped and mutilated the, uhmm, other dude's (the good guy's) girlfriend, but that doesn't even come close to the butchery wreaked upon this very song. Before I commence with my bitching, let me point out that this, the mini, compacted, specifically-shortened-for-the-album version of "Dargor" is purdy kick ass as well, but...in the face of the version from the Holy Thunderforce single? Oh dear...Granted, the original eight minute tune did not have quite the same orchestral resonance, and that little prechorus section was downright nasty (both amended in the album version), but it also had a wonderfully creepy intro and an absolutely divine little piano break, two things which sought no emendations of any sort, and yet got them all the same. As a result, we have here a sweeping, albeit cut up mini-epic that has the togetherness of a piece of shredded fabric confetti...So while I am sure that my opinions would be of a far more complementary nature had I not heard the original, the fact remains that I had, and therein lies the undoing of my full enjoyment.........

VI. The Bloody Rage of the Titans
I said no epic ballad, right? Well, the first minute and a half might mislead you into thinking that I fired off a lie of bloodily titanic proportions, in some vain effort of spewing forth a false impression of sorts. Er, yes. Anyways, the same first minute or so also comprises some of the most enchanting music Rhapsody has ever graced us with, and if that is not saying a lot then we are really in a bind. For the remainder of the tune, we have a great verse and an excellent chorus making up a hymn-esque-though-not-really-a-hymn song whose quality falls somewhere in between the two descriptives; great and excellent just don't cut it when you've had that opening though. Oy...

VII. Holy Thunderforce
The most intense Rhapsody tune ever made? You betcha. And wouldn't you know it, it's also the single! One hell of an immense tune with Fabio really showing off his pipes. Alas, much in lieu of the majority of the disc, symphonic frenzy and bombast to the tens, but the real passion (ya know, that intangible factor) to the sevens or eights.

VIII. Trolls in the Dark
Can I have a drum roll, please? Might as well add some guitars, a trumpet, flute, some violins, and a little childish voice (this is Rhapsody after all, or didn't you know?) Ah, so now that I have accidentally described the track, let me just add to it the rather conspicuous award of having the gayest name in the history of...I guess word formations or something. (And no, I am not shallow like that, and it is not a term that I use often - or in the matters of such descriptions, at all - but can you honestly come up with a better word?) Whatever it may be in its connotative sense, as a tune, it comes across as a pretty good lil' instrumental. And just that.

IX. The Last Winged Unicorn
Sheer neoclassical bliss, "...Unicorn" is a blazing feet sweeper (sweeps you right off, that is), whether you actually happen to be standing at the given moment or not. Limited orchestrations aside (I believe I've subtly touched upon this a time or two earlier), here is a tune blessed with a certain majestic quality that was all but missing from the bulk of the preceding music. Grandiose and uplifting; would feel right at home on the Turilli solo album, I'm sure...

X. The Mighty Ride of the Firelord
Ah yessss......epically epic in that sort of overblown epic sense that just screams "EPIC!" Now where is that damn thesaurus? Vocabularic woes regardless, what we have here is probably Rhapsody's most, well yes, epic song. A gigantic tour de force of just about every little and not so little niblet of "epicity" imagined, all strewn together over an incredibly vivid palette. It is heavy. It is grandiose. It is over the top. And it also happens to be an an astonishingly good tune, ranking as one of Rhapsody's very best. Reprising the Conan the Barbarian-like theme from Lux Triumphans, the song expands on it to some truly staggering lengths, altogether managing to come off with a little of that hard to achieve 'it's too damn short'-itis, despite the nine-plus minute duration. Particularly noteworthy is bombastic choir doing the Greek Chorus-esque narration, as well as some truly delectable keyboard bits (of the 'you'll know 'em when you hear 'em' variety). Certainly makes it all (it being the somewhat mixed previous forty minutes) worthwhile...

So yes, every now and then, the music does seem to acknowledge its utter class and beauty. That is most certainly a good thing, and I can only wish - if Luca does decide to carry on down this, lo, much more familiar path - that the acknowledgement be made more often.