LEGENDARY TALES

Rhapsody's debut album is a skilled blend of power metal and symphonic metal. With Dungeons & Dragons lyrics and riffs reminiscent of Manowar, it's a meatier stew than symphonic metal typically offers, and the occasional outbursts of medieval-ish instrumentation and acoustic interludes are effective when it comes to reinforcing the epic fantasy tone the band strive for. Luca Turilli is the star player here, both in terms of his guitar skills and in conceptualising the Emerald Sword Saga which would form the thematic basis of this and the subsequent brace of Rhapsody albums. A decent enough entry point into the Rhapsody mythos.