Crown of Glory is a Swiss band, which released a single CD in March 2007 to find a label for their debut disc. This single-CD "Raven's Flight" included besides the title song also the songs "The Prophecy", "Save Me (short single version)" and "Art of Payback". The first three songs you can find on this CD as well. Their patience and hard-work was rewarded by Metal Heaven, and they will release their debut-album in February. The final touch to the album was given to Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69), who mixed it.

I had never heard their music before, so before reading any biography or info whatsoever I put it on. By hearing their music, the bands that entered my mind were Stratovarius and Royal Hunt. The music is a mix of Power metal and AOR. Reading the info that came with the promo, the band themselves mention influences of: "Europe, Pretty Maids, Stratovarius, Royal Hunt and Edguy ". I can live with that.

"The Calling" starts as a real Stratovarius kind of song, right away the excellent singing of Hene Muther comes to attention. Next song "Pathfinder" is  a double-bass power metal song. The way of singing sometimes reminds me of Mathias Blad (Falconer). "Raven's Flight" with a guest appearance of Tom S. Englund (Evergrey) is a dark and rather heavy song with more aggressive singing, here Hene sometimes sounds like Andre Matos (ex-Angra, Shaaman). One of the most remarkable songs is "Inspiration", a midtempo hardrock/metal song with piano (keyboard) interlude and as a final, a kind of Nightwish-like singing of Aline Bühler (Gates of Oblivion).

The fifth song "The Prophecy" is a fast power metal song with a John Lord kind-of-Hammond keyboard sound underneath. After the more happy tunes like the former songs, the ballad "Save me" is a very sad sounding one. The arrangement of the song is as a good ballad should be. "Anthem of the End" is a power metal song that reminds me of Stratovarius. The most recent song the band wrote "Mirror Mirror" is about the war on oil in Irak (with newsflashes in the song). The song has a Royal Hunt kind of guitar line and is very melodic.

The last 3 tracks are by insiders known as the Icarus-trilogy. During concerts the band played them regularly. Part one is called "Ikarus". Starting with a bass-line and just singing, the song starts slow. Half-way the track gets heavier and the singing rawer, with parts that remind me again of Royal Hunt the song comes to a final. Part 2 of the trilogy "See you Rise" is a fast jumpy song with Hammond-like keyboards. "The Lament of the Wind" ends the trilogy, it's a little bit boring piano-ballad with good singing though.

I think the band has the potential to get in the major-league of the melodic-power genre. There has to be a big fan-base, especially in countries as Germany and Japan for them. Touring with a good package and making the right choices of the summer-festivals, can result in a great future for this band.