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Concept albums could be tricky in that both the contents and the album as a whole should ideally have a positive impact on the listener. In that respect, “From Chaos to Eternity” left me with mixed feelings….

Each album from Rhapsody of Fire had its own attribute. For example “Dawn Of Victory” (2000) had an emphasis on heaviness and “The Dark Secret” (2004) pushed the envelope in the orchestral department. In this respect, there’s the nagging feeling that “From Chaos To Eternity” lacks its own identity – in other words there’s little here that ROF themselves haven’t already done before. Maybe my nit-picking has to do with the high expectations I always have with this band……that’s a possibility.

Sure enough, the production of “From Chaos…” is nothing short of breathtaking and still nobody does Symphonic Power Metal better than Rhapsody Of Fire. In fact, lest I may have been discouraging earlier on, this new album does kick ass. For example ‘I Belong to the Stars’ is one great track having (for Rhapsody of Fire) an atypical chorus structure and hard-hitting synth sounds - it might be interesting to have the band further explore that musical avenue in future. Once it gets going, ‘Heroes of the Waterfalls’ Kingdom’ also proves to be a stunning piece of work where, amongst other things, we hear a wide range of vocal techniques in action. Apparently “From Chaos…” marks the end of the ‘saga’ approach the band has taken to date – it will be interesting to see which path the band takes next time around.

This is a great album, even if the magic of earlier Rhapsody of Fire releases is a little more subdued.

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