In the late 90's and early 00's, Rhapsody of Fire (simply Rhapsody at the time) were one of the undisputed heavyweight bands of power metal. There were few power metal bands that could match the triple threat of Luca Turilli's writing and guitar playing; Alex Staropoli's complex orchestral arraignments; and Fabio Lione's formidable vocal chords. Taken as a whole, the band's first five albums, collectively known as The Emerald Sword Saga, form a sprawling heavy metal fantasy opus that's still unmatched in quality and scope a decade after the final album in the saga came out. The decade following the completion of The Emerald Sword Saga found Rhapsody of Fire releasing increasingly underwhelming albums, getting into legal battles over their name and with their former record label, and splitting with founding member Luca Turilli. Things have been looking increasingly bleak for the band but Dark Wings of Steel could a chance for a fresh start…or another face-plant.
Without belaboring the point, fans of the band who are hoping for a comeback record are going to be sorely disappointed with Dark Wings of Steel. Rhapsody of Fire is continuing the downward spiral it began with Symphony of Enchanted Lands II, and it seems that when Luca Turilli left he took the band's last shred of creativity with him. One of the major aspects of the band's music that set them apart from the pack was the neoclassical and baroque influence Turilli brought to the mix. Without that, Rhapsody of Fire sound neutered and generic. The band's trademark soundtrack-style orchestration is still present thanks to Alex Staropoli, but it's not enough to save this album.
Luca Turilli's replacement, Roby De Micheli, is an able enough guitar player, but he and the rest of the band have chosen to play it safe for this album. So safe, in fact, that individual tracks are nearly indistinguishable from each other. The songs are syncopated so similarly that even after multiple listens it's hard to tell the difference between "Rising From Tragic Flames," "Silver Lake of Tears," and "Dark Wings of Steel." Four of the tracks on this album begin with the same upward guitar slide, and orchestral stingers are littered willy-nilly all over the album. Considering that Dark Wings of Steel clocks in at 60 minutes in length and every song sounds basically the same, it's a real struggle to get through the album in one sitting.
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Aside from the the monotonous musical composition, the lyrics on Dark Wings of Steel are lackluster, too. Fabio Lione, the band's long-time vocalist, took over writing duties in Turilli's wake, but he wasn't able to match his former band mate's imaginative storytelling. In the past, Rhapsody of Fire's lyrics told coherent, long form fantasy stories. The plot could get convoluted at times, but it was always possible to decipher what was happening as the plot progressed. The storyline, if there actually is one, for Dark Wings of Steel is much more vague than on previous albums, and seems to have something to do with a dragon and some pseudo-religious overtones. It's hard to tell for sure since no lyrics were provided with the promotional material, but song titles like "Angel of Light" and "My Sacrifice" seem to hint at some sort of convoluted religious tale.
It's easy enough to blame this album's monotony and lack of focus solely on the absence of Luca Turilli. Turilli has always been the true mastermind behind Rhapsody of Fire after all. But given how awful the 2012 debut album of Luca Turilli's Rhapsody was, it's possible the main creative minds behind the band are simply burned out. Creating a coherent fantasy story that spans five albums and manages to stay compelling and entertaining is a major feat. It may be asking too much to expect the band members to sustain that level of creativity over the course of five more albums. Rhapsody of Fire have always been a prolific band, but maybe it's time for them to take a break and refocus instead of cranking out another derivative mess like Dark Wings of Steel.
Dark Wings of Steel hits shelves this Tuesday, December 3rd. If you REALLY want to buy it, you can get the CD or LP from Amazon.com. But remember, you've been warned.
