Rhapsody was originally formed under the name Thundercross in 1993 in the city of Trieste, Italy. In 1994 they recorded their first demo tape called "Land Of Immortals" and they were soon gaining the interest of the German label Limb Music Products who signed them very soon.
In 1997 a holy thunder rolled through the international metal scene as Rhapsody, the Italian metal band, released their debut album, �Legendary Tales�. Cofounders Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli created an epic sound with this first album. Incorporating classical music and baroque sounds, they invented a completely new genre, �Hollywood Metal,� in which they blended the styles of such composers as Vivaldi, Bach and Paganini with melodic heavy metal of today and contents from the fantasy genre.
In the years that followed, Turilli and Staropoli, joined by Fabio Lione (vocals) perfected this new sound with their albums: �Symphony Of Enchanted Lands� (1998), �Dawn Of Victory� (2000), �Rain Of A Thousand Flames� (2001), and �Power Of The Dragonflame� (2002). They wrote pieces such as �Emerald Sword� (the �Smoke On The Water� of the late `90s), drawing on Russian folklore and Celtic style elements.
Turilli is the band`s lyricist, as well as guitarist. His lyrics often refer to mystical lore from the medieval age and the heroic valor of those times, reminding us of the everlasting fight between good and evil, �Evil can be found everywhere,� says Turilli, �but it will never win as long as there are enough good people who fight against it.�
�The Dark Secret� EP, which was released on June 28, 2004, gave listeners a fantastic taste of what can be expected from the new album, �Symphony Of Enchanted Lands II � The Dark Secret,� which will be released at the end of September, 2004. Turilli and Staropoli were responsible for the production of the album, a first for both of them. Christopher Lee was also involved in the project, narrating part of the storyline. The value of his contribution cannot be overstated; as the grand seigneur of film, Lee is still in high demand and busier than ever. �A dream came true for us,� said Turilli after the recordings were successfully finalized. �We feel especially honored that such an outstanding personality of film and theater has agreed to be a part of our album.� Staropoli agrees, �More than this, Christopher Lee has filled our saga with life and magic. His voice is simply fantastic and truly majestic.�
Christopher Lee`s vocal narrations were produced by Joey DeMaio, world-renowned bass player of Manowar. DeMaio no doubt was able to call upon his experience in producing another grand master of cinema, Orson Welles. With the complete support of DeMaio`s record company, Magic Circle Music, Turilli and Staropoli were able to concentrate on what is essential: the perfect realization of their artistic visions. During the course of production, six studios in England, Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic and the U.S. were employed to ensure not only perfect working conditions, but also to maintain the integrity of the sound during each phase of recording.
The new album is a true work of art, showcasing 12 pieces with a total playing time of 72 minutes. With this production, Rhapsody has once again created a new genre from now on known as �Film Score Metal.�
The �Symphony Of Enchanted Lands II � The Dark Secret� features a wide variety of sound and style. The complexity of the work will have the listener discovering new details even after having heard the album a hundred times. |
Style: Black Metal Progressive Death Me Black / Death Metal Black metal Death atmospheric black Melodic Black Metal Death / Doom Metal black-grind raw black atmospheric black Power / Progressive trash metal war black avantgarde death; sympho black black progressive rock Black Metal Black Metal / Pagan Metal Melodic Death Metal Black / Death Melodic Doom Death Metal Progressive Metal Black Metal / Death Metal Black Metal Melodic Metal Power Metal Black Metal Heavy Metal Sympho Black Metal Black Metal Black Metal Viking BlackThrash Metal Black / Death Metal Celtic Pagan Black Metal Black Metal Brutal Death / Black Metal Black Metal Black Metal Black / Thrash Metal Black / Doom / Death Metal Hardcore Heavy Metal Black Metal Black / Doom / Gothic metal Black Metal Black metal Speed / Power / Heavy Metal Black / Thrash Metal Black / Death Metal Black / Death Metal Grindcore / Death Black / Death Metal Thrash Metal Black Metal Death Metal Progressive Black Metal Power Metal Doom / Gothic / Progressive Brutal Death Metal Death Metal Death / Grind Black Metal Death Metal Melodic Death Metal Heavy / Power Metalcore Ambient Black Pagan Metal Progressive Metal Brutal Death / Gore Metal Black Metal Melodic Black Metal doom Doom / Stoner Metal Black / Death Metal Blues / Heavy Metal Black Metal Gothic Metal folk metal Black Technical death / grind Sympho Black Progressive Death Melodic death Black Black Thrash Black Metal Black Melodic Death Melodic Death Gothic Metal Black Metal Black Metal Grindcore Melodic Death Metal Hard Rock Death Black Death Black Melodic Death / Folk Metal Sympho Black Metal Heavy, Power Gore Death Metal Black Metal Avantgarde Doom Black / Thrash Metal Progressive Metal Power Viking Metal Melodic Black / Death Metal Black Heroic-Folk-Metal Black / viking metal Funeral Doom Heavy / Black / Death Doom Thrash Symphonic Death / Black Metal Heavy Power metal Viking Death / Industrial Folk / Black Metal fast black Anglo-Saxon pagan-black Sympho Power Metal Black / Doom Metal Power Black Metal Black Metal Power / Speed Metal Black Metal Industrial / Death / Grindcore Black Metal Black Metal Progressive Metal / Rock Heavy / Trash Doom / Sympho Black Metal Death / Grind Nu Metal heavy / power metal Brutal Death Metal Pagan Black Metal Power Heavy Black Metal Brutal Death Metal Brutal death metal Brutal Death Power / Thrash Metal Melodic Black Death / Black Death / Black Metal Black / Death Metal Grindcore / Death Folk Metal Melodic Death Metal Heavy Gothic Rock / Doom Metal Black Metal Heavy Symphonic progressive rock Melodic Death Metal Power / Progressive Death Metal Doom / Death / Suicide Rock Symphonic progressive rock Heavy / Black Hard Rock Progressive Power Metal Thrash Metal Hard `n` Heavy Gothic / Doom Metal Gothic Gothic Gothic Metal Groove metal / Metalcore Hard Rock Black Metal Sympho Black Metal Progressive Rock / Metal Death / Thrash Metal Black Metal Heavy / Thrash / Industrial AOR Ebmient / Industrial Death Metal Black Metal Thrash / Death / Grind Metal Black / Gothic Metal Harsh Grind / Death Thrash Metal Atmospheric Dark Metal Melodic Death / Gothic Black Metal Melodic Black Metal Progressive / Neoclassical Folk / Celtic Metal Heavy Metal Melodic Death Metal Industrial Power Metal Black Metal Thrash / Speed Metal Black / Doom / Thrash Metal Melodic Death / Black Metal Black Metal Viking / Folk Metal Grind-Noise Black / Folk Metal Gothic Doom Death Doom-Death Black Metal Death Metal ambient / darkwave / gothic Heavy metal Death / Doom / Gothic Doom Gothic Metal Thrash Black Black Metal Death / Melodic Black Metal Grindcore / Brutal Death Black Black Black / Grind / Death / Trash death metal Death Death / Thrash Power metal Sympho black-death / dark Black Thrash Metal melodic death Progressive Death / Doom Raw Black Metal Doom Death Heavy Industrial Metal Thrashcore Doom Melodic Metal Progressive / Hard-rock Doom Heavy / Power Industrial Heavy Metal Doom Power / Progressive Black Symphonic Power Metal