Reviews list for Rhapsody - Dawn of Victory (2000)

Much like Rhapsody’s preceding album, Dawn of Victory is an over-the-top epic filled with dense compositions and fantastical tales. Again we are transported to the adventures of Algalord and The Emerald Sword Saga. The concept story itself isn’t anything too special and can be a bit hard to follow at times, but it’s still a fun little treat for those interested and helps the immersion of being transported to these magical lands.

One thing that has to be addressed immediately – this album is cheesier than a stuffed crust everything pizza, and it’s just about as jam-packed with ingredients. Now, I’m a fine enjoyer of cheese when it comes to certain genres (Power Metal can get away with more than most) but this album is definitely pushing my limits. I pretty much had to learn to love it, but certain tracks like The Village of Dwarves fall into silly and even cringe territory. Your mileage may very depending on how much you love or hate cheese.

That ASIDE though… it’s a near-perfect Symphonic Power Metal album. It’s got everything you could want in the genre; soaring vocals, complexly melodic Neoclassical guitar leads, pummeling drums full of energy… it hits all the right notes, and it hits them well. The symphonic elements are perfectly integrated, with many different instruments playing their own parts, sprinkling melodies and themes, or providing a foundation with sustained strings. The medieval nature of this album just gives it more character, and the Symphonic elements walk a fine line between Classical and Folk, acing that medieval-fantasy aesthetic with traditional instrumentation as well as more Cinematic Classical styles.

All in all, due to the nature of this album, it’s kind of a love or hate it type release, but the immense talent in the performers and dense complexity of the compositions ensures pure quality so long as you aren’t lactose intolerant. Despite being so anthemic, it is more of a grower due to the sheer amount of layers in instrumentation to each song, and is definitely more easily appreciated through focused listens with headphones. A magnificent release, though it definitely could have improved with a bit more seriousness and maybe some emotional value. I sometimes find myself feeling like it’s just “too damn happy” while listening, but more often than not, I’m successfully transferred to a magical land of war and fantasy.