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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Superlative Sophomore Release, February 4, 2007
When I wrote a review on Fairyland's first album, The Wars in Osyrhia, I poked fun at it, with a fictitious call to France to interview the wounded cow (Elisa C Martin) who appears on the album at inconvenient times, wailing along, with the lovely music. Well, no more!
Fairyland is back with their sophomore effort, The Fall of an Empire and it is nothing, if not sensational! This is a solid effort of pure symphonic power metal. Like their first release, The Fall of an Empire still has the catchy mediaeval melodies, lovely choirs and orchestral sounding backing. Deduct the wailing cow and add a female singer that can sing and you have perhaps the best Symphonic Power Metal these ears have heard in five or six years, when the magnificent, A Time never Comes by Secret Sphere, was released in 2001, followed by the equally superlative, Hastings 1066, by Thy Majestie in 2002.
Track one, Endgame, is an instrumental introduction, something common for this genre. Tracks four, Slaves Forlorn, and eight To the Havenrod, are instrumental suites or interludes if you prefer. Sandwiched between the first two instrumental are two typical but well done Hard driving power metal songs, The Fall of an Empire and Lost in the Dark Lands. Awakening is a nice varied tempo power metal number with strong keyboard work followed by a beautiful softer song, not quite a ballad, also with excellent piano playing, Clanner of the Light is a high production, fast tempo, driving song, followed by the aforementioned suite, To the Havenrod.
Track nine, The Walls of Laemnil is also a fast moving metal song. An excellent medium speed number, Anmorkenta, follows it. In Duna is one of only two true ballads, the other being track thirteen, Look into Lost Years. Both are pleasant folk sounding song sung by a female vocalist. The Story Remains at over ten minutes is the longest and therefore the most complex, variable paced, epic song, with great keyboards and guitars. The last and bonus track is another melodic hard driving power metal piece, Across the Endless Sea.
CONCLUSION
If The Fall of an Empire has a weakness, it would be the lead male singer. Not that he's bad, but he could be better. When the male choirs sing along with him, they sound better.
This album was released in the middle of January, so that makes it a 2007 release.
I know it's early but as it stands right now, The Fall of an Empire, is the album to beat for 2007's symphonic power metal album of the year. Then again, I hear Therion has a pretty good album coming out, so we'll see
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
best Rhapsody album since "Dragonflame", April 3, 2007
At last, Rhapsody has returned to the Dawn 0f Victory-era symphonic speed metal that made them one of the most imitated bands of the past decade. They've even evolved a little beyond it, adding female vocals in some of the later tracks (which actually works well here), additional instrumentation, slightly more complex vocal melodies and a few progressive elements in the songwriting.
Don't be distracted by the fact that this band is called "Fairyland" and that none of the members of Rhapsody, past or present, participated in making it. This is Rhapsody! Seriously, though, most of this album is much closer to true Rhapsody than anything "Rhapsody "of Fire" is doing.
This album isn't quite as good as the real Rhapsody was at their best when they were in their prime. However, the sound is often very nearly identical, and it is more consistent in its quality, the lyrics are better (though very similar), and the accents less noticeable. It's more of a four and a half star album, but I'll spring for the full five partly because the truly outstanding artwork in the cd booklet earns them a bonus; and because getting rid of that tone-deaf she-devil from old Dark Moor that was the vocalist on their first album earns them a bigger bonus (maybe she will take the hint and finally retire, since she can almost single-handedly ruin any band she is in). In any event, this one is a mandatory purchase for symphonic metal fans.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Not entirely what I expected, but still good..., February 8, 2008
When I first put this album on, I was pretty disappointed. Not because it was necessarily a bad album, but because it didn't progress in the direction I expected after the first album. I was expecting this album to be faster and bigger sounding that 'Of Wars in Osyrhia'.
Instead, 'The Fall of an Empire' introduces a lot of diversity that some listeners might say was lacking on the first album. There are definitely some slower tracks here. And maybe Fairyland took to heart some of the complaints that 'Of Wars in Osyrhia' sounded too much like Rhapsody. If I had to make a comparison between albums with 'The Fall of an Empire', I would probably choose 'Divine Wings of Tragedy' era Symphony X over any Rhapsody album.
One of the biggest changes here is the fact that Fairyland have a new lead singer on this album. To be honest, he doesn't sound that different from Elisa Martin, so it doesn't change things too much. There are definitely some slower tracks, and even some more progressive moments. The compositions are well designed with enjoyable melodies and developments. The Fairyland feel is still very present, but there is more to sink your teeth into than on the debut.
I think this album can go either way for the fans. If you are more into the glorious speed metal, then this album may be a let down. However, if you liked the first album, but are willing to let these guys try something a little different, then I think you will be rewarded. It has definitely grown on me.
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by Fairyland 
