|
The Italian "Epic Hollywood Metal" band Rhapsody, formed under the name of Thundercross in Trieste 1993, has, with their three succesful album releases, 'Legendary Tales'(1997), 'Symphony Of Enchanted Lands' (1998), 'Dawn Of Victory' (2000) as well as their current 'Rain Of A Thousand Flames' (2001), gained a tremendous position in the international metal genre. The band was formed by guitarist Luca Turilli and keyboarder Alessandro Staropoli, and from the beginning, they cleverly combined Rhapsody's music with classical elements as well as film music reminiscent of horror and fantasy sountracks. Suitable backing for the band was found in the form of bass player Andrea Furlan, drummer Daniele Carbonera and singer Cristiano Adacher. It was with this line-up that Thundercross demo, 'Land Of Immortal' was recorded.
The German label, Limb Music Products promptly offered the band a contract. Turilli, Staropoli & Co. changed the band name to Rhapsody and entered the studio a short while later to record more material. The result were new songs which, together with 'Land Of Immortal' became the official ' Eternal Glory' demo. Despite huge support from the press and fans from
all over the world, Rhapsody parted company with Adacher shortly after the release and replaced him with Fabio Lione, a more versatile, expressive singer with a very wide vocal range. Fabio is also known to music fans as the frontman of Labyrinth (in which he used the pseudonym of Joe Terry), Athena and Vision Divine.
In October 1997 Rhapsody released their debut album 'Legendary Tales'. This album, produced by Sascha Paeth (Heavens Gate, Angra, Kamelot, MOB Rules) and Miro, recorded in the Gate-Studio in Wolfsburg/Germany, combines musical finesses with an ancient legend full
of elements of fantasy and became an instant , sensational top seller.
Their second masterful work 'Symphony Of Enchanted Lands' which was released a year later, was a fabulous symphonic metal opus, brilliantly composed, cleverly arrenged and opulently instrumented. At the same time Rhapsody, with their second album took a huge step in the evolution of their symphonic speed metal and created a new genre: 'Hollywood Metal',
noted for heavy sound and strong references to classical or folklore music, at the same time including the same orchestral elements, characteristic of soundtrack of Hollywood prodctions such as 'Batman', 'Braveheart' and 'Conan'. The composers of such works, Danny Elfman, Basil Poledouris, and James Horner, were fundamental for the music development
of Rhapsody. 'Symphony Of Enchanted Lands' was also recorded in the Gate-Studio by the proven production team of Sascha Paeth and Miro. In addition the five musicians welcomed numerous illustrious guests, for example the original Don Cossack Choir, the Helmstedter Chamber Choir, a strings ensemble comprising of violin, viola, cello, contrabass and
cembalo, a flutist as well a percussionist. The album climbed the album charts in many countries both within and outside Europe. In Germany its best position was 53rd, a sensational possition for a metal band.
Supported by their new drummer, Alex Holzwarth (ex-Sieges Even) Rhapsody set out on an extensive European tour with the Scandinavian grand masters of melodic metal, Stratovarius in Spring 2000. It was a package which caused enormous enthusiasm amongst the fans and a tour during which Rhaposdy were in a position to win the respect of the crowds of fans
everywhere before beginning work on their next opus.
The exciting fantasy trip through an imaginary world full of secrets entered its third phase in October 2000 with the third studio album 'Dawn Of Victory'. The new opus catapulted the band once and for all into the upper echelon of international metal bands, to join names such as Dream Theater, Gamma Ray and Hammerfall cleverly combines typical elements of the popular Rhaposdy sound with new, exciting influences, and the album showed the band with a more aggressive and faster attitud than ever before. 'Dawn Of Victory' was even more successful than its predecessor and reached high chart positions in numerous countries. In Germany it reached 32nd place in the album chart. In Italy, Finland, Sweden and France the album climbed to similarly high positions. In Japan it reached 24th and in the Dutch Indie-Charts it reached a staggering 4th.
Early Summer 2001 saw the band touring South America for the first time, leaving ecstatic fans behind them not only there but at various European open-air Festivals too.
'Rain Of A Thousand Flames' in the form of a 42 minutes long album, will act as a bridge until the release of their fourth full length album witch will be released in February 2002 which will be the fourth and last part of the 'Emerald Sword saga'.
Worth a special mention is the fact that Rhapsody have never before integrated the sounds of their native tongue, Italian, into the songs. And the legend of Rhapsody will live on, carried by the galloping winds that rides the mighty warrior to an everyday fight for Heavy Metal music
and its privailance in this world.
Keep The Flame Alive.
|
