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Twilight Force: Dawn Of The Dragonstar
Twilight Force - Dawn Of The Dragonstar Music Review

Twilight Force: Dawn Of The Dragonstar

Symphonic Power Metal
4.5/5.0

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Nuclear Blast Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 15.08.2019 | Released: 16.08.2019

And so the story goes like this. In 2014, I reviewed Twilight Force's debut album Tales Of Ancient Prophecies. I basically described the band as hybrid of Rhapsody Of Fire, Dragonforce, and Blind Guardian. Ergo, nothing new under the sun. But mostly I panned the album because of their vocalist Christian Eriksson (aka Chrileon) whose voice was totally off the rails. My advice then, get a new vocalist. But why listen to me.

Twilight Force - Click For Larger Image

Twilight Force

So when I was pitched their sophomore effort Heroes of Mighty Magic (2016), and discovered Eriksson was still on the mike, I said, nope, no way. Now here we are with album number three, Dawn Of The Dragonstar and Eriksson, thankfully, is gone. He's replaced by Alessandro Conti (Lione/Conti, Trick or Treat, ex-Luca Turilli's Rhapsody). Well. Damn. A guy who can actually sing.

Let's have a listen to the new and improved Twilight Force. Well, not so much new. Twilight Force still sounds like a clone of Rhapsody Of Fire. The band still delivers epic and bombastic symphonic power metal filled with lush orchestration, zealous choral vocal arrangements, amazing and soaring guitar solos, and all delivered at a brisk galloping pace. And Conti sings with strength and control, easily following song melody, and never sounding bat shit screamo crazy. That my friends is the singular and vastly significant improvement to Twilight Force. Okay. The songs are pretty epic and cool too.

As for those songs, Twilight Force likes to show off their Rhapsody Of Fire chops by overwhelming you with grand symphonic orchestration to start songs. You'll hear this with Thundersword, Hydra, Night Of The Winterlight, and With the Light of a Thousand Suns, by example. The latter two songs also invoke large choral vocals to make things even more lavish. Alternatively, while still symphonic, Long Live The King turns more on straight up melodic power metal. Similar is Valley Of The Vale which is likely the fastest song here. It slows only briefly for the guitar solo three quarters in.

By improving their lead vocal slot with the talented Alessandro Conti, Twilight Force finally becomes the band we always wanted them to be. Dawn Of The Dragonstar is a tour de force of epic symphonic power metal. Are they a challenge to the mighty Rhapsody Of Fire? I wonder. Recommended.


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The Bottom Line

By improving their lead vocal slot with the talented Alessandro Conti, Twilight Force finally becomes the band we always wanted them to be. Dawn Of The Dragonstar is a tour de force of epic symphonic power metal.

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