XIII

XIII brings in an orchestra to expand heavy riffs and power-metal drive onto a large scale. The grand sound is no mere decoration; it strengthens the tension and emotional swings of the songs. The band’s ambition and command of structure come to the fore more than ever. The flow from the “Overture” into “From the Cradle to the Grave” establishes the album’s wide scale, while melody-minded songs such as “Sign of Heaven” and “Heartblood” sit beside more dramatic pieces like “Days of December” and “Immortal Sin,” with fast playing and classical arrangement colliding to create their own drama. The deft handling of dynamics in songs like “Turn the Page” and “Just Alone” keeps a long album engaging to the end. It is an ambitious record that brings RAGE’s recurring theme — the coexistence of orchestra and heavy metal — to fruition on a larger scale.