Glory for Salvation

Glory for Salvation is a work on which Rhapsody of Fire largely and grandly widens the essence of symphonic power metal. Grand orchestra, solemn choirs, speeding fast guitar and dramatic vocals follow one after another, yet they are precisely placed not for mere sonic gorgeousness but to powerfully advance a grand, heroic-tale story. A record that pushed the fullness of the new lineup with Giacomo Voli further. From the opener “Son of Vengeance” and the speeding “The Kingdom of Ice” to the dramatic title track “Glory for Salvation,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Eternal Snow” and “Maid of the Secret Sand” convey the work’s grand world. Giacomo Voli’s powerful, soaring voice is powerfully in sharp form throughout. A record on which, while firmly keeping the style honed over a long career, each song’s melody is extremely clear, and a sure accessibility is held even within its grandeur. For listeners who want to enjoy a cinematic, grand world and speeding metal at once, it truly holds a straight-path appeal. A powerful, engaging masterpiece that showed the height of the creative drive even as veterans — a record showing the band’s vigor.