I am going to be honest, the second I saw the cover for Tales Of Ancient Prophecies, the debut release for Swedish power metal act Twilight Force, I knew I was in love. I mean, look at that dragon. Look at that hero waving a sword at the mythical beast. I knew I was in love because their is only one type of sound that could accompany a cover like this. Prepare for choirs, guitar solos, and operatic escapism.

Twilight force is the squire and torch bearer for bands like Rhapsody, Fairyland, Dragonland, and even Blind Guardian. Their sound is specifically designed to have just enough neoclassical flourish, synth enhancements, and fantasy laden obsession that it slots right in to a fanbase who already has novels about dragons on their bookshelf. Don’t fucking lie, I can see them right there. If I sound excited at all, it is because Twilight Force sort of came in by surprise, carrying in with it a chariot of my warm memories of the genre and giving Tales of Ancient Prophecies a familiar and inviting sound.

With my nostalgia for the genre just mentioned, it should be noted that Twilight Force is a competent, if not, exceptional band. Their debut album is an entertaining record that has the possibility of becoming as popular as the classics it is emulating. Once listeners get acquainted with the relatively short running time and the odd narration sequences Tales of Ancient Prophecies does everything its predecessors have done by transporting the listener to a constructed world and giving them weapons to fight mythical beasts on impossible geological constructions. I may be making broad assumptions here, but Twilight Force has been one of the most entertaining power metal records of the year so far. I only hope that this feeling lasts for eternity.

Tags: Hollywood Metal, Kaptain Carbon, Tales of Ancient Prophecies, Twilight Force
Categorised in: Metal