This Magic Kingdom sure ain't Disney World. But Belgium's Magic Kingdom will be a head-banging paradise for symphonic speed-metal fans who get off on songs about dragons, castles and magicians.
Five years after the release of its debut album, The Arrival, Magic Kingdom has returned with Metallic Tragedy, a melodic tour de force that recalls Yngwie Malmsteen — only with more aggression and less self-indulgence. Guitarist Dushan Petrossi's songwriting style is based on melodies, and neither his fretwork nor the dramatic keyboards nor the galloping rhythm section overpower the overall grandiosity of Metallic Tragedy. Plus, former At Vance singer Oliver Hartmann handles lead vocals on two of the album's fastest tracks ("Flying Pyramids" and "Master of Madness") while backing up singer Max Leclerq on the other six vocal tracks.
Death-metal growls and gothic-tinged female vocals on the 13-minute-plus title track, which doesn't even sound like it's being performed by the same band, may disappoint listeners enthralled by the band's majestic neoclassical leanings elsewhere on Metallic Tragedy. But the song is truly progressive, one that reaches beyond the borders of typical speed metal and gives sonic insight into where Magic Kingdom will go next. Hopefully, it won't take five more years to get there.
Track Listing
1) Tazira's Magic Rite (0:55)
2) Child Of the Nile (4:05)
3) The Iron Mask (3:46)
4) Flying Pyramids (5:08)
5) Barabas (4:58)
6) Master of Madness (5:04)
7) Black Magic Castle (4:42)
8) Another Sun (4:40)
9) The Fight (5:31)
10) Metallic Tragedy (13:20)
Total Time: 52:07
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