Land Of Light is another one of those "all star" metal releases, one that is influenced by the likes of Avantasia and Helloween. Aldaria is the name of this gathering of metal artists, and leading the metal opera is guitarist Frode Hovd of the Norwegian power metal group Memorized Dreams. Contributors on vocals include Fabio Lione (ex. Rhapsody Of Fire), Jonas Heidgert (Dragonland), Todd Michael Hall (Riot V), Rick Altzi (Masterplan) and Mathias Blad (Falconer), along with keyboardists Peter Danielsen (Darkest Sins, synths) and Mistheria (Vivaldi Metal Project), drummer Uli Kusch (ex Helloween and Gamma Ray), Mike LePond (Symphony X) on the bass and guitarists Jimmy Hedlund (Falconer) and Roland Grapow (Masterplan). The vocals aren't just limited to the many male participants and some of the best on this release are by those female inclusions of Mina Giannopoulou and Marit Minniva Borresen.
To give you some idea of Land Of Light's theme the concept begins with " In the year 1247 AD, there was found an ancient scroll deep within a tomb below what once was the glorious city of Babylon. The scroll was believed to be written by our Creator Himself, describing a world yet unknown to mankind. These scrolls have, until this day, been kept hidden and locked up, deep within hallways below Rome. The gospel speaks of Aldaria, a place and dimension between Heaven & Hell where the fallen are reborn as angels, and where the sinners come to be redeemed or forever banished to Hell." Though no doubt there are those that will totally dig this album but Land Of Light isn't the kind of melodic metal release that I'd rush out and buy it's just a tad corny and familiar for my tastes and this whole "metal opera" thing has been done many times before with more memorable results, but on the positive side the performances are hard to fault and with the many vocal combinations being well suited to the material.
Track Listing
1. Excitare ad Lucem
2. Another Life
4. Sands Of Time
5. Lost In The Darkness Below
6. Test Of Time
7. Trail Of Tears
8. Where Reality Ends
9. From The Ashes
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