
vote
6.5
- Band:
Dragonknight - Duration: 00:50:56
- Available from: 17/01/2025
- Label:
-
Scarlet Records
The universe of the symphonic power metal is enriched with a new protagonist with these Dragonknight, a Finnish band that is launched by our Scarlet Records with the intent to excite the followers of the more orchestral and melodic sounds.
Two clues make a test, and then you don't need Sherlock Holmes to understand that with a moniker that unites the words 'dragon' and 'knight', and an artwork like the one that accompanies this “legions”, the stylistic coordinates will be set to a power epic and symphonic metal.
The musicians involved? A secret kept by their chosen pseudonyms, given that the formation is made up of Lord Gryphon, Lord Kharatos, Lord Solarius, Lord Othrakis and Lord Salo Khan.
The classic orchestral and baroque introduction engages the listener for over two and a half minutes, an explicit appetizer on what the band will present us in the ten songs that will follow.
A tracklist that mainly consists of bombastic and rapid pieces, where orchestrations play a fundamental role. And there is for everyone; The Rhapsody come out vigorously on the notes of the threshold “The legions of immortal dragonlords” – where the title leaves little room for the imagination – which opens the way as a real hymn Symphonic Power Metal. The robust “Dead Kings in the Grave” and “Return to Atlantis” praise more bands like Bloodbound and Sabaton, headbanging pieces where, however, at times you risk falling into the most absolute banality.
The folkendant “Defender of Dragons”, thanks to the use of flutes, vaguely brings us back to mind that dancing piece entitled “The Village of Dwarves” contained in “Dawn of Victory” of the aforementioned masters and great source of inspiration Rhapsody, while ” Sword of the Northern Lights “with its sparkling guitar harmonies and a cantata that moves on high shades, is a tribute that is anything but veiled to dragonforce.
Therefore, starting from the fact that the Dragonknight certainly do not shine for originality, it must also be admitted that this is a highly professional and far from obvious disc, since each composition manages to insert different elements, all balanced carefully.
If we had to choose the two best moments encountered while listening, we would not hesitate to choose “Pirates, Bloody Pirates!”, A more airy and varied song, combative and capable of combining changes of atmospheres with beautiful melodic openings, or even the classic lightning ” Storm Binger ”, which while following the usual clichés of the genre, comes out with head held high pushed by the double pounding cash and the clearing of the Scandinavian singer.
The potential of the Dragonknight is a bit obscured by too many references to the big names of this kind, but “Legions” is a record capable of showing a certain professionalism and succeeding in the aim of making the listener into the listener inside Fantasy and epic atmospheres.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM