Rhapsody of Fire (AKA Rhapsody)

[JKL2000]

What's your assessment of Rhapsody of Fire? (Originally called just Rhapsody, then forced to change their name by the Rhapsody music service - those corporate bastards! I believe the band was around first!)

I have to admit I haven't listened to any of their music in quite a while, but since I just posted one of their album covers in another thread it got me thinking of them. I have several of their releases, and I remember people somewhat spooging over them in the prog metal community, which was still fairly young when their first album came out (1997). I think because they amped up the cheese factor with each successive album, most people didn't stay along for the full ride.

Does anyone still listen to this band? The Dawn of Victory limited edition is pretty nice looking, so I'm thinking I should have a listen to it again soon.

[Wounded Land]

You know, not too long ago I was going through my collection, and I was shocked by how many Rhapsody albums I had. I must have got them on clearance or something, because I just don't understand how else it could have happened.

That being said, they are excellent at what they do...if you discount the narration which is irredeemably awful. It's cheesy as all get-out, but it's catchy, "epic," and fun.

Newcomers should probably start with Symphony of Enchanted Lands.

NP: Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here

[Garden Dreamer]

I was into them in a big way when they came out. I thought each album was progressively better culminating with "Dawn of Victory" in 2000; that's still my favorite. The next two, "Rain of a Thousand Flames" and "Power of the Dragonflame" were also good.

Then.... they made the mistake of getting mixed up with Magic Circle Records, i.e. Joey DeMaio from Manowar. They released "Symphony of Enchanted Lands II" (gee, what a creative title) and I hated it. The energy and fire was missing; the sound was distant and the arrangements sounded like cut/paste from previous work. There was WAY too much lame (and laughable) narration (which they always kept to a minimum in the past), no doubt at the urging of DeMaio. I jumped ship then and turns out they were inactive for a few years in a legal battle with Magic Circle. I understand they've released a few more albums since then but I haven't looked them up. What they do is fantastic, but they've done it over and over and over again on each album to the point where it's not a novelty anymore.

The first two Luca Turilli solo albums from the early days were also good.

[JKL2000]

You know, not too long ago I was goiong through my collection, and I was shocked by how many Rhapsody albums I had. I must have got them on clearance or something, because I just don't understand how else it could have happened.

LOL!

[JKL2000]

Rhapsody! I had to look this up to confirm, but their first album has the memorable song “Forest of Unicorns,” which over and over repeats the line “the ride of unicorns,” which refers to the RIDING of unicorns. This just cracks me up somehow.

[Progbear]

I used to have multiple albums by them. I realized that’s way too many with a band whose albums all more or less sound the same. And laughing at the completely ridiculous narration (“OH GOD! OH MY GOD! ...It happened.”) can only get me so far. So I sold ’em (except for Symphony of Enchanted Lands Vol. II, which the record store wouldn’t take for some reason).

I noticed someone posted some of their “epic tracks” to Youtube with the narration edited out. I kind of want someone to do a “supercut” of just the narration, for those days when I’m feeling depressed and need a good laugh.

[JKL2000]

But "the ride of unicorns" is hilarious, right? I've been laughing about it a lot and singing it to myself.