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I bought Fairyland's debut album Of Wars in Osyrhia for one reason: Elisa Martin sings on it. I love those early Dark Moor CDs where she belts out the lyrics as well as anyone in the Power Metal field. This was one of her first stops after Dark Moor and I was hoping for some more of that Power Metal magic.

What I got was a Rhapsody (of Fire) clone. Not that that is a bad thing, but the cover should have tipped me off: a castle built on a rock that is in the shape of an evil looking head, mountains with faces, dragon-like winged creatures flying all around. What was I thinking? So, Of Wars in Osyrhia is a Symphonic Power Metal album very much from the Italian school. The story arc is one of a peaceful land suddenly invaded by an ancient evil and the reluctant hero who must fight for the king to protect the realm.

Much of the symphonic style employed on Of Wars in Osyrhia can be attributed to keyboardist Philippe Giordana, who wrote all of the music. He is clearly a fan of Luca Turilli, and, predictably, most of the songs are keyboard-heavy. Guitarist Anthony Parker contributes some excellent shredding solos, but it is Giordana's keyboards that carry most of the melodies. And with Martin's soaring vocals over all, Of Wars in Osyrhia is a fairly enjoyable album. What I find most strange about the album is that while it is, in fact, fun to listen to, no one song stands out. I can't honestly name a single track without looking at the listing on the back and I've listened to it 3-4 times in the last week. What this means is that to really enjoy the album, you have to listen to the whole thing in one sitting. I think this somewhat limits the appeal of Of Wars in Osyrhia.

Fans of Symphonic Power Metal and/or Elisa Martin will certainly enjoy Of Wars in Osyrhia. Others may find it a bit tedious.