A bit of a nostalgic release here for Lion Music, the newbie from renowned keyboard sensation Mistheria is exactly the sort of thing they used to specialize in, and if you've got a hankering for more of that progressively-tinged neo-classical Power Metal bands like Magic Kingdom and Angel of Eden compose, then this will be right up your alley. Despite being a solo record, this is by no means an instrumental wank-a-thon; Mistheria is all over this, of course, showering the tracks with his immense finger-runs and insane solos, but these songs are the real deal, and singing over 'em are a pack of voices that serve the perfect accompaniment.

It won't surprise followers of this kind of thing that Artension's John West sings on here along with Ashent's Titta Tani, Balance Of Power's Lance King, and of course, genre veterans Rob Rock and Mark Boals. They all share that thick, leather-lunged vocal which makes it hard to distinguish who sings where, but as they all take a song each, things are pretty clear. Despite being the vehicle for a keyboard player, this album is dominated by the guitars, a lot of which are heavy and in your face, something which gives Dragon Fire a surly kick. It's very metal for the most part, though a few AOR segments seep through (don't they always?). Even the production gives you a thump, and this factor might even lead to some interest outside the genre.

Fans of this sort of thing will lap up every track on here, though it's songs like "Lies & Deception" and the stupid but infectious "Killing the Pain" that really cut through. Overall, a decent return to a style we should be seeing more of.