I have to admit, I really like Power Metal. The double kick drumming, crunchy riffs, blazing solos, sweeping keyboards, high, clean vocals, the whole nine yards. From German to Italian to Finnish to Greek to Brazilian to Swedish, it's all good in my book. That said, I'm definitely not digging Minuetum's Eternal Twilight. Oh, sure, all the Power Metal trappings are present: double kicks ("The Dark Half"), soaring female vocals ("Eternal Twilight") plus excellent fretwork supported by lush keyboards throughout. It just never really comes together.

The biggest problem I have with Eternal Twilight is singer Dimitris Zaharopoulos' vocals. He doesn't sound like an accomplished a singer. His delivery is tentative, almost like he's holding back and it really handcuffs the songs. They never really take off and Eternal Twilight comes across sounding like a demo. Other than the vocals, Eternal Twilight features some decent Power Metal-lite songs, à la Conquest. But until they improve the vocals, they'll stay in the minor leagues.

Additional Information

Re-issued as Haunted Spirit by 7HARD in 2010 with this track listing:

1. Sky Minuet
2. The Dark Half
3. The Tribe is Calling
4. Follow Us
5. Key to Glory
6. Hero Divine
7. Time to Fly
8. Ghost King
9. Into the Night
10. Eternal Twilight