• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

After the striking Reign of Elements I had high hopes for the future of Finnish Power Metal, hopes that were quickly dashed by Celesty's fervent but stertorous sophomore effort, the pallid Legacy of Hate. A shift in ranks partly to blame, the inclusion of vocalist Antti Railio brought a sense of the familiar to the spirited naivety of the band's storming debut, making its follow up sadly formulaic, building upon the amateur Rhapsody-isms of their initial conception and turning it into weak, labored Thy Majestie worship that thankfully only lasted for this one release, while future albums would find the Finns moving into darker spheres of the Power Metal spectrum.

The second chapter of their infamous Cryon saga, Legacy of Hate took their pompous grander to a higher plain of silliness, yet preserved their incredible knack to craft memorable vocal lines and medieval refrains, making songs such as "Dream" and "Unbreakable" – one of the band's most finely composed tracks – true highlights. Having said that, there is nothing new here for anyone even slightly familiar with the genre, and while the clarity of production the band have always boasted was perhaps at its peak on this album – just listen to those kick drums! - the majestic but weary ground trodden by Celesty during this period seems trite and clichéd compared to its innovative follow up Mortal Mind Creation, and to a lesser extent their fourth, most recent effort, the pervasively epic Vendetta.

Those who can't get enough of that synth-led, fantasy-drenched Power Metal that dominated the first few years of the new Millennium due to bands like Dreamtale, Twilight Guardians, and Insania: this is probably going to be right up your alley. Otherwise, pick up a copy of Reign of Elements or the equally as startling Mortal Mind Creation for a taste of the magic Celesty can wield when their lion-sized hearts are truly in the game.