• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

A band that has been around since the mid 80s but have yet to make a splash, Swedish melody makers Dark Illusion have returned with their sophomore effort, the band's first record to contain all new material since they got up off their collective can a couple of years ago and decided to give it another bash.

Fronted by no other than Mehida's Thomas Wikstrom, Dark Illusion present a nice, cheery Power Metal sound that harks back to the metal heyday with a crisp, 80s production and some pretty rocking AOR backing vocals. Actually, Wikstrom sounds very Mark Boals here and in places there is a slight resemblance to Malmsteen's more celeritous works – particularly from the Trilogy era – but what we're looking at here is prime traditional Swedish Power Metal as in early Nocturnal Rites, Supreme Majesty, Morifade, HammerFall, Dreamland, Freternia (you can fill in the rest) along with some nice Iron Maiden-like riffing and chorus lines. Bursting with melody and some really great hooks, Where the Eagles Fly is a safe but satisfying listen, one that you will be very familiar with even after spin number one, but it does nothing new and shows no signs of innovation, despite the many that have been made since the band's inception.

There are some quality Power Metal cuts here, particularly the first three, which pack a leather-fisted punch that winds; "My Heart Cries Out For You", "Dark Journey", and "Land of Street Survivor" all keep the spirit alive and prove that there are bands still out there doing this kind of thing (thank god). And if no frills Heavy/Power Metal from a scene that has been lacking of late doesn't raise a smile from the naysayers I don't know what will (long exhalation of breath).