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Third epic installment here from Italian power crew Derdian and it seems the symphonic sextet has been trapped in wormhole since the genre packed up and moved on a number of years ago, as this is the kind of thing you'd have expected to hear at large circa 2003, when there were more long-haired, frilly-shirt-wearing metal bands coming out of Italy than imported pizza. No bad thing of course (at least not to these ears) but it does prove as somewhat of a hindrance for Derdian, whose fast, bombastic, neo-classical sound is seldom heard these days. Nevertheless, what the band have here is a slick attempt at the also abandoned fantasy concept album, one that is high on keyboard content and sweeping, classical arrangements.

There is a lot going on here, with song structures being tugged to and fro by each musician vying for the spotlight. At times things are a little cluttered, and there aren't many hooks to speak of, but these are creases Derdian could iron out. Fans of Rhapsody, Secret Sphere, Majestic, early Dragonland, Skylark and Saidian will no doubt find something of interest here, but perhaps the band's attempts could do with some streamlining, after all, Power Metal is not about over the top exaggerations and grand gestures...oh, wait.