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Got my hands on this recently, and for some reason I keep going back to it when I want a Power Metal fix. I think it's because these guys know how to create solid tunes but always surprise me by throwing in an odd element, be it unexpected backing vocals or surprisingly groovy guitar work. By the name, you'd think Eagleheart were all about Stratovarius worship but Dreamtherapy, their second album, is actually much darker than that. Think a heavier, more aggressive Excalion and you've pretty much got it. There's also a bit of late 90s Helloween in there, and that's mostly down to Roland Grapow's influence, I guess, because he produced this thing and even laid down some guitar solos on it.

I'd say this is mostly high tempo Power Metal with a morose atmosphere and a subtle use of keys in the way a lot of Italian bands tend to favor (Labyrinth, Vision Divine, you know the drill), with gritty but soaring vocals and a real crunch on the guitars. The songs morph from straight ahead stompers to rampaging, double-kicked Power Metal madness, sometimes lightening the mood with a catchy chorus and backing choirs. Lyrically, Eagleheart seem to be reaching out for help in times of despair, and that's one of the things which makes this album unique. Highlights are definitely opener "Shades Of Nothing", with its belting chorus, the somewhat Storyteller-esque "Creator Of Time" and the twelve-minute closer "Wheel of Sorrow", which shows what this band can do with more time to develop their ideas. So, an ambitious, sometimes confusing but always interesting listen from Eagleheart. Might be a good one for Power Metallers looking for something a little different.