TALES OF DESTINY were formed in 1995, and they are from Beaupre, Canada. The Power Metal outfit release their sophomore album "Ashes Of Destiny", the first release since their debut album in 2013. "Ashes Of Destiny" was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Olivier Girard (SKYHEX; THE LIGHTBRINGER). The album has a length of about 49 minutes, and it is an independent release.  The album starts with the song "Lost Cries" and with an extended instrumental part, driven by the guitars. The track offers mid-tempo verse parts with tight guitar riffing and catchy melodies, fast bridges and chorus parts supported by the double-bass drumming, and a break at a measured tempo with powerful guitar riffs and an extended and very contributing lead guitar solo. The vocals vary around the medium end of the vocal range with little tonal shifts in either direction. The chorus melodies are almost anthemic and sing-alongs. "Lost Cries" is a good opening track with many traditional Power Metal elements, but also with some classical Heavy Metal vibes. It is the official video release, and the YouTube link is provided below. "Children Of Darkness" has a fast start with tight guitar riffing supported by the double-bass drumming. The vocals use a lot of higher notes and there is some backing vocal support. The choruses slow down to a measured tempo and with epic melodies. The break with the extended lead guitar solo is influenced by traditional Heavy Metal and certainly has some IRON MAIDEN vibes. "Children Of Darkness" is an early album highlight.

"Rescued By An Angel" is introduced by powerful guitar riffs, accompanied by the double-bass drumming at mid-tempo. The verse part offers a blend of tight and thunderous guitar riffs and vocals ranging from medium to higher pitched notes. The melodies are catchy. The choruses maintain the tempo with plenty of double-bass drumming added and dark, epic melodies. The vocals use highly pitched notes, which fit perfectly to the melodies of the track. "Flame Of Victory" starts with an extended guitar-driven instrumental part. The verse part offers a mixture of mid-tempo traditional Heavy Hetal guitar riffing and faster tight Power Metal riffs accompanied by the double-bass drumming. The melodies during the choruses are catchy and the break delivers another fine lead guitar solo coming into two parts. The solo is the highlight of the track. "Wild Dream" has a heavy start with devastating guitar riffs, leading into the verse part at mid-tempo. The vocals contain many tonal shifts during the track and sound punchier and more aggressive compared to most tracks. The choruses slow down slightly and deliver catchy melodies. The break switches to a fast tempo for the extended lead guitar solo. "The Fight For Life" has a slow introduction with the guitars, leading into a fast traditional Power Metal vers part with flesh-ripping guitar riffs and double-bass thunderstorms. The choruses slow down to mid-tempo with catchy melodies. There are many twists and turns in tempo and rhythm during the track, where the mid-tempo parts have many Heavy Metal vibes. The vocals are back around the medium end of the vocal range without any marked tonal shifts.

"For My King" is a mid-tempo track with a catchy main melody. The guitar riffing is powerful, and the vocals use mainly notes around the medium end of the vocal range during the verse parts. The choruses are sing-alongs with higher pitched vocals. The break is kept relatively short, but the lead guitar solo is cool. Powerful guitar riffs leading into a verse part at mid-tempo introduce "Demon Tears". The guitar riffing is tight, and the vocals use once again higher pitched notes and backing vocal support. The track is a blend of traditional Heavy Metal and classical Power Metal elements, especially during the middle part. Highlight is the cool lead guitar solo. "Feel The Nightmare" has a fast guitar-driven start, leading into the mid-tempo verse part with a galloping rhythm, tight guitar riffs, and versatile vocals utilizing most parts of the vocals range with some highly pitched screams. The choruses are supported by plenty of double-bass drumming and the melodies are epic. The break offers an extended lead guitar solo, starting at mid-tempo and switching to fast pace in between. The track has some complexity in its song structure and is not always easy to digest. "Silence" starts as a slow and ballad-esque track with dark melodies, driven by the guitars. During the second half of the track, the tempo and theme of the track undergo a drastic switch for an extended break at mid-tempo. The lead guitar solo has once again a few IRON MAIDEN vibes. At the end, the track goes back into ballad mode and finishes with the main melody.

The final album song is "Night Shadow" and it is another mid-tempo track with tight guitar riffing and versatile vocals covering most of the vocal range. The melodies are catchy, in particular during the choruses with sing-along chorus lines. The break is relatively short and includes a contributing lead guitar solo. Altogether, "Night Shadow" is a good way to end the album. TALES OF DESTINY deliver a good Power Metal album after a long absence. "Ashes Of Destiny" offers a blend of traditional Power Metal elements and classical Heavy Metal. The guitars and vocals are the key contributions to the album with good and variable guitar riffs, cool solos, and very versatile vocals. The album is well produced. Power Metal fans, who also love the Heavy Metal vibes, will dig the album and they will hope that there is more to come from TALES OF DESTINY in near future.