AD INFINITUM were formed in 2018 and they are from Montreux, Switzerland. The symphonic Metal band has been very active during their career and "Chapter II - Legacy" is their second full-length album and actually their third release. It was recorded and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Danish Hansen Studios and at LFM Studios. The orchestrations were done by Elias Holmlid (DRAGONLAND) and the album was produced by AD INFINITUM. "Chapter II - Legacy" was released by Austrian label Napalm Records and it has a length of more than 56 minutes.

The stars are shining bright for Melissa Bonny and her project AD INFINITUM. I felt that Melissa Bonny was omnipresent with several contributions during this year and a very much celebrated "Chapter II - Legacy" album is the well-deserved reward for this. My first impression after the first listening of the album was that AD INFINITUM is growing starting from being a side project to something where not even songwriter Melissa has a clue where the journey will end. Musically, the album is a mix of many elements, pre-dominantly symphonic Metal, but there is also a lot of modern Metal involved as well as some picks here and there from other genres as needed.

Central features on the album are catchiness and compositions that are easy to digest. Songs like "Reinvented" and "Unstoppable" show the direction: anthem-like melodies, good guitar riffing and contributing lead guitar solos, the orchestral elements are rather in the background when needed, and the center of gravity is the mezzo-soprano Melissa Bonny with her overarching vocals. As mentioned, the songs pick some other elements and "Unstoppable" adds a few growls very effectively to the mix. "Unstoppable" is the first highlight on the album and it was the first single being released. The sound on the album inevitably reminds on AMARANTHE at times, so does "Inferno" which is the first ballad-esque track on "Chapter II". "Inferno" has a very own dynamic and the chorus part is the classical sing-along.

"Chapter II - Legacy" is pretty diverse, and it is heavier than the debut album of AD INFINITUM. "Your Enemy" is one of those tracks which starts with heavy and powerful guitar riffing, and it includes a growling vocal part throughout the track. "Afterlife" also starts with dark guitar riffing and gloomy lead guitars and then transitions into an orchestral driven track. Highlight is the vocal part, the duet with AMARANTHE vocalist Nils Molin where Melissa Bonny really shows her outstanding vocal talent. Speaking of diverse sound, "Breathe" which is another ballad, has a lot of melodic Metal inspirations and the highlight is delivered by guitarist Adrian Thessenvitz and his lead guitar solo. "Animals" is a mix of everything, anthem-like choruses and great melodies, powerful guitar riffing during the middle part, and a few growls as well. The song was released as video and the YouTube link is given below.

"Into The Night" is besides "My Justice, Your Pain" one of the fastest songs on "Chapter II" and it is the heaviest. It is a straight forward track, very dynamic, the growls are more prominent during the verse sections, and it has the catchy melodies for the chorus. "Into The Night" is one of the highlights for me, since it really shows how much the band has grown since their debut. "Son of Wallachia" is another ballad and it refers to Vlad the Third, the ancient sovereign of Wallachia. "Haunted" has a very powerful start and the verse section adds a lot of double-bass drumming to it. The chorus section is another melodic sing-along part and there is a contributing mid-section break with heavy and dark riffing and growls. "Lullaby" is in principle the final song on the album and Melissa's vocals have a few Amy Lee vibes on it. Highlight of the track is another excellent lead guitar solo, which is a reoccurring feature on the album. "Chapter II" contains three bonus tracks, the instrumental versions of "Unstoppable" and "Inferno" as well as an orchestral version of "Son of Wallachia".

"Chapter II - Legacy" is an excellent symphonic Metal album. It has its strength in the diversity of the sound, the guitars, and the vocals of Melissa Bonny. The sound of "Chapter II - Legacy" goes way beyond traditional symphonic Metal, the album is fresh, dynamic, and includes a lot of modern Metal elements. This makes the album unique in comparison to the large number of releases in symphonic Metal. It is also evidence for excellent songwriting. Compared to "Chapter I - Monarchy", the new album has improved in every aspect. "Chapter II - Legacy" is very well produced. AD INFINITUM raise the bar very high with the new album and I am sure that it will be part of many album of the year compilations. Where will the journey of AD INFINITUM end? The sky is the limit.