EXCALION were formed in 2000 and they are from Konnevesi, Finland. The melodic Power Metal outfit released five full-length albums so far. The 6^th release "Once Upon A Time" was mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni (DEATHLESS LEGACY; ELVENKING; WE ARE LEGEND) at Dominion Studio, San Marino. It has a length of more than 55 minutes. The album was released via Italian Power, Thrash, and Heavy Metal specialists Scarlet Records. All backing vocals on the album were done by Niko Rimbacher, Janita Voudinmäki, and Nik Hall.

The album starts with the Folk inspired "Keitele", which has an atmospheric start with acoustic guitars transitioning into a track at a measured tempo with epic melodies. The guitars provide the melodic background to the track with the vocals following the melodies. The vocals are around the medium end of the vocal range with little tonal shifts. "Keitele" seamlessly transitions into "Resolution", a mid-tempo track with powerful guitar riffing and added orchestral arrangements which are kept in the background. The track has a lot of traditional Power Metal elements including the classical epic chorus melodies, the drumming, and the vocals with a lot of higher notes included in the track. The break with the lead guitar solo needs a bit of time to get going, but it eventually bursts into a classical Power Metal lead guitar solo. "Soulbound" continues with the Power Metal attack and also with the background orchestral arrangements. The vocals include a lot of deeper notes during the verse parts, with tonal shifts towards higher notes for the chorus parts. The melodies "Soulbound" are catchy, however, the track somehow lacks a bit dynamic and freshness. "Soulbound" has been released as video, and the YouTube link is given below.

"Words Cannot Heal" starts with strong bass lines, heavy riffing, and piano melodies. It is another mid-tempo track and perhaps the one with the catchiest melodies of the entire album. The chorus lines sound almost anthemic. The keyboards are quite dominant during most parts, leading the track forward. Highlight is the contributing lead guitar solo. "Amuse Me" starts with a short keyboard intro and then transition into a mid-tempo track with thunderous riffing and crushing bass lines. It is one of the darker tracks and one of the heaviest on the album. The break is a mixture of a lead guitar and a keyboard solo. The vocals are more dynamic and a bit more aggressive, which benefits the track. "Amuse Me" is one of the best songs on the album. The title song starts with an electronic inspired pre-lude transitioning into a sequence of tight and heavy riffing. While the verse parts sound powerful at mid-tempo, the chorus parts have epic melodies at a measured pace. The vocals cover most of the range, including a few deeper notes as well as shifts towards higher notes. The break starts atmospheric with orchestral arrangements at slow tempo, but there are a lot of twists in the rhythm including a fast part for the keyboard and lead guitar solos.

"I Am I" starts with a Rob Halford inspired scream leading into the fastest track on the album. The verse parts and bridges are played at insane pace, while the chorus parts come with epic melodies at mid-tempo. The melodies during the chorus parts are anthemic again, and the lead guitar solo is very contributing. "I Am I" is another album highlight. "When A Moment Turns Into A Lifetime" has a ballad-esque acoustic start and transitions into a ballad after the first verse part with powerful guitar riffing and catchy melodies. In particular, the melodies of the choruses are sing-alongs and "When A Moment Turns Into A Lifetime" is going to become a fan favorite and I am sure it will be part of future live set lists. "Radiant Halo" starts at mid-tempo with a short intro of guitars, bass, and drums, then transitioning into verse parts at a measured tempo. The chorus parts are switched back to mid-tempo and during the chorus parts, vocalist Marcus Lång has a lot of vocal background support. Highlight of the track is the lead guitar solo.

"Eternals" is another ballad starting with orchestral orchestrations and the vocals only. The chorus parts are again very powerful with the guitars and the vocal lines are probably good sing-alongs. Every ballad has a strong lead guitar solo and "Eternals" does not make an exception here. In fact, the solo might be the highlight of the entire album. Unfortunately, the track fades out with the solo and the track surely did deserve a better finish. The album ends with the fast "Band Of Brothers" and what sticks in my mind are the crunching bass lines driving the track forward. "Band Of Brothers" is another track with a lot of traditional Power Metal vibes including the drumming and the lead guitars.

EXCALION deliver an album which leaves me with mixed feelings. There are many different elements of modern Metal and Power Metal included, but I miss some distinctive songs on the album. While many songs include great guitar riffing and lead guitar solos, most tracks sound lengthy, they miss dynamics and freshness, and the chorus parts are often predictable. The album is well produced. "Once Upon A Time" may not be an album that will remain in the memory for long, but a lot of Power Metal fans may dig the album.