Every power metal fan knows that the music is good if it takes you to a completely different dimension while listening to it. "DNA", Italian power metal pioneers DERDIAN's latest record is all about this kind of sensation. Parading thirteen epic tracks, this album takes you to a 66-minute ride to a magical place where everything is mystical and is driven by the force of light.

Every single song in this record makes a heart-pumping anthem. Choruses are so hooking you will hardly get out of it. Just when you hear the title track, "DNA's" extravagant keyboard-driven intro, you will be sure the track will be your favorite. The energy is simply relentless, from the very powerful vocals, the dominating keyboards and the blasting drums, every note you will hear will make you crave for more. The harmony between every note that every instrument make is commanding.

"Never Born" is so notable for its classical intro which really sounds like a Chopin composition. Not only that, the song is mainly dominated by the keyboards and its classical notes. The solo is astonishing. It's more like a guitar-keyboards duet actually, which for me is an epic moment.

This beautiful display of power metal and classical music's combination is present until the sixth track "Red and White". You know, the magic-filled intros, anthemic verses, catchy choruses and epic duels between the keyboards and guitars and everything in between. Just when you thought you already heard everything, "Elohim" comes into the action. Everything here sounds quite so typical. But what makes this track deserve a special mention? The solo. Power metal has always been in line with classical music, but in this solo, it's a combination of classical and jazz. Yup, you read that right. That's a combo of the ear soothing smoothness of jazz and the ever triumphant classical music in the middle of a power metal song for you. This perhaps is a result of DERDIAN's twenty years of mastery in music and in this genre particularly.

Their dance with classical music is further exhibited in the tracks "Nothing will Remain" "Destiny Never Awaits" and "Part of this World" with the second mentioned one standing out as the most beautiful song among the three. The album's very last track, "Ya Nada Cambiara" stands in there to make a strong end to this excellent album. The energy level never went down until the very last seconds of this last song. The anthemic sound is still there, the elegance of the keyboards is omnipresent, and the singing intensity never changed.

This album reflects what twenty years of expertise can give you. The songwriting is perfect, the combination of different styles is flawless, and the production is excellent. This is one of the albums that I will certainly recommend, promote and defend. I can say easily that this is the best power metal album I heard in a long while.