Nestled away in the ancient, long-standing Italian city of Brindisi is a Power Metal band that shines with a bold mission. And what's more bold than producing a 19-track opera that details a journey of secrets, strife, and glory? PERSEUS has risen to the challenge and have released a monster of an album: "A Tale Whispered in the Night", an impressive effort to say the least, especially knowing that this is the group's sophomore effort. Not only that, but PERSEUS is now backed by Nadir Music, which has contributed the proper production and financial backing needed to fine-tune a Power Metal Opus.

PERSEUS is a 5-man unit that has implemented their storytelling in a musical format befitting their work uniquely. The band claims their greatest influences to be JUDAS PRIEST, MANOWAR, QUEENSRYCHE, and RHAPSODY OF FIRE, which come as no surprise after taking in the album in full. Yet, they superbly nail the signature sound in a way that isn't boring, but exhilarating through their themes and overall musicality.

The guitars by Cristian Guzzo and Gabriele Pinto are used in a multitude of styles while still keeping things "Power", not lacking in one area more than the other- from Speed Metal to Melodic Motifs, from Thrash to Ballads, and even blues scales (something I'm a sucker for in any kind of Metal) used in swift, technical solos, this album has quite a bit to offer. The bass by Alex Anelli moves in syncopation with the guitar beautifully; not at all too simple, all the while supporting the band with the appropriate foundation. Andrea Mariani's drumming is always on-point and solid, driving this adventure forward with a fluttered heartbeat. Finally, Antonio Abate meets the expectations of what it means to be a Power Metal vocalist and more- wide range, shaking vibrato, impeccable pitch, all of which soars over the instruments. Not to mention the raw sound of his voice is something that stands individually on its own and can be picked out of a line of vocalists for its distinction. Finally, thrown into the mix are programmed synths, choirs, and various instruments that aptly set the tone for this Opus.

Upon first glancing at the track list, I was a little worried, as extensive musical sagas can get a little... boring. But "A Tale Whispered in the Night" avoided this tendency fairly well, continuously introducing new things as the album progressed. Though "A Tale Whispered in the Night" does get a little cheesy at times (as is expected from metal operas), I did find myself thoroughly enjoying the story. The tale is about a "chosen one" who rises to fight the "Army of Dark Razor" in a world of secrets and lies, eventually coming into his own. Sounds like something that already came out earlier this year, right boys and girls? Not entirely. This takes place in a present-day setting, not some quasi-medieval universe or the distant future. The hero isn't named something obvious to his destiny as if his parents had planned it all along, but carries the name "Nathan". It's simple and relatable- a man like you and me thrust into this crazy world that he doesn't wholly understand, but rises to the challenge. All of these aspects, I can totally get behind.

The album moves in conjunction to how a story should be told, reflected by its style. Songs like "Deceiver" and "I'm the chosen One" are up-tempo and thrashy for the obvious turning points and conflicts. The drums and guitar work together wonderfully to invigorate the album and give it some grit. Of course, we have the more melodic tunes and heart-wrenching ballads for the emotional moments in "Dying Everytime" and "My Endless Dream". This is where Antonio really shines vocally, and his tone is as crystal-clear as Nathan's tears. Then there are some tracks that sit in the middle- just pure, high-energy Power Metal, like "Son of the Rising Sun", "Magic Mirror", and "Legions of Ravens". And everything pushes and pulls how it needs to, like the way any good epic.

As it turns out, the album wasn't nearly as long as I thought it would be. For having 19 tracks, the album is relatively short, clocking in just under an hour. Many of the "songs" are actually verbal segues between tunes with a narrator setting the story, character dialogue, or Nathan speaking to himself. This isn't something conventionally used in Power Metal and is a bit of a risky move. However, I like what they're trying to achieve. My only issue is that the narration, dialogue, and monologue can be a bit monotone, as if being read off a script for the first time. If a story is to be told, the band needs to practice delivery on every front, even if the music itself was executed splendidly.

PERSEUS has given it their all with this album and I have to hand it to them. A metal opera is not something easily pulled off, yet they did it and they did it well. I listened to it objectively for technicalities and musicianship, now it's time to shelve it for later so I can immerse myself in the universe they've created and enjoy the opera more thoroughly.<