RHAPSODY OF FIRE is a symphonic power Metal band hailing from Italy. "The Frozen Tears Of Angels" is their eighth full length studio album. It took them a long time to get this album out due to a legal dispute with their former record label, Magic Circle Music. This CD is easily their heaviest to date. It is as if they felt they had something to prove after their fallout with Magic Circle Music and its founder, Joey Demaio. If that was their intent, then they succeeded wonderfully! This is their best album since the epic and furious "Power Of The Dragonflame". The double guitar solo in "On The Way To Ainor" is ferocious and melodic at the same time. The neoclassical guitar style of Luca Turilli is as identifiable as it is bombastic. In other words, you know who it is upon the first listen, if you are a fan of power Metal. As is always the case, the choirs are present and accounted for, both male and female choirs. When they are going for beauty they use the women and when they are going for epic they use the men. In either case, it is tastefully done. I am also very pleased with the double bass drumming and shredding in the fast and furious "Raging Starfire".

RHAPSODY OF FIRE has gone to great lengths to create their own fantasy realm, borrowing influence from J.R.R. Tolkien. This album presents the third chapter in the ongoing "The Dark Secret Saga", the first chapter of which started on the "Symphony Of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret" CD. Although - as already mentioned - this album is much heavier and faster, I like the change they have made from the slow pretentious ballads they have done in the past, adding only one to the whole record (not counting the bonus track, since it is already present in a full Metal version). It has always been an annoyance of mine to put in a heavy Metal CD only to hear ballads. Thankfully they have toned down the usage of them and I consider that a great step forward. Anyone can play slow, show me the shredding! The presence of Sir Christopher Lee is also a very welcome. The man adds a class and dignity to everything he does. Having a man of his stature on the album is a huge plus. Sir Christopher Lee plays the role of a great and powerful king in the story encompassing the album.

Of course the production is great. That is one aspect of RHAPSODY OF FIRE that you never have to worry about. You don't have to worry about the vocals, the guitars, bass or drums either. This is perhaps the finest symphonic power Metal band around. I truly don't see any close contenders. It will be interesting to see where their fantasy storylines ends, if it ever does. It may very well span the rest of their career. I remember thinking to myself after reading book seven of "The Wheel Of Time" saga by the late Robert Jordan, that he was never going to finish this story and keep writing the books until he dies, and unfortunately that is exactly what ended up happening, although another author has been hired by his widow to finish the story he outlined during his illness. I only hope RHAPSODY OF FIRE gets to finish their story on their own and that it is a happy ending.

Overall, if you are a power Metal fan you must buy this CD. There simply is no way around it. This is one CD I will have playing in my car stereo and home PC for weeks to come. RHAPSODY OF FIRE is back with a vengeance and have solidified their place at the top of the symphonic power Metal throne.