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RHAPSODY BIOGRAPHY
Rhapsody (now known as Rhapsody of Fire) are a Symphonic Power Metal band from Italy. They incorporate classical music, baroque and power metal styles. The classical influences include such composers as Vivaldi, Bach, Paganini, and Dvořák. Their songs are also heavily influenced by power metal in general, and their lyrics are fantasy themed.
In 1997 Rhapsody released their debut album, Legendary Tales. Co-founders Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli created an epic sound with this first album. Although neo-classical metal had existed previously, Rhapsody incorporated classical music, baroque and heavy metal styles in a new sub-genre known as "Hollywood metal". The classical influences include such composers as Vivaldi, Bach and Paganini. The band also shows power metal influences and fantasy themes.
In the years that followed, Turilli and Staropoli, joined by Fabio Lione on vocals, developed this new sound with their albums Symphony of Enchanted Lands (1998), Dawn of Victory (2000), Rain of a Thousand Flames (2001), and Power of the Dragonflame (2002). They wrote pieces such as "Emerald Sword", drawing on Russian folklore and Celtic style elements and creating what was known as the "Emerald Sword Saga".
Turilli is the band's lyricist, as well as guitarist. His lyrics often refer to mystical lore from the medieval age and the heroic valor of those times, highlighting in particular the everlasting fight between good and evil. "Evil can be found everywhere," says Turilli. "But it will never win as long as there are enough good people who fight against it." While Turilli writes the lyrics and guitar riffs, the composition of the classical music is all Staropoli's doing.
Christopher Lee was involved in their last project, narrating part of the storyline. This album, labeled Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret, was a follow-up to the Emerald Sword Saga and was released in 2004.
The band produced a new single CD in 2005 labeled The Magic of the Wizard's Dream, featuring new versions of "The Magic of the Wizard's Dream", one of the more popular songs from their album Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret. The band had Lee sing backup vocals for Lione, because Lee felt that the narrator's part of being the Wizard King was not as good as it could be without him contributing his voice to at least one song. The song was reworked into four different languages, English, German, Italian, and French they also included both the original version of the song with a duet, and an orchestral version of the song, both in English. This also produced Rhapsody's third music video. The band also released two new tracks exclusively on this single, "Autumn Twilight" and "Lo Specchio D’Argento". This single was released March 29th.
In July of 2006, the band changed their name to "Rhapsody of Fire" due to a conflict in copyrights.
In the 2006 they, with the new name of "Rhapsody of Fire", have published a new album, "Triumph of Agony", which is one of the most symphonic albums ever.
RHAPSODY GENRES Symphonic/Orchestral Power Metal
RHAPSODY LYRICAL THEMES Fantasy, Epic battles, Tales
RHAPSODY ORIGIN Italy (Trieste /Friuli-Venezia Giulia), formed in 1995
RHAPSODY CURRENT RECORD LABEL Magic Circle Music / Steamhammer
RHAPSODY STATUS Changed name
RHAPSODY CURRENT LINE-UP Fabio Lione - Vocals (ex-Vision Divine, ex-Labyrinth (Ita), ex-Athena (Ita), as guest in Beto Vázquez Infinity)
Luca Turilli - Guitars (Luca Turilli's Dreamquest)
Alex Staropoli - Keyboards, Harpsichord, Piano
Patrice Guers - Bass (Patrick Rondat, Inner Visions)
Alex Holzwarth - Drums, Percussion (Sieges Even, ex-Blind Guardian, ex-Angra, Dol Ammad, Avantasia, Val'Paraiso, ex-Paradox (Ger))
Live & Session Member:
Dominique Leurquin - Rhythm Guitar (ex-Dream Child, Luca Turilli's Dreamquest, Inner Visions)
RHAPSODY PREVIOUS LINE-UP Cristiano Adacher - Vocals
Andrea Furlan - Bass
Daniele Carbonera - Drums
Alessandro Lotta - Bass (ex-Wingdom)
Session Musicians:
Sascha Paeth - Bass, Additional Guitars (Heavens Gate, Luca Turilli, Virgo (Matos/Paeth), Redkey, Avantasia, Luca Turilli's Dreamquest, Aina, Shaaman)
Robert Hunecke Rizzo - Bass (Aina, ex-Heavens Gate, Virgo (Matos/Paeth), Luca Turilli's Dreamquest, Avalon (Ger), Luca Turilli)
"Thunderforce" - Drums
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