MAGIC KINGDOM - Symphony Of War

Magic Kingdom - Symphony Of War

9 songs
71:31 minutes
***** ****
Limb

Bandpage

Magic Kingdom give their name justice as their special brand of power metal couldn’t sound more ornate, as if it came straight from a metallised Disney theme park. I expected them to come from Germany, Italy or Greece, but couldn’t have been any more wrong. The band was founded in Brussels in 1998, making Symphony Of War their third album.

The band hasn’t changed their approach, and that shouldn’t be considered bad in their case. Led by the classically trained Russian guitarist Dushan Petrossi, the band shows how hearty power metal has to sound. Magic Kingdom are excellent songwriters, and even though their music is focused on the great guitar playing, the band takes care not to get lost in overly convoluted structures. The music is heady, of course, but also incredibly fast paced and playful, all factors that guarantee maximum listening pleasure. Sometimes they switch back by adding choirs or barock and oriental influences, allowing for some respite. Only the shorter Unholy Abyss is lightning fast from beginning to end, highlighting the precision work of the drummer. Their last album came with a thirteen minute long title track. This time it’s nearly half an hour long, an epic monumental work with tons of breaks, a female guest singer, evil growls and even a narrator, making this a regular little musical.

Magic Kingdom have all it takes to play in the top league of the power metal world. This strong album leaves no doubt about who is the best power metal band from Belgium, but also metal fans from all over the world should open their ears to this fantastic piece of music.

Back to Reviews