I’ve listened to hundreds of power metal records over the years, so I have a good idea for what is important stylistically in the genre. When a new band like Dragony comes along, you have to hope they can keep up with high tempo/symphonic acts like Mob Rules, Conquest and Rhapsody. If anything the lyrical content is on par and they do stick closely to the power metal formula, but is it any good?
Well let’s start out with a few facts before we get into the heart of the matter. Dragony hails from Austria and they indeed play a symphonic style of lavish keyboards, virtuoso guitar shredding, and grand vocals. The lyrical content is heavily influenced with fantasy themes and this is where I find some of their debut to be standard fare.
The album in question is Legends and it opens with a symphonic instrumental, before launching into nine tracks of full on power metal goodness. The musicianship is solid and I found the majority of the songs simple, but melodic and catchy. Numbers like “Dragonslayer” and “Vaults of Heaven” display the progressive elements, but the stand-out track is definitely “The Longest Night,” which is accentuated with guest vocals from Katie Joanne of Siren’s Cry. The song clocks in at 8 minutes and it’s epic sounding and probably the most exciting track on the album.
My biggest complaint about this debut is that I didn’t find it unique enough, nor does it leave a lasting impression on me. It’s a shame though because the song writing isn’t half bad and the musicianship is competent enough for my tastes, but it doesn’t strive beyond the influences of other more seasoned bands in the genre. You can hear bands like Hammerfall, Iron Fire, and Rhapsody infused into the sound of Dragony and it does bring down my enjoyment level a notch or two.
One can hope Dragony will evolve at some point into a competent musical entity, especially given how good the musicianship is on this release. If anything, fans of this style might enjoy it despite the lack of originality, so keep that in mind if you decide to purchase this album.
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)