Rhapsody of Fire es una banda italiana icónica en el género del metal sinfónico, conocida por fusionar melodías épicas con potentes riffs de guitarra y orquestaciones grandiosas. Fundada en 1993 en Trieste por el guitarrista Luca Turilli y el teclista Alex Staropoli bajo el nombre de Thundercross, el grupo rápidamente estableció una base sólida en la escena del metal europeo.
En 1995, tras la incorporación del vocalista Fabio Lione, el bajista Alessandro Lotta y el baterista Daniele Carbonera, la banda cambió su nombre a Rhapsody. El demo "Eternal Glory" llamó la atención de la crítica y los oyentes, lo que llevó a la creación de su emblemático álbum debut, "Legendary Tales" (1997). Este trabajo mostró una impactante mezcla de música clásica, elementos barrocos y heavy metal, influyendo significativamente en el género.
Rhapsody rápidamente ganó notoriedad por sus discos conceptuales, narrando historias épicas a lo largo de varios álbumes. La primera saga, conocida como "The Emerald Sword Saga," abarca cinco álbumes, comenzando con "Legendary Tales" y culminando en "Power of the Dragonflame" (2002). Esta historia se centra en heroicas batallas, reinos perdidos y una mítica espada esmeralda. Los álbumes de esta saga fueron aclamados por su ambición narrativa y su innovadora fusión musical.
[Vankar]
Towards era sorrows
And darken the end ours terras!
As in nailer, red at infernos
Nekron in at infernos!
Yes! Nekron ’til us!
In primordial times of sorrow
Anciente ages of the known world
Kron's reign of terror was rising
So the skylords sent their angels
Against the storm that threathened
Seven wars were so fought
The dead rose
Led by the Darklords of hell
The last war
Meant the end
Of Hellgod's
Old reign
Dark memories lost in the shades of illusion
Warn the light of electric sky
The angels could change the life on earth
But not the demons' old plans
United force of strong wise men
A new order soon was born
Ten kings, ten wizards, elves and dragonlords
Ready to fight for their world
Ready to face the last secret
Hidden for 5000 angels' years
5000 years
A great and new hope in Elgard was born
The one hope that could finally find the
Sacred words to stop the dark plan of Nekron
All contained in Erian's Mystical White Book
The Holy Council cast their vote
Hearing the deep voice of soul
Etherus, Iras, two names on all
Elected to face the Darklord
They knew so well Erian's tale
What could be found between his rhymes
His rhymes of divine light
Written to save our lands
Ready to face the last secret
Hidden for 5000 angels' years
5000 years
Now is the time for them to share all their plans
The one hope that could finally find the
Sacred words to stop the dark plan of Nekron
All contained in Erian's Mystical White Book
So the name was chosen
White Dragon's Order
All sworn to fight
All for one
One for all
A great and new hope in Elgard was born
The one hope that could finally find the
Sacred words to stop the dark plan of Nekron
All contained in Erian's Mystical White Book
Sacred words to stop the dark plan of Nekron
All contained in Erian's Mystical White Book
White Book
(The White Dragon's Order)
[Iras Algor]
And so the Order of the White Dragon
Decreed Khaas the hero of the middle lands
He and princess Lothen
From the kingdom of the ancient waterfalls
Together with Tarish, elven king of the caverns and myself
Iras Algor from Hor-Lad
Would travel the path of incredible danger
And great adventure
Dargor the Shadowlord would lead us through
The ancient underworld of Dar-Kunor
Finally the time had come to find
The legendary seventh black book
That containing the worst of all
The known prophecies