_{Symphonic metal is one of those rock genres that I sometimes struggle with; however I found enough to like in the latest album from Italian band Rhapsody of Fire to warrant putting pen to paper / fingers to keyboard. “Into The Legend” is released through AFM Records on 15th January. The album’s title track is the lead-off single and a video was released for it in November. “Into The Legend” is included on the Friday NI Rocks Show broadcast on 1st January.}

^{Rhapsody of Fire trace their roots back to 1993 when they were initially called ‘Thundercross’ before taking on the name ‘Rhapsody’. Following a couple of demos and line-up changes they released their first album “Legendary Tales” in 1997. The band released a further five studio albums before changing their name to Rhapsody of Fire for legal reasons in 2006. A further three studio albums followed prior to one of the founding members, guitarist Luca Turilli, departing along with the band’s bassist to form ‘Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody’. The revamped Rhapsody of Fire went on to release a second live album in 2013, followed by the studio album “Dark Wings of Steel”.}

_{“Into The Legend” is the 11th studio album from Rhapsody of Fire and the ten tracks run for well over an hour, although the epic finale “The Kiss of Life” accounts for almost 17 minutes of that. A lyric video has recently been released for the track “Shining Star”. In addition to the title track, my own favourites would be “Distant Sky” and “Rage of Darkness”.}

_{The Rhapsody of Fire line-up includes founding member Alex Staropoli on keyboards and Fabio Lione who has been the vocalist since 1995. Other members are Alex Holzwarth on drums, Roby De Micheli on guitars and Alessandro Sala on bass.}

_{For more information check out http://www.rhapsodyoffire.com/}

_{About “NI Rocks Recommends”}

_{The simple idea behind “NI Rocks Recommends” is to acknowledge and promote some of the great music being submitted to Rock Radio NI. I'll not be giving marks or ratings or analyzing the tracks in great detail; just telling you something about the artist and the album. It’s a personal recommendation, not a traditional “review”!}

_{My musical tastes cover most things rock; from the not too melodic to the not too heavy. The albums that I’ll be recommending are merely those that I would buy myself and which you’ll be hearing played on my shows on Rock Radio NI.}

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