What's the news about Rhapsody?

The band changed their name to Rhapsody of Fire due to copyright problems on July 14th, 2006.

The band is going to release a new album “Triumph or Agony” on September 25th, 2006.

Some recent Rhapsody video clips: http://homepage.mac.com/kingdomofsteel/video/UnholyWarcryMedium.mov - Unholy Warcry
http://www.epic-metal.com/rhapsody/video/pro7.avi - Unholy Warcry (MC Chart Show appearance (October 2004))
http://www.epic-metal.com/rhapsody/video/carmennebel.mov - Rhapsody at Carmen Nebel Show (April 2005)
http://epic-metal.com/rhapsody/video/tmotwd10.mov - The Magic of the Wizard's Dream

Earlier, their style was called "symphonic epic Hollywood metal" and could be described as epic melodic power metal with symphonic orchestra parts, classic and folklore music elements and movie soundtrack feeling. Now, with the release of the new album, it's called "film score metal". The style's title was changed with the help of their new manager Joey DeMaio who suggested that the new title is more appropriate for the band's music.

The band was formed as “Thundercross” but soon their music improved a lot and they realised that “Thundercross” is a heavy and improper word for this kind of music. After some time they decided on Rhapsody. This name is connected with classical music and poetry and suits the band perfectly.

The current line-up is:
Luca Turilli (b. 5 March 1972, Trieste, Italy) - guitars
Fabio Lione (b. 9 October 1973, Pisa, Italy) - vocals
Alex Staropoli (b. 9 January 1970, Trieste, Italy) - keyboards
Alex Holzwarth (b. 4 October 1968, Landshut, Germany) - drums
Patrice Guers (b. 5 September 1969, Annecy, France) - bass

Session musicians:
Manuel Staropoli - flute, baroque recorder
Dominique Leurquin - rhythm guitar (live)
Christopher Lee - narrations, vocals

Dominique Leurquin has played live with Rhapsody since February 2000, and also performed the rhythm guitar parts on Symphony of Enchanted Lands II, but is still only considered a 'special guest' of the band.

Former members:
Cristiano Adacher - vocals
Andrea Furlan - bass
Daniele Carbonera - drums
Thunderforce - drums
Alessandro Lotta - bass

'Thunderforce' played drums from “Dawn of Victory” to “Power of
the Dragonflame”, but for contractual obligations his real identity
could not be revealed. Alex Holzwarth, who played drums in live shows,
figured in the official line-up on the CDs. Holzwarth has played all
drums since “Symphony of Enchanted Lands II”.

Read Fabio's answer:
" ...Hi..i was sure about that!!!he,he..well,in that song there is not a choir..like the others..
so you can easily hear the same voice(i did the low parts,medium and normal tones),the same vibrato and style..
i did all the vocal parts of the song..(you really can't feel the same vibrato in that voices!?!)
anyway..i did "lamento eroico" and the end of "gargoyles" too..anyway..hey!guys..mr Lee is 82..actually is a cool baritone-bass..
but i think this tone is not possible for him..i really appreciate him in london!!!a great man!!!
i want to thanks everybody for your support again and i wish we'll sing that song together live!!!he,he..."

Christopher Lee is a famous and well-known actor which took part in dozens of movies. Some of the recent movies where you can see him are “The Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars (Episodes II & III)”. He took part as a narrator on the Rhapsody album “Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret” and even sang on the single “The Magic of the Wizard's Dream”.

Rhapsody with guests:

* TDS + SOEL II + TMOTWD: Christopher Lee
* TDS: Claudio Simonetti (Goblin) on "Non Ho Sonno (Remix)"

Rhapsody members playing with other bands:

Luca Turilli:
* guitar solo (composed + played) in "Descent of the Archangel" on the album “Epica” (2003) (Kamelot)
* composed + played guitar in "Unknown Fighter" on the album “Who Dares Wins” (2001) (Dyslesia)

Alex Staropoli:
* live performance during Italian Manowar show

Fabio Lione:
* vocals on Vision Divine albums “Vision Divine” (1999) and “Send Me an Angel” (2002)
* vocals on the first Labyrinth single “Piece of Time” (1995) and the first album “No Limits” (1996)
* lead vocalist for the second Athena album “A New Religion?” (1998) + backing vocals on "Take My Life Away" on the album “Twilight of Days” (2001)
* sang on stage with Exawatt
* vocals on "Through the Wormhole" on the album “The Universal Migrator Part II: Flight of the Migrator” (2000) (Ayreon)
* vocals on "The Battle of the Past" on the self-titled Beto Vazquez Infinity album (2001)
* vocals on Eurobeat songs (under the name "J. Storm")

Alex Holzwarth:
* drums on both Tobias Sammet's Avantasia albums: “Avantasia: The Metal Opera” (2001) and “Avantasia: The Metal Opera Pt.II” (2002)
* drums for some Angra and Blind Guardian shows
* other bands: Val'Paraiso (on hold), Dol Ammad, Sieges Even, ex-member of Paradox

Patrice Guers:
* collaborated with Inner Visions and Patrick Rondat

Dominique Leurquin:
* guitars in Inner Visions and Dream Child

Alessandro Lotta:
* played bass on the Wingdom debut album “Reality” (2005), left Wingdom too

Here, on this site or you can visit the http://www.rhapsodyoffire.com - official site - for the band's discography.

If you're eager to know about all limited editions' bonus tracks, you should check http://www.epicrhapsody.com/index.php?showtopic=3232] THIS TOPIC
Also, it's a good idea to visit http://hem.bredband.net/wenmag/index.htm - this site - to know more about different countries' releases with pictures and additional information (releases till 2002).

So far, there are only two cover songs:
Helloween - Guardians
Goblin - Non Ho Sonno

Luca Turilli has one cover song:
Helloween - I'm Alive

Latin and Italian.

OK, read the summaries of The Emerald Sword Saga and The Dark Secret Saga.

"The Emerald Sword Saga"

I. Legendary Tales:
We're introduced to the Enchanted Lands, to the hero Warrior of Ice, no great events here...

II. Symphony of Enchanted Lands:
Warrior of Ice starts searching for the Emerald Sword. There is Tharos the Red Dragon, which helps Warrior of Ice to get the Emerald Sword, but Tharos is mortally wounded in a fight while the Nordic Warrior (=Warrior of Ice) was getting the Emerald Sword. Tharos still had strength to lead Warrior of Ice out of the place of the fight, but he died next. This album ends with Tharos dying and Warrior of Ice celebrating the Emerald Sword in his hands.

III. Dawn of Victory:
We're introduced to Dargor, Shadowlord of the Black Mountain, one of the main captains of Akron, the evil man. Some friends of the "good guys" are brutally killed by the evil forces:
Princess Airin and Arwald. The evil forces also steal the Emerald Sword.

IV. Rain of a Thousand Flames:
The Queen of the Dead is reborn. She gives some help to the evil forces. Elnor and Thorald, the two towns, are destroyed by the evil forces.

V. Power of the Dragonflame:
Final battles, blood, blood, and blood! Algalord is destroyed. Dargor the Shadowlord finds out that he's been deceived by Vankar, the wizard who adopted him. Vankar has always told Dargor that he was doing good, but now he sees everything he's done (and he's done BAD things). Then, Dargor call the Gargoyles, which fought the Demons of Abyss. Warrior of Ice, the Emerald Sword and Akron fall into some deadly marshes, and they're dead. Dargor runs away to be back in 'Unholy Warcry'!

"The Dark Secret Saga"

I. Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret:
- The secret of Evil Nekron?s resurrection is included in the seventh black book, which apparently lies in Dar-Kunor?s caves.
- The White Dragon?s Order is formed and they chose Khaas to go to the caves. His companions are princess Lothen, Iras Algor and elvenking Tharish. Dargor would lead them through Dar-Kunor.
- After that they just travel to Dar-Kunor and the album ends when they reach it.

II. Triumph or Agony:
coming soon

Some of translations are below. Also, all Latin and Italian parts you'll find
http://www.epicrhapsody.com/index.php?showtopic=9903 here and
http://www.epicrhapsody.com/index.php?showtopic=9904 here

Lamento Eroico/Heroic Lament

the broken echo languishes in me
at the grim look of the blind angel
ruins in me the ancient rhyme
in the heart of the wounded and dying swan...

cosmoses of betrayed eternity
of vanished truth that are now shedding
tears of farewell into a black void...
proud and honest, I'll go to meet my destiny...

THE THUNDER CRIES
TO MY HEROIC LAMENT
FATE ... CONSUME REALITY!

spirits of arcane worlds
I ask for life beyond death
to align the friendly stars
and to become a celestial guardian

keeper of healed eternity
of truth found for all children of mother Earth...
always I have given to her my life... my death...
thus I will continue!

THE THUNDER CRIES
TO MY HEROIC LAMENT
FATE ... CONSUME REALITY!

Guardiani Del Destino/Guardians of Destiny

brave and proud to the last sun towards the mountain of Erinor
the only passage to get there where the air smells of death
mud, swamps... ruins of a kingdom that for thousands of years has been
frightful
the black demon screams his hate the last war he wants to revenge

fire of freedom
flame of an ancient age
in their hearts awakes their ardour
against darkness
it had been an ancient evil
primordial in its reality

AN ERA OF BLOOD, OF DARK MEMORIES
REBORN IN HARGOR FOR A NEW EVIL
ELECTED IN ELGARD GUARDIANS OF DESTINY
THEY ARE AND WILL BE THE REAL HEROES

only eagles dare to fly there, beyond the peak between the west and the
north
Hargor discloses its unreality and to their eyes it reveals fear
for mother Earth they have to go, they know that they can even die
the rock is strong but they are more, dragon and lion in soul and heart

mountains with golden mantle
reveal truth
walls and towers reveal immensity
grey grandeur
black epic
that in you hide the ancient evil

AN ERA OF BLOOD, OF DARK MEMORIES
REBORN IN HARGOR FOR A NEW EVIL
ELECTED IN ELGARD GUARDIANS OF DESTINY
THEY ARE AND WILL BE THE REAL HEROES

Lo Specchio D'Argento/The Silver Mirror

You have seen all of my past
Not only white but also black
Nothing escapes you, dearest friend
Sincere brother
Nothing escapes you, dearest friend
Sincere brother

What you know, nobody knows it
My ambitions, my fears
Love and hate, and who knows what more
What other things can you boast to have stolen
Boast to have stolen

THE SILVER MIRROR
TELLS MEMORIES
OF LAUGHS, OF TEARS, OF VICES AND VIRTUES
THE SILVER MIRROR
OFFERS MEMORIES
FROM THE TIME THAT WAS
THE REAL GUARDIAN
OF SO MUCH EMOTION
THE VERITABLE TRUTH

Now wrinkles furrow my face
I've cried too many people's death
All that I've got left is my silver mirror
With its truth
All that I've got left is my silver mirror
With its truth

The one that isn't wanted to be seen
The one that appears but that is wanted to be hidden
The one that born and grows in the child
And that the adult let die

THE SILVER MIRROR
TELL MEMORIES
OF LAUGHS, OF TEARS, OF VICES AND VIRTUES
THE SILVER MIRROR OFFERS MEMORIES
FROM THE TIME THAT WAS
A TRUE GUARDIAN
OF SO MUCH EMOTION
THE VERITABLE TRUTH

Time runs away and with it life
Soon the earth will take me back
In your fragments my memory
Will survive
In your fragments my memory
Will survive...

The best decision is to buy them all and listen to them in a chronological order. Thus you can enjoy their music and observe the evolution of the band simultaneously.

Yes, here is the list:

Epicus Furor, Emerald Sword
Wisdom of the Kings
Holy Thunderforce
Holy Thunderforce (new version)
Rain of a Thousand Flames
Power of the Dragonflame
Unholy Warcry (Short Version)/Unholy Warcry (EP (or Single)
Version)/Unholy Warcry (Epic Version)
The Magic of the Wizard's Dream
Luca Turilli - The Ancient Forest of Elves

Legendary Tales, Emerald Sword, and Symphony of Enchanted Lands - Eric Philippe (http://www.redhead-or-dead.com/ official site).
Holy Thunderforce, Dawn of Victory, Rain of a Thousand Flames, Power of the Dragonflame - Marc Klinnert (http://www.studiooxmox.com/ official site).
The Dark Secret - Peter Maus.
Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret - Marc Klinnert.
Triumph or Agony - Jeff Easley (http://www.jeffeasley.com official site).

Luca Turilli
The Ancient Forest of Elves, King of the Nordic Twilight - Eric Philippe.
Demonheart, Prophet of the Last Eclipse - Marc Klinnert.
The Infinite Wonders of Creation - Karsten vom Wege

Luca Turilli's Dreamquest
Lost Horizons - Karsten vom Wege

You can find Rhapsody lyrics in the albums' booklets, on the official site and on http://www.darklyrics.com - Dark Lyrics.

Please, do NOT open threads everywhere like "Come to my country". There is a special http://www.epicrhapsody.com/index.php?showforum=35 section of the forum for you. However, pay attention that posting there doesn't mean Rhapsody will gather all their equipment and rush
into your backyard just to enjoy you.

You'll find the band's tour schedule http://www.rhapsodyoffire.com/sites/concerts.php

Let's see. It has some meanings:
1.MUSIC: free-form musical composition: a composition that is often irregular in form, emotional in effect, and improvisational in nature
2.enthusiastic talk: an expression of intense enthusiasm (often used in the plural)
3.POETRY: ancient Greek recited poem: in ancient Greece, an epic poem recited by a professional reciter
4.LITERATURE: exalted literary composition: any literary work written in an intense or exalted style.
Well, now you know. The first meaning is the most suitable for the band, isn't it?

There are a lot of tab sites around. For example, you can find Rhapsody and Luca Turilli's tabs http://www.metalprovider.com/thedarktower/ here.
Also, you can check http://www.epicrhapsody.com/index.php?showtopic=3239 this thread for more.

Personally for me, Rhapsody and Luca Turilli ARE the best because they're unique. Really. Still, there are bands that sound similar to Rhapsody or have a similar "epic sound".

Fairyland - http://www.fairyland-metal.com official site
Dark Moor - http://www.dark-moor.com official site
Domine - http://www.dominetruemetal.com official site
Logar's Diary - http://www.logar.org official site
Thy Majestie - http://www.thymajestie.com official site

. Rhapsody interviews can be found in heavy metal magazines and on the
web. Here are the links to some of these interviews.

This http://www.epicrhapsody.com/index.php?showtopic=10358 topic has some fresh interviews - look there first.

Interviews with Fabio Lione:
http://www.exawatt.it/fabiolione/interview/interview.html Fabio Lione's official site interview
http://www.norbygdi.net/outno/rhapsody.htm Scream Magazine (Norway) interview in English (translated by dim)
http://www.epicrhapsody.com/index.php?showtopic=4547 Butcherian Wibe magazine (Serbia) interview in English (translated by Warrior of Ice)
http://angelosanto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/html-files/metallian-1.jpg Metallian (France), page 1
http://angelosanto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/html-files/metallian-2.jpg Metallian
(France), page 2
http://angelosanto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/html-files/metallian.html Metallian
interview in English (translated by Lina and MiMi)

Interviews with Alex Stalopoli:
http://www.metal-temple.com/interview.asp?id=125 Metal-Temple.com
interview (in English)
http://www.powermetal.de/interview/interview-520.html Power
Metal.de interview (in German)
http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/showspecial.php?id=59?=en Lord of
Metal.nl interview (in English)
http://www.the-metals-den.com/Fichiers%20HTML/Entrevue/rhapsody_interview.htm The
Metal's Den (Canada) interview (in English)
http://angelosanto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/html-files/rock-brigade-1.jpg Rock
Brigade (Brazil), page 1
http://angelosanto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/html-files/rock-brigade-2.jpg Rock
Brigade (Brazil), page 2
http://angelosanto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/html-files/rock_brigade_comple.html Rock Brigade interview in English (translated by Elrond)
http://angelosanto.hp.infoseek.co.jp/rhapsody-files/burrn11-translation.html BURRRN! interview (translated by MiMi)

Interviews with Luca Turilli:
http://www.darkside.ru/interviews/rhapsody-eng.html Darkside
e-Zine interview (in English)
Audio interview (14 mp3 files) you can find on the
http://www3.pf-x.net/~rhapsody/interviews/interviews-english.html official
Japanese Rhapsody site.

You can find a lot of wallpapers on the http://www.rhapsodyoffire.com (official site)

You can find them in http://www.lturilli.de/elgardsgalleries/index.php Elgard's Galleries.

You can visit Legendary Market on the http://www.rhapsodyoffire.com official site to buy some t-shirts and mp3's. If you want to buy CDs then go to the http://www.emp.de EMP store or try any other online music shop.