Rhapsody of Fire's Top 5 Songs

Considered the leaders of symphonic metal, Rhapsody of Fire has been around since 1993, reaching worldwide acclaim shortly after 2000 with the release of Dawn of Victory and their first single, "Holy Thunderforce." With a new album slated for release in 2010, their success is only likely to continue.

Although all of Rhapsody of Fire's songs are arguably "epic" (they are also described as an "epic metal" band), these top five songs are definite must-listens.

Rhapsody of Fire: Their Top 5 Songs

So, which of Rhapsody of Fire's songs are the best?

"Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness": From Rhapsody of Fire's Power of the Dragonflame album, GAOD contains nearly 20 minutes of epic symphonic metal. Best part: The beginning-a gentle, flamenco-inspired acoustic intro, which quickly snaps into a electric guitar intro.

"Steelgods of the Last Apocalypse": Also from Rhapsody of Fire's Power of the Dragonflame album, SOTLA combines their characteristic symphonic metal with plenty of sweeps, double bass drums and an epic guitar solo by Luca Turilli.

"Power of Thy Sword": Rhapsody of Fire proves it can literally do anything-even good covers. This version literally blows Manowar's song out of the water, featuring two amazing solos from lead guitarist Luca Turilli. Best part: The last solo, which is absolutely killer.

"Power of the Dragonflame": It's one of the few Rhapsody of Fire songs to feature a music video (aside from"Rain of a Thousand Flames" and "Holy Thunderforce"). It also features plenty of yummy, fast riffs that would make any metal nerd giddy with excitement. Metal-Rules.com describes the riffs as "happier riffs," a definite step up from their other melancholic songs.

"The Magic of the Wizard's Dream": TMOTWD isn't typical Rhapsody of Fire-it's a slow, symphonic ballad, featuring Rhapsody of Fire vocalist Fabio Lione and none other than Sir Christopher Lee, better known as Saruman from Lord of the Rings (LOTR). It was only natural to have a duet with Saruman himself-Luca Turilli is reportedly a big fan of the LOTR movies. Cool fact: There are four additional language adaptations of this song, including German and Italian.

Rhapsody of Fire's Top 5 Songs: Why ES and HT Aren't Included

So, where are "Emerald Sword" and "Holy Thunderforce"? Although both songs were made popular by Stepmania, they definitely aren't Rhapsody of Fire's best songs-give the above songs a "listen to" instead for a sampling of excellent symphonic metal.

Sources:
J.P.,"Rhapsody - Power of the Dragonflame Review" (Metal-Rules.com)