Symphonic fans can do worse than to add this to their collection.

The fantasy art cover by Andreas Zafiratos and the calligraphic band monicker had all the makings of a Symphonic Metal offering and so it proved. The production is very good with the engineering, mixing and mastering all being handled by Neb Xort, who, incidentally was involved in the dark nihilistic French band Anorexia Nervosa as keyboardist before their enforced hiatus, and still produces and engineers The Veil after playing as a session musician for them. What was pleasantly surprising was finding out that Operadyse were a French Symphonic Metal band which is about as rare as you can get, as I'm only aware of Kells (toured with Epica and Tarja), Fairyland (toured with Sonata Arctica, Kamelot and Leaves' Eyes) and Kerion (whom I reviewed in issue #58*).

Without any biographical info the album appears to be centred around a concept of magical and fantastical lands of which there are seven, along with the four winds and fairies, elves, goblins and dragons, the religious hero with his Celestial sword fights for honour and to protect the seven lands, then, cursed by the Gods, he sets out to defeat them, from what I can make out. It's all rather complicated but a jolly good romp all the same.

If you're familiar with Italians Rhapsody Of Fire then pretty much you'll get the sound and flavour of this French band. The double bass drumming by Emmanuel Colombier, combined with the bass of Stephane Lambert, the symphonic structure laid down by guitarist Damien Marco and keyboardist Bastien Sable and the melodic vocals of Franck Garcia, as evidenced on the opening song 'Celestial Sword' after the orchestral synth prologue 'Rise', are all indicative of the rest of the album in general. Obviously each song has its subtleties and nuances and separate passages of musicality but the symphonic march through each track is unswerving. Two songs from their 2009 EP 'Hope Era Dies' make it to this album – 'Celestial Sword' and 'Fairies' Secret Garden'.

Original vocalist Jennifer Lassalle crops up on many occasions, her ethereal tone during the interplay with Garcia on 'Arkanya' where she sounds like a grown up Vanessa Paradis, particularly striking. But with enough melody and pomp, fabulous playing, consummate male and female vocalising, at times very passionate, and enough orchestration to shake a baton at, Symphonic fans can do worse than to add this to their collection.

Carl Buxton

(* of Fireworks Magazine)