From Blabbermouth:

"LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY will release a new album entitled "Ascending To Infinity" on June 29 via Nuclear Blast.

The track listing for the CD is as follows:

01. Quantum X
02. Ascending To Infinity
03. Dante’s Inferno
04. Excalibur
05. Tormento E Passione
06. Dark Fate Of Atlantis
07. Fantasia Gotica
08. Clash Of The Titans
09. Of Michael The Archangel And Lucifer's Fall
I. Alma Mundi
II. Fatum Mortalis
III. Ignis Divinus

The album will have a running time of around 65 minutes.

The limited-edition version of "Ascending To Infinity" will include two bonus tracks for 75 minutes of music, plus "many exclusive gifts," to be revealed very soon.

LUCA TURILLI'S RHAPSODY will embark on the "Ascending To Infinity" headlining tour in the fall."

There's also an interview with him in the same article. http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=168969

Well, that was rather fast after dividing Rhapsody of Fire, don't you think? Although they had been releasing stuff pretty consistently after their hiatus. I'm really interested in hearing this, and judging by the song titles Luca Turilli is stepping away from his involved fantasy concepts... Now I'd like to know what Rhapsody of Fire is up to.

this is gonna be badass

The song titles alone are more badass than anything the other band ever did.

Maybe it won't completely suck.

This, pretty much. I'm actually interested by this release, if only slightly. The last track (which seems to be an epic composed of three different parts) seems particularly intriguing.

Is it sad that I've listened to more of Luca's solo career than his work with the Rhapsodies? Either way, I'm vaguely curious.

On the contrary, I'd say that your time was well spent. Almost anything deserves more attention than Rhapsody.

Hmph, I really love Rhapsody. They can get a little carried away and drawn out some places, thinking back to Rain of a Thousand Flames ep, but I always liked them better than Luca's solo stuff. And if I remember correctly the only song I like off of his King of the Nordic Twilight was the one in the video, Ancient Forest of Elves. That was probably the song closest to the Rhapsody stuff, I don't remember the rest of the album being consistent with that song.. but it's been years since I've heard it.

Oh, don't mind me, as I'm just a guy who really, REALLY fucking hates Rhapsody. As in, I hate them so much it's irrational. But then again I love bands lots of people around here don't see in an exactly positive light, such as Nevermore and Iced Earth, so it's okay.

Ah, well, I don't care, I like plenty of stuff others dislike. It's fine by me. No Prayer for the Dying is my favourite Maiden album, if I can name something, lol. And I do love Iced Earth! Seeing them in a month, it'll be toward the end of the tour, hope they aren't worn out!

I'm both happy for you and fucking envious right now.

Well, I never got to see them with Matt Barlow, so it'll be a bit bittersweet. But we've derailed enough! lol

I've never heard Luca's solo stuff, but I really love the hell out of Rhapsody, so I'll surely hear this at the very least. We'll see who's version is better (though I wish one of them would just bite the bullet and rename the band completely).

I've never really sat down and listened to Luca's solo work, myself. I remember not liking it and giving up on it. Maybe it'll be irrelevant and he'll keep it very Rhapsody-esque. I've always had a soft spot for the band, though I do not particularly love 'em. And I agree with you BastardHead, just rename the damn band.

PLEASE BE MICHELE LUPPI ON VOCALS!

Okay with that out of the way, I am curious about this one. Turilli's solo albums are usually pretty solid, and I do have a soft spot for Rhapsody so it should be interesting. Probably won't be anything fantastic though.

So, a video has been put online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFqOkq8ta8U. The band's new singer is Alessandro Conti.

This sounds pretty good to me: closer the Rhapsody than Luca Turilli's solo material was, with less importance on the keys and of course a new singer. But I dig it, and I'm really curious about the new album!

Oh. Hell. YES. I'm psyched for whatever they'll release, I really, really liked that! Not too far off from the stuff we heard on the final Rhapsody of Fire album, and Conti's vocals really added a fresh take on that already lovely sound.

The song was alright; but I'm not convinced with the singer. Really don't care for those operatic vocals he uses.

Someone should add this band to the archives, because this is confusing the shit out of me.

That song doesn't sound really any different than either Rhapsody or Luca's other solo material. Par for the course. Not that that is a bad thing. I love all of Rhapsody's material, and enjoy Luca's solo stuff too. I just can't understand what the point was in splitting into two "Rhapsody" bands, especially when you already have two other solo projects.

But of course, this music is soooo much better than Rhapsody because the song titles and lyrics aren't cheesy, like "Forest of Unicorns." Durrrr.

"born to sound cinematic"
ahahahahahahahahahaahahahhahaha

luca turilli needs (amongst many, many, other things) a PR guy who can english good

Ironic.

This.

So we are supposed to have the Lione & Staropoli Rhapsody and the Turilli one? Why they don't re-use their demo name? Thundercross is so fucking badass that I can't even say it out loud whitout screaming.

Wow, for the first five minutes I was thinking it was about Rhapsody of Fire's new album, then I checked through Luca's career and saw that he parted ways with RoF and is now in a band called Rhapsody... really, really confusing, since the first six RoF albums are titled only Rhapsody... anyways, I quite enjoyed everything from RoF, so I'll probably be checking out Rhapsody's stuff aswell... gods, that's silly

My favorite part about this whole thing is that he is using the same logo for "Rhapsody" that was used in "Rhapsody of Fire". The same font, that is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFqOkq8ta8U
What a dull music video. I mean seriously they would do better just having one of there friends jerk the camera around while they play live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98zIgmmBQzk
Now that's a video!

So they're both going to keep using, not just the name, but also the logo? Each with the part of the name that isn't Rhapsody being a ridiculously tiny added line not included in the logo itself? Neither camp has a problem with that?!

Tonight!

Luca Turilli's
RHAPSODY

opening for

RHAPSODY
of fire

Hahaha that's funny. This whole situation of Rhapsody being split up into two bands with basically the same name is really stupid. Both parties must be full of some bull-headed immature individuals, neither of which want to give up their band name at the expense of confusing their fanbase and making both bands involved look pretty silly. It'll be funny if and when both bands go on tour at the same time. Who do the fans pick to go see?

You pick to go see Luca Turilli, of course : ).

I've always found not only that Luca's solo music is more enjoyable than Rhapsody's, but that his personality is hilarious. His stubbornness about the name, which he probably kept JUST to make some kind of point, is hilarious. He's a silly guy, but he's a prolific and pretty good composer.

oh that was intentional i'm a native speaker

I haven't heard anything by Rhapsody and I really dug the video posted above (guilty pleasure). Will check more of it out before I decide to pick it up.

I know you're Australian, and I had a feeling it was on purpose, but it was certainly done well, because it sounded hilarious.

I'm diggin' that new song.

isn't the singer the guy from trick or treat?

That's him.

I neither like nor dislike the song, it's a rather typical Rhapsody song, ie it's a variation on the "Land of Immortals" formula, albeit far less dramatic or powerful and well... not anywhere near as good or genuine. I can't determine for sure whether the slightly softer moments and effects are a continuation of Rhapsody's more recent work, or Turilli's solo carreer work, or something new-ish, as I stopped really keeping tabs on whatever the hell they churn out about the time of their release called 'Rain of a Thousand PowerFlames' or something to that effect. Anyhow, said chic flick elements definitely aren't welcome as far as I'm concerned. Suffice to say they fail to win me over in the tender, cuddly, guilty-pleasure-inducing way that a band like Visions of Atlantis does.

I guess it could be different if the seduction was being done by a female voice rather than a male one, for some reason. Isn't this a big part of whether this type of flings I mean things works, to an extent, if one's really, really being lucid about such things? The wannabe subliminal come-here-you!-I'll-give-you-a-big-hug-*winks* invitation, I mean? Isn't that why Justin Bieber's audience (or you know, whater's similar to that lately) cannot grow much beyond a 3/4 female kids ratio, whereas Britney Spears' audience (or you know, whater's similar to that lately) can easily reach just about a 50/50 male/female ratio? Because many girls can identify with, relate to, or perhaps even admire, a plastic temptress primarily built to attract male boners, whereas not that many guys will give a turd about a male plastic tempter attempting the same thing for pussies? (Sure, some gay guys might not be entirely indifferent to that, and that's absolutely fine, it's just that female singers of this ilk don't seem to primarily attract lesbians, yet they do have a lot of girl fans) I mean, I listen to this guy during the softer passages, I swear to God, it's like he's hitting on me! Even though when I listen to, say, mid-period NightWish, and Tarja's definitely doing the same thing, I'm not the least bit interested in the first degree; I don't even have a platonic thing for Tarja at all, but I don't mind if she's whispering tentatively in my ear while upbeat soft metal is playing. I do mind, however, when this guy does it. I dunno, there might be nothing to it. Or I am, totally, terrifyingly right?

By the way, if Alex Holzwarth really did drum on Turilli's Rhapsody's new album, then how can he still be a part of the official line-up for Strapoli's Rhapsody as their official website still says?! Oh, wait! It's explained on Luca's official website.


Sure, apart from having the same name, same logo, same style, same label, and same repertoire (although technically I guess one could include Turilli's solo albums whereas the other should logically have the exclusivity of the Of Fire albums)...

What were they thinking?

Really enjoyed the song tbh, thought the singer in particular was very good.

Pity the albums still around 7 weeks away

I don't have anything useful to say because I'm piss-tired, but I loved your post. Actually, the vocalist; he's definitely more dynamic and has more clarity than Fabio, but his voice is a lot lighter, it doesn't pack the punch. And it doesn't have the conviction of Fabio's perfectly fit for fantasy vocals. That being said I still think he sounds pretty damn good, but the music--it's even more modern-Hollywood and skitzy-with-theory than the latest Rhapsody (of Fire). Maybe it'll click later and within the context of the whole album, but for now I'm feeling reserved in waiting for RoF's next output. And I have a hunch they'll deliver something more classic and traditional Rhapsody-like than Luca Turilli, which I find myself desiring now.

Oh, and the Holzwarth brothers both in Rhapsody of Fire? Hell yes!

I'm thinking this will be a little like his band Dreamquest with a little more power elements like in his self-titled band. I'd also like to hear what Rhapsody of Fire are up to!

Rhapsody of Fire is touring: they just finished a European tour and are about to travel to other parts of the globee. I doubt they'll release anything new soon.