Throne of the Alliance

Ah, how mysterious. They are called "Dragonheart", the cover artwork is painted by Andreas Marschall (Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Grave Digger), they come from Brazil und they released this baby in 2002 when melodic speed metal got its second coming. Could this album contain progressive free jazz? Come the fuck on. It's not a question about what they sound like, rather if they rule or suck. Much like Italy, Brazil has a lot of power metal bands but not many power metal wonders to offer. Do you care for an intro where someone with an outrageous accent talks about yet another fantasy story where evil wizards and slimey dragon/snakemonsters with very bad manners always pop out of nowhere to piss in the garden of the heroic royal family? Don't run away, the accent gives it an exotic vibe that helps the atmosphere along immensely! "De dwo kindoms..." Schwarzenegger would be proud!

Dragonheart performed their choirs all by themselves because they could not afford hiring more people. That's the spirit! This results in a very close atmosphere of family and togetherness, a part of the equation that lets the music profit from something that could be seen as a fault otherwise. The rather raw and atonal harmony vocals of exclusively male descent are actually something of an unique trademark for this band and I am all for it. Even the constant change between Grave Digger-ish vocals and a much cleaner approach in the verses is something of an oddity that still feels very organic. Damn. Brazilian bands have this flavourful fanboy-vibe to them that makes you overlook classic production standards in favor of a passionate exchange between inspiration and newborn ways. The guys of Dragonheart made love to Power Metal on this album like their lives depended on it and that is something I miss on a lot of records today, along with the fact that power metal was still "metal" and not just about finding the perfect sing along parts.

Although the melodies are typically sweet and easygoing, the presence of a certain epicness and hard rebellious winds can't be denied. The speedy, earthy riffing, the generously topped double bass, the occasional medieval melodies via strings and flutes, everything is there to witness a band that is actually burning for metal and selling the dreamland like it's everything they ever wanted. Italian and German speed/power metal did play a part in the youth of these songs, I assure you. Dragonheart compose wonderfully catchy bridges, something that other bands don't pay much attention to because they rely on the chorus only. The dancing lead guitar over a punkish drum beat on "Hall of Dead Knights" for example kicks so much ass that I pity the band for not going on tour with Rhapsody. The fans would love it. Hell yeah.

The lead guitar on this album is embodying the perfect combination of the flashy eighties and a melodramatic high fantasy dirge with some adventurous, playful steps out the door into sunny woods in front of barren mountains. If there ever was a band with a similar approach to melodic duelling guitars in a fantasy context like Blind Guardian, it's Dragonheart. "Throne of the Alliance" works alone in the forest and also while emptying some beers or vegan milkshakes with your buddies.