After a 12 year wait, the power metal band Kaledon return with Chapter VII in their Legend of the Forgotten Reign saga, beginning a new trilogy based on the series.

Kaledon traces its roots back to 1998 as an idea of guitarist Alex Mele and the band released the first chapter in the Legend of the Forgotten Reign saga in 2002. Through 2010, the band continued the saga culminating in the first six chapters with Chapter VI: The Last Night on the Battlefield. During this time frame the band changed labels a couple of times and then from 2010-2016 the band toured Europe playing with the likes of Lordi and Rhapsody of Fire as well as headlining. Fast forward another 5 years and the band is beginning a new trilogy based on the Legend of the Forgotten Reign saga with the first installment being Chapter VII: Evil Awakens. For this new album the band recruited Nocoletta Rosellni (Kalidia, Walk in Darkness) to add vocals for “The Story Comes to an End” and James Mills (Hostile) adding vocals on “A Strike from the Unknown”. In addition to vocal duties, Michele Guaitoli mixed and mastered the album at Groove Factory Studio.

As one might expect given this is Chapter VII in a power metal saga, the albums opens up with an instrumental track filled with choirs, keyboards, and orchestral elements to set the tone and announce the arrival of the album, which explodes into the very fast beginning of “At the Gates of the Realms”. Even though Kaledon has been around for 24 years and released 11 albums, this was my first exposure to them and being a power metal fan, this album hooked me early in the second track. Michele Guaitoli’s vocals are perfect for power metal, with range and power and smooth delivery. The eerie interlude in the song with harsh whispered vocals and keyboards, breaks up the song nicely and the keyboard and guitar solos are well placed and performances are strong.

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