Album Review: Dreamtale - World Changed Forever

Now I’m a bit late picking this album up in the course of the 2013 year however I was very glad that I stumbled upon Dreamtale’s newest tale, World Changed Forever, one about the battle between two civilizations. In fact, this is my first encounter with the band and my first impression is one that will remain with me. Dreamtale gave me everything that I would've wanted from a great modern power metal band.

The intro-track was the perfect fantasy opener, unveiling the journey ahead of us with theatrical vocals, music box and other magical instrumentation. All energy breaks loose with the start of Island of My Heart. From the flicks of keyboard in the beginning, reminiscence to Century Child-era Nightwish could certainly be felt. The next passage of keyboards definitely had an electronic/trance aspect to it, a rather new trend to power metal. Annoying? No. Definitely a little cheesy but it adds to the catchiness and enjoyability factor.  After a guitar solo, the song goes to a spoken word interlude returning to the fantasy like instrumentation of the intro track before going into heavy riffing. The riffs are simplistic but powerful and hard hitting. By the time the great chorus returned, Island of My Heart may have become one of my favourite songs of the year.

The trance keyboards return again on track number three Tides of War and then again heavily on the main riff of Join the Rain. Dreamtale shows what modern power metal is at its finest yet also displays the same ambition that its great ancestors possessed.    

We Have No God made me smile with its jolly attitude of medieval/folk melodies and rhythms and The Heart After Dark had the same medieval feel plus the featuring of the mighty harpsichord. The middle section of My Next Move had the same style shifting the album’s style to a Rhapsody like one.

The title track is a grandiose mid-journey ballad with great symphonic moments and a soaring solo. My Next Move starts out as speedy traditional power metal and the middle section gets epic with solos and leads not to mention the epic chorus. Dreamtale dips into all styles of power metal throughout this album and honestly does a great job of all of them.

The journey ends with Destiny’s Chance, celebration of glory. The energy is kept in on this ending track but you can feel the fiery emotion held in, burning into the future.

By the end of this album, you’re exhausted from fighting a quest alongside Dreamtale, track after track. Although it does slightly drag, your times on the journey are well remembered. World Changed Forever didn't exactly change my world forever but it certainly changed my 2013 year. The album’s full of catchy hooks but ultimately, glorious times.

8/10 

Here's Island of My Heart.