Album review: DRAGONLAND – The Power Of The Nightstar

AFM Records [Release date: 14.10.22]

First album in ten years from Swedish Power/Melodic Metal band, Dragonland.

A lot can change in ten years. A lot can stay the same. This is Dragonland expanded, more ambitious, with a finely developed movie music mentality.

Never to be ones without an imaginative concept, the band have developed a new sci-fi storyline for the Power Of The Nightstar.

Okay, the concept is not especially new, but Dragonland coat it with a polished sheen of freshness, with the introductory music referencing Holst in the space of two short minutes. We’re escaping a dying planet, boldly going etc etc. Titles like ‘Oblivion’ ‘Journey’s End’ and ‘Final Hour’ are something of a giveaway.

The current line up – Elias Holmlid (Keyboards), Anders Hammer (Bass), Jonas Heidgert (Vocals), Olof Mörck (Guitars), Jesse Lindskog (Guitars), Johan Nunez (Drums) – have delivered a cracking album that’s a long way from the old school power metal of their 2005 biggie, Starfall.

Smooth Symphonic Metal is the band’s newest currency, cruising through space on a huge swell of keyboards, fuelled by melodically measured neoclassical guitars, and led by Heidgert’s quivering vocals.

‘A Light In The Dark’, ‘Through Galaxies Endless’ and ‘Aphelion’ channel the spirits of the celluloid composers, like Zimmer and Williams, who’ve dominated the era.

It’s the kind of impassioned stuff that demands a big canvas, the band reaching for the epic on the blustery ‘Celestial Squadron’, with ‘Flight From Destruction’ and ‘The Scattering Of Darkness’ capturing the urgent, declamatory nature of the genre.

And Jacob Hansen once again burnishes his CV with another tightly mixed and mastered production. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)