Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret
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| Symphony of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret | ||
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| Studio album by Rhapsody | ||
| Released | 2004 | |
| Recorded | Multiple studios | |
| Genre | Symphonic/Orchestral (Hollywood) Power Metal | |
| Length | 1:12:48 | |
| Label | Steamhammer / SPV | |
| Producer(s) | Luca Turilli, Alex Staropoli | |
| Rhapsody chronology | ||
|---|---|---|
| Power of the Dragonflame (2002) | Symphony of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret (2004) | Triumph or Agony (2006)
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Symphony of Enchanted Lands II - The Dark Secret is an album released by Rhapsody in 2004. Many have been confused by its title, as it's not a sequel to "Symphony of Enchanted Lands" but is the first chapter of a new saga, "The Dark Secret Saga". The reason it was given its name was because the musical style on this album sounds like the style used on "Symphony of Enchanted Lands". It is a concept album dealing with a the resurgance of the Seven Black Books of the Demon king Nekron.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- "Dark Secret" -Ira Divina – 4:12
- "Unholy Warcry" – 5:53
- "Never Forgotten Heroes" – 5:32
- "Elgard's Green Valleys" – 2:19
- "Magic of the Wizard's Dream" – 4:30
- "Erian's Mystical Rhymes -The White Dragon's Order" – 10:31
- "Last Angels' Call" – 4:36
- "Dragonland's Rivers" – 3:44
- "Sacred Power of Raging Winds" – 10:06
- "Guardiani del Destino" – 5:50
- "Shadows of Death" – 8:13
- "Nightfall on the Grey Mountains" – 7:20
[edit] Story - The Mystic Prophecy of the Demonkings
The following has been taken directly from the CD album's booklet
[edit] Chapter I - The Seven Black Books
For many years the Enchanted Lands surrounding Algalord knew once again the meaning of the word peace. The defeat of Akron led to the fall of the mighty army of darkness and soon the holy town of Algalord became more majestic than ever before. The memories of the Warriors of Ice and Dargor lived on in the stories of jesters, who wandered over mountains, rivers and lakes, from realm to realm and from castle to castle, singing the rhapsody of those never forgotten heroes. Our friend Aresius in his passion left our lands in peace and splendour with only one regret that the seventh Black Book was never found.
It lay buried in the secret caves of Dar-Kunor, the heart of the hellish darklands surrounding Hargor. The very same place where the old wizard Vankar taught black magic to his disciples. Where Dargor had started to discover the power of darkness before finding the clear light of wisdom. The Black Book was the last of the seven, written with the blood of angels. It contained the hellish prophecy known as the Dark Secret, a secret more evil than the reign of Akron! An apocalyptic collection of dark rituals that could threaten not only the holiest of places Algaford, but this time, all of the known world of men, dwarves, elves, trolls and dragons.
[edit] Chapter II - Nekron, the Demonknight
This hellish threat has but one name, Nekron the blood sucker. According to Nekranos demoniac alphabet he is the last of Kron's three evil sons. The masterknight of the Ancient Order and the first fighter of the Temple of Doom during the centuries of the Primodial Wars. He was the one who wrote those bloody Rhymes of Hell, possibly the last Requiem for all living creatures on Earth! Although he died some 5,000 years before, today some wizards can still hear the sinister cries of his damned blood thirsty soul. Lurking beyond the Gates of Hell, waiting to bring us the fury of chaos once the mystic portal between his dimension and ours is found.
[edit] Chapter III - The Primordial Wars
The first of Nekron's seven books, kept by the master wizards Etherus from Urienor contained evil words for the people of the beloved lands. Seven of the Primordial Wars fought between the heavens and hells in the ancient ages. Seven were the demons, guardians of the underworld's gates, that were turned into stone at the end of the last war by the angels of the crystal realms in the day of the heavens illutrious victory. It was at this time the ancient demon knight Nekron, son of the hell god Kron was defeated and before being killed he wrote his seven Black Books with the blood of angels upon its pages. Each book held parts of a mysterious prophecy that one day could awaken the seven demons. Then, once free, the Angels of Darkness would open the gates of the underworld's hells, with one purpose in mind, to bring an end to our known world. Every kind of ancient monsters, alive and dead alike with every other horrible creature would rise from their torment to spread the dominion of blood and darkness. Nekron will be reborn and reign again in the name of cosmic chaos. Still, some kings and wizards believe the Dark Secret is merely a fantasy legend. But others, like myself, consider it far more than a simply jester's tale! After Akron's death many disciples of the Black Order who surivived the famous last war of the Gargoyles started organizing secret meetings in different locations in the Darklands. Those animals were practicing the cult of evil in the name of the Demonknight. Their dark rituals even contained human sacrifices. All done to plead for Nekron's resurrection. They were not the only ones, who believe in the secrets of the Seventh Book. The fathers of our fathers already had fought and died for those unholy pages. The Power of Darkness lives between the lines of that evil book. While he was alive Akron increased his hellish magic through those dark words.
[edit] Chapter IV - The White Dragon's Order
This is the reason why I, Iras Algor from Hor-Lad, Etherus from Urienor, Agrimor and King Urief from Elgard, along with other wise kings, elves and dragonlords of the Enchanted Lands decided to form the White Dragon's Order. Our purpose is to protect all the beloved lands of the known world from this horrific threat. All of this new legacy must be extremely hidden and secretive. During this time, the people of the Enchanted Lands must not know of our actions, so we may avoid needless fear between our brethren. The Seventh Book now lies under the dust of time in the caves of Dar-Kunor and it must be found and stolen from the Black Order's disciples as soon as possible. Only one person is capable of this task, Dargor, the Shadowlord. He is the only person who knows the Darklands' rocky labyrinth that surrounds the god forsaken town of Hagor. Aresius, before leaving these lands, told me to search for Dargor, because he could reveal to us the key elements of the Black Order's black magic. Can we trust hiim? After all, he once was a disciple of hell, but he also helped the Warrior of Ice kill Akron to save our lands. In any event there is no doubt he is the last hope and only choice, so say we members of the White Dragon's Order!
[edit] Chapter V - Erian's White Book
Intertwined in the Dark Secret is the tale of Erian, the angel who discovered the words Nekron had written in his Black Books before his death. The legend tells of how the Gods of Cosmic Light gave him the vision to write the White Book with his own blood, revealing the way to stop the prophecy. Those angelic rhymes are indestructible, because they were written with the blood of angels like all the ones contained in the Seven Black Books. They represented a threat to the hellish prophecy and to Nekron's resurrection. In the age of the Red Moon, some 3,000 years before, when the Lords of the Darklands won their battle against the Army of the Nordic Plains, Erian's mystical book was found by the Black Order's disciples in Ainor's secert halls. So, from that moment the White Book was hidden. It lies some where secretly in the Darklands, in a place known only by the master wizards of the Black Order. I have the strongest feeling that the Seventh book could also be the key to the secret place where the dark lords keep the angel's words. Believe me friends, this is far more than a simple children's tale. The mystic prophecy of the Demonknight could soon reveal itself, and more tragically than we could possibly imagine. All the power to defend our Mother Earth lies now in the depth of our conscience.
Open your eyes to the eagle's flight, open your mind to the spirit's might, open your heart to the secret of love, oppose your breath to the silence of stones
- Iras Algor, first wizard of the White Dragon's Order
[edit] Extra Info
- Christopher Lee, star of such films as Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, provides the narration throughout this album. He is also a guest singer in the song "The Magic of the Wizard's Dream".
