Kamelot
The Fourth Legacy

After the fair success of "Siege Perilous," the first album with new singer Roy Khan, the new album "The Fourth Legacy" was released in 1999; Kamelot have always distinguished themselves from other bands, especially with the voice of the very talented and gifted Roy Khan, who interprets each song in the best way, echoing the melody in the listener's mind.

To start the show, we have "New Allegiance", an entirely musical and decidedly convincing opener, which soon leaves space for the title track, "The Fourth Legacy", which decisively opens the real album triggering strong and fleeting sensations in the listener's mind; worth noting is one of the most beautiful choruses ever sung by Khan. The second track, "Silent Goddess", although powerful enough, doesn't leave - in my opinion - much to the listener beyond the chorus (at least, that's what happened to me!). But beware, because in no time, our power metallers transport us to the most boundless deserts at the unstoppable rhythm of "Desert Reign", the second musical interlude of the CD, which leads, after oriental melodies and rhythms, to what many have indicated as the best track of the CD: it's "Nights Of Arabia" which, masterfully interpreted by the prodigious singer, leaves (unlike the previous song) an indelible memory throughout the CD.

The next track, "The Shadow Of Uther", passes more slowly; it's listenable but not the masterpiece of masterpieces (it goes quite unnoticed), yet remains a good power ride: but the rhythm slows down for a moment in the following "A Sailorman's Hymn", a very slow, sweet, and beautiful ballad in full Kamelot style (just think of "Wander in Epica" or "Abandoned in Black Halo"), which tells of a woman who hopes for the arrival of her sailor ("so she lights up a candle for hope to be found, captive and blind by the darkness around, each wave a promise, new hope reborn, sunrise consoles at the break of dawn"). After this little gem settles in your mind (it gave me strange depressive effects, but I believe that is the desired effect), we come to another discussed song, not liked by everyone: "Alexandria", a song with little power and very Arabian, along the same wave as "Nights Of Arabia"; this song is immediately followed by the powerful "The Inquisitor", which has little in common with the previous song (the decision to place two such different songs even in terms of content wasn't appreciated by everyone!); the song stands out for the story of a Christian inquisitor who somehow tries to convince the listener to follow and trust him. Quite subdued compared to the previous ballad, "Glory" is one of those unassuming songs that flows smoothly but does not mark an important passage in the CD (as will happen in "Epica" and then in "Black Halo").

But here are the two masterpieces of the album: "Until Kingdom Come" and "Lunar Sanctum", two little gems that brilliantly close a CD that is overall very good. The first is a speed power ride like only Kamelot can do, with the best chorus of the album; the second is a completely new addition to the album and their production: after a classical guitar introduction and a truly exciting drum intervention, the song opens to a verse made of few words per line ("little do i know /little do i care /little would it help /if i knew and was aware") before leading into a truly catchy chorus, closing an album that, although it may not be Kamelot’s best, stands out convincingly!

MUST LISTEN!!!

 p. s = excellent cover!