The Flashcards: Dreamtale - Beyond Reality (2002)

80/100

Dreamtale (Finland) kicks off their career with a pretty solid effort, even if I struggled at first to recall specific similar songs here—even from Stratovarius—if I was just casually listening. However, once I started typing, there were a few connections I could spit out, as follows.

The musical composition of "Intro" flows straight into "Memories of Time," which made me think this would be a fully conceptual album, but "Fallen Star" draws a new line with a Power Quest vibe. "Heart's Desire" showcases electric piano tones from the keyboards and features guest vocals from Marco Hietala (Nightwish), which reminds me of "Sacrament of Wilderness" and another specific track I still can't quite place. Their next collaborative track, "Where the Rainbow Ends," finally channels Stratovarius—recalling "Hunting High and Low," I think—alongside slightly dry vocals that lean toward power/speed metal, like Blazon Stone.

A similar melody is carried over by "Dreamland," which utilizes additional soprano vocals during the chorus for a classier touch, while the standout first impression across the entire album goes to "Call of the Wild"—though unfortunately, it’s a bit jarring since it contains growls, even if they are buried under the other components. "Dancing in the Twilight" features a galloping rhythm, and "Refuge from Reality" sounds like a mix of Sunrise's "Tower of Fear" plus Galderia's "Shining Unity." I finally remembered that part! Then we have "Silent Path" as a well-crafted ballad that makes emotional use of female vocals, easily outshining the mid-tempo "Time of Fatherhood," despite the wise family message implied by its title. "Farewell..." also manages to close out the show successfully, capturing my heart through symphonic influences and a beautiful chant during the chorus that went way beyond my expectations.

Man, I ended up writing quite a long piece for this album. Even if only a handful of tracks naturally stand out, I can't deny that Dreamtale's debut album deserves a round of applause.

Tracklist:

01. The Dawn

02. Memories of Time

03. Fallen Star

04. Heart’s Desire

05. Where the Rainbow Ends

06. Time of Fatherhood

07. Dreamland

08. Call of the Wild

09. Dancing in the Twilight

10. Refuge From Reality

11. Silent Path

12. Farewell…

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