Album Review - Gary Hughes - Once and future king - Part II

The second and final part of Gary Hughes' Arthurian Rock opera dives even deeper into the world of Epic Hard Rock. Personally I feel this one has a little edge over Part I, as it is a little more diverse and experimenting. It is still a mystery to me that this release was split into two, when they clearly belong together. So my advice is to get them both and sit down and listen to them back to back to get the full experience.

New singers on part II are:

DC Cooper (Symphorce) as King Aelle
Sabine Edelsbacher (Edenbridge) as Nimue
Dougie White (Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen) as Mordred
Harry Hess (Harem Scarem) as Epilogue Narrator

And the survivors from Part I:

Gary Hughes as King Arthur
Lana Lane as Guinevere
Irene Jansen (Karma) as Morgana
Bob Catley (Magnum) as Merlin
Sean Harris (Diamond Head) as Galahad

Naturally the musicians from Ten are back, as is special guest Arjen Lucassen and they make sure that the music is high class.

Carrying on where the story left of the bombastic opener Kill the king packs a powerful punch with DC Cooper in usual great shape. Throughout the album all these singers do their best to capture the essence of the story and transfer it to the listener with much emotion. The finest example of this is the pinnacle of the album, the closing title track Once and future king. Usually Gary Hughes excels at writing epic ballads, but here he really outdoes himself. This song is majestic and timeless and Harry Hess delivers a chilling performance. The guitar solo in this song is heartfelt and brings the song full circle, making this one song I will never grow tired of.

More highlights include the raging fast and powerful Rise from the shadows with Irene Jansen. An exciting future lies ahead for this girl. Sabine Edelsbacher also manages to put her own stamp on the album. Her operatic voice is really smooth and a nice contrast to the other singers, though I don't really think her voice fits the evil part she has been given. Believe enough to fight contains very strong performances by both Bob Catley and Sabine in a wonderful duet. More female goodness comes with Lana Lane who sings the enchanting Oceans of Tears with much emotion.

Being a nitpicking kind of guy I feel the need to mention the huge There by the grace of the gods where Gary Hughes does a great job, but unfortunately the chorus is a little overused. Demon down faces the same problem. While Dougie White gives the song a good groove most of the song is based on a much used guitar riff and the chorus is one of those that miss some more melody.

Part I and II together form a fascinating tale told through an epic musical journey. Before the release of this concept my overblown expectations were set for nothing short of a masterpiece that would surpass my favorite work of Gary Hughes to date, the classic Middle Earth sung by Bob Catley. Middle Earth still holds that honor and I must say that at first I was slightly disappointed when I got something that was "just" excellent. Shame on me... :)

Now I appreciate this work of art for what it is; A fine example of a Hard Rock Opera with many faces and feelings to dig into. It will take a while to get really into it, but I can assure you many exciting moments await those who do.

Written by Steen
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
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Ratings

Steen: 7.5/10

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