For more than thirty years, fans of symphonic melodic metal act Rhapsody Of Fire have been able to rely on one thing: there’s
nothing half-hearted about this band. Rhapsody Of Fire mastermind and founder Alex Staropoli looks back at an impressive record of
14 studio albums, three EPs and two live recordings to date, all marked by lots of heart and soul, passion and a virtually
inexhaustible wealth of ideas. Since 1993, the Italian keyboardist has been hailed as the creator of the film score metal genre
and his band as one of the most charismatic acts worldwide. In addition, Staropoli has enlisted a highly creative first-rate
guitarist in Roby De Micheli, who joined the fold in 2011, contributing lots of gritty metal riffs and virtuoso solos to contrast
the band’s symphonic orchestral style. Their latest studio album ‘Challenge The Wind’ is marked by Staropoli and De Micheli’s zest
and energy, but also by a number of surprises. The most obvious one: “Compared to all previous Rhapsody Of Fire releases, the
current album consists exclusively of up-tempo numbers, not a single ballad in sight,” reveals the composer and keyboardist. “None
of our other records have featured as much pure, unadulterated metal as ‘Challenge The Wind’!”

Staropoli is referring to three particularly fast-paced numbers, with more than 190bpm each: the title track ‘Challenge The Wind’,
the furioso ‘The Bloody Pariah’ and the by no means less breathtaking ‘Holy Downfall’, commenting: “All the new material is
typical of Rhapsody Of Fire, but even more compact, tougher and more powerful. We inspired each other: Roby supplied a number of
haunting riffs and hooks, I contributed our typical orchestral elements, so we ended up with ten songs that push the pedal to the
metal from the first to the very last note.” As is pretty much evident on the longest track ‘Vanquished By Shadows’ with its
playing time of more than 16 minutes, and on the album’s finale ‘Mastered By The Dark’. You’ve guessed it: ‘Challenge The Wind’ is
a musical tour de force with lots of speed and depth.

The same can be said of the lyrics, which pick up directly where the two predecessors ‘The Eighth Mountain’ (2019) and ‘Glory For
Salvation’ (2021) left off, continuing the ‘Nephilim’s Empire Saga’. The concept is about the development of an individual and
about recognising your own self. To Staropoli, De Micheli and singer/lyricist Giacomo Voli, bassist Alessandro Sala and drummer
Paolo Marchesich, the story is a metaphor. De Micheli: “It’s about the fact that anyone can be a hero. Not automatically or from
birth, but on the strength of what they do with their lives, whether they help others and grow into an empathic and caring person.
Everybody can develop into a hero in the course of their life.”

‘Challenge The Wind’ was produced by Alex Staropoli and mixed by Seeb Levermann (Orden Ogan), who is responsible for the
homogeneous sound of the ten songs’ elaborate arrangements. The new album will be available from 31 May 2024, preceded by four
more lead singles following the advanced number ‘Kreel’s Magic Staff’ in spring 2023: the title track ‘Challenge The Wind’,
including video clip, will be released on 29 February 2024, followed by ‘A Brave New Hope’ on 29 March. The third single ‘Diamond
Claws’, including video, will be out on 3 May, before ‘Mastered By The Dark’ arrives simultaneously with the album release. No
doubt about it: Rhapsody Of Fire’s fast-paced adventure is set to continue with undiminished intensity!