Christopher Lee originally joined forces with Rhapsody as narrator for their latest album, Symphony Of Enchanted Lands II: The Dark Secret and – although his willing to sing with the group was hinted at – it wasn’t pursued. Since then, Mr Lee has expressed his desire to work further with the group, specifically in a singing role, and Rhapsody were more than happy to work with him further!

The Magic Of The Wizard’s Dream [Digipack Edition] showcases a number of things. First and foremost is Mr Lee’s singing ability. He possesses a rich baritone voice which balances delightfully with Fabio Lione’s powerful lead. The song is at a quicker tempo than the album version, and rightly so. Although the album version is beautifully written – out of the context of the album it seems a little on the slow side.

The song now works as a duet between Lione and Lee, and is a powerful and fantastical achievement. Utilising the full force of an orchestra and choir, Alex Staropoli’s instrumentation is well executed and does tribute to Luca Turulli’s lyrics.

The format of the track is simple and by no means unusual, however, the combination of the forces involved, topped by the unique experience of Christopher Lee singing with the masters of film-score metal, create a special atmosphere to a track that can be appreciated by a wide scope of music fans – and not just by metal fans.

This idea is extended further on the Digipack Edition of the single, with six (yes six!) different versions of the track. The first four are in different languages (English, Italian, French and German), presumably inspired by both Mr Lee’s shamefully wide language skills (he speaks 5 languages, and can ‘get by’ in at least 3 more), and by Rhapsody’s cross-European appeal.

Although I am only proficient in one language (perhaps not even that!), the different language versions flow well and don’t seem to trouble Fabio Lione or Mr Lee in their delivery at all. My only complaint is that by the 4th time you hear the track in rapid succession, it does feel a little repetitive. A track like Wizard’s Dream is something you should treat yourself to occasionally, rather than hear it over-and-over again. However, I can understand the inclusion of the tracks for the reasons stated above.

The 5th version of the track is an orchestral version, and – to the untrained ear – may not sound different to the English version. However, having studied music right up to university level, this track is of interest to me as it allows you to hear the instrumentation/orchestration more clearly and also highlights Turilli’s expertise on the classical guitar.

The remainder of the single, features the original album version of Wizard’s Dream, and two brand new Rhapsody tracks. Whilst Autumn Twilight is up to the Rhapsody standard, it seems to hark back to the earlier days of Rhapsody, rather than looking forward in the direction their latest album takes them. Still, it is not a bad track to listen to.

The single concludes with Lo Specchio D’Argento and a return to Rhapsody’s Italian classical roots. It guest stars Manuel Staropoli on Baroque recorder, and can be pictured sitting in between two amplified tracks on the next Rhapsody album. Again, a pleasant experience, but nothing too special.

In conclusion, this single is all about Rhapsody and Christopher Lee. All you really need is the first track – which is simply sublime. However, it is nice for SPV to offer the Digipack Edition as a treasure for all die-hard Rhapsody fans – with 30 minutes run-time it provides a strong statement of Rhapsody’s sense of adventure and plays as a tribute to the versatility of Christopher Lee. A cheaper version (with less tracks) is also available, and is recommended for those newer to Rhapsody.

Whichever version, though, I am thrilled that such a collaboration has taken place and been recorded, and I look forward to witnessing it live at Earthshaker Fest 2005.

Standout Tracks:  Magic of the Wizard's Dream, obviously.

Overall Score:   7 /10