Shadowland

Nocturnal Rites spice up their Dream Theater-esque prog metal professionalism with a European flair for sweeping, neo-classical grandeur and melodrama. The virtuosity of the individual musicians is Shadowland's highlight, as the chordal and melodic content of the songs offers very few surprises. Overall, the Swedish sextet offers up an admirably competitive grasp on European power metal chops and production values, even if their abilities generally don't rise above the industry standard of the genre.