The Marriage of Heaven & Hell, Pt. 2

About as perfect as a metal album can get. There are so many incredible tracks: the ten-minute Romantic elegy "Emalaith" (the ultimate power-metal ballad), the lush "Unholy Water" and the ferocious "Rising Unchained." DeFeis practically perfects the concept of the noble savage within metal, macho yet sensitive, belligerent yet thoughtful. These qualities perfectly represent the dichotomies inherent in the metal world, particularly for those who like their metal smart and sophisticated while staying savage.