Search - Gary Hughes, Various Artists :: Once and Future King, Part 2

An excellent follow-up to Part I

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 11/08/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Part II of Gary Hughes's all-star melodic rock opera based on Arthurian legend lives up to the high standard set by Part I, and is an excellent example of all that is good about the melodic rock genre. Most of the main players from the first volume return, including Gary Hughes as King Arthur, Lana Lane as Guinevere, and Bob Catley as Merlin. Also appearing on this volume are DC Cooper as King Aelle, Doogie White as Mordred, and Edenbridge siren Sabine Edelsbacher as Nimue. Hughes and Catley are the standout vocalists on this disc. DC Cooper's performance was a bit disappointing, as the part written for him did not allow him to use his amazing vocal range.



All in all, Once and Future King Part II is an excellent disc, just like Part I was. It's got a great story, great instrumentals, and some absolutely fantastic vocal performances. It is also packaged quite well; the CD comes in a digipack with cover and booklet artwork by fantasy artist Chris Achilleos.



I heartily recommend this CD to anyone who is into melodic rock and metal. Those who enjoyed other rock/metal operas like Ayreon, Star One, or Missa Mercuria should find Once and Future King to be a nice addition to their collections."