The Swedish Dragonland was founded in the summer of ’99 by guitarist Nicklas Magnusson and singer Jonas Heidgert. Holy War is Dragonland’s second release and concludes the epic fantasy saga started on their debut album, Battle Of The Ivory Plains. The saga is called the Dragonland Chronicles and it is a quite simple epic fantasy in the vein of Tolkien with Elves, Dwarves and Orcs. Don’t expect a story as splendorous, majestic and rich as Bal-Sagoth, nor a well-developed story like Rhapsody’s Emerald Sword because it is all way too simple for that.

The band is being promoted as a mix of Bal-Sagoth, Rhapsody and Nightwish. That sounds very promising and combined with the good-looking layout of the booklet, I get the feeling I will get to hear something very interesting indeed. The album starts out exactly as expected with a keyboard intro played in the typical style of Bal-Sagoth. Although it is all a bit less bombastic and majestic, the expectations are nevertheless rising by the second. You might understand the sheer disappointment I felt when Dragonland started the second song, “Majesty Of The Mythril Mountains” and I came to discover it was nothing more than a straightforward Stratovarius copy song! I was shocked and literally stunned with disappointment!

It is very clear that these guys know how to play and the song features excellent solos and keyboards but it is all so devoid of feeling and atmosphere. Where are the bombastic and atmospheric elements that make Bal-Sagoth and Rhapsody so brilliant and where are the powerful arrangements that make Nightwish so majestic? Sure, Dragonland knows how to play bombastic and majestic melodies but it is mostly limited to intros and interludes.

The only exception is the splendorous and folk influenced “Through Elven Woods And Dwarven Mines”. Now this song is innovative, bombastic and atmospheric with superb keyboard melodies and Dragonland finally manages to challenge bands like Rhapsody and Bal-Sagoth. But one song is certainly not enough to convince me.

The sixth song, “The Return To The Ivory Plains”, again features excellent Bal-Sagoth-like keyboards but the moment the singer opens his mouth they totally disappear and yet again the song turns into a straightforward power metal song with boring vocals. This band seems to have so much talent and excellent musicianship but somehow all the songs turn into straightforward power metal that has already been played by tens of other bands before.

Dragonlord decided this time to record their album in the famous Fredman studios (known from bands like Hammerfall, Arch Enemy and In Flames), which has led to a good sounding album. I am certain that power metal fans will adore this band but I personally feel there is something missing. This band could be so much more. If only they would unleash their creativity and would start to explore their own musical boundaries. Dragonland could conquer the metal scene with one swift blow but for that to happen these Swedish guys will have to seriously change their attitude and steer away from the power metal course they are on now.