Like all of the Italian power metal bands Secret Sphere has to fight against the popularity of their collegesRhapsody of Fire. When an Italian band performs power metal, the comparison with Rhapsody of Fire will always be there. I must say that Secret Sphere isn't an exception, but they ask for it themselves.
The power metal with orchestral parts and movie-like atmospheric music and the vocals of Roberto 'Ramon' Messina (despite of all rumours he is still a member) give it a familiar feeling. Is it a Rhapsody of Fire copy then? No certainly not, they are a little less bombastic, put in more progressive parts and have put in enough variety and own interesting ideas to make them different. Take for example the lyrical concept: 'Sweet Blood Theory' is a concept album based on the novel "The Vampire" written by John William Polidori in 1814. This was one of the first books about a vampire. They did everything in their power to make this album work. The band succeeded in bringing in movie atmospheres and has used movies like 'Nightmare before Christmas' and 'The Corpse Bride' as examples, and the artwork fits to the concept as well.
Final conclusion is that Secret Sphere has made a decent power metal album with no shocking new things. The album contains the regular faster songs, the orchestral arrangements, the softer and mellow piano parts and the double bass-drums. Not world-shaking, but nothing wrong about it either.
Recommended to real power metal fans, although some open-minded prog-fans might like it too!
