Band:	Dreamtale
Album:	Oceans Heart
Style:	Power metal
Release date:	2003
A review by:	Undercraft

01. Ocean's Heart
02. Chosen One
03. Angel Eyes
04. Fool's Gold
05. Two Hundred Men
06. The Awakening
07. Tears
08. Garden Of Eternity
09. My Only Wish
10. If You Will Go
11. Rising Wind
12. Return To The Sea
13. Whisper
14. Wasteland [Japanese bonus]

Finland is an impressive country, musically speaking has most of the greatest Metal bands nowadays, is very well know for its prominent Gothic Metal scene, and recently it's been brewing a lot of Power Metal bands, but with such competitors like Stratovarius and Sonata Arctica, is hard to obtain the gold in this category, at least in Suomi.

But this time is not a newcomer that is racing for the gold, for this is the sophomore album of Power Metallers Dreamtale, after 2 demos, they released "Beyond reality" in 2002, under Spinefarm, like this time.

We have another concept album here, seems that is getting more common to found concept albums in the Metal scene, as long the concept is interesting, is fine with me, but judge yourselves: Once upon a time a child was born, son of a petty minor lord, that later would lead a rebellion against the king. But at the same time another child was born, the king's daughter, and she was marked to be the heir of the throne.
One day, the two met in a garden and fell in love [I didn't see THAT coming?], at the same time an ancient prison where a beast dwelled was broken, the beast slowly corrupted the hearts and men.
The young lovers are given a chance to mend the errors of their fathers and they go to close the breach in the beast prison, but the beast is powerful foe?
I won't tell you the ending, but it has some plot twists, and the ending is really good, the story is a little cheesy, but it's interesting.

Like almost every new Power Metal release I hear, I'm not impressed with the first listen, I've heard this a million times, double bass craziness, speedy riffing, catchy choruses, virtuoso guitar soloing, rapid keyboards, everything says here Stratovarius. I'll listen to it later?

Later, well, let's listen again this one, hmmm still I'm not impressed, back to the rack. Later? let's use it as background music while I do other things or while I'm studying and researching for my thesis, and then it hit me! Hey? I like this album, I'm beginning to hum the melodies, I know which track comes next, Damn! How this that happened? I wanted to NOT like this album, and I now I'm craving for one more listen, it always happens to me! [happened with Twilighting as well] So, I like this album, is not a big deal, you'll like It too, I f you like Stratovarius and other Melodic Power Metal bands.

Luckily enough Dreamtale incorporates some nice elements in their mix, like rough vocals and some female ones too, that's nice, is always good to hear bands that can broaden their horizons and include this kind of elements.

Among my favorites tracks are "Tears" , "The Awakening" and "Back To The Sea", so, let's wrap this thing out, shall we? I would recommend this one for serious fans of melodic power Metal, is a good album, but is full of clichés, extra points for the nice story and the booklet art, I hope that Dreamtale finds the way to differentiate themselves from Stratovarius.