Luca Turilli - The Infinite Wonders Of Creation (2006)

2006 was a very busy year for Luca Turilli. There was a new album coming out by the renamed Rhapsody Of Fire, he'd got another band together, Dreamquest, and he was also bringing out the third and, at the time of writing, last of his 'solo' albums.
And this is it.
Being the first recording on which Turilli contributes keyboards as well as guitar, it also differs from his first two releases by adding soprano Bridget Fogle to the mix, as well as the returning Olaf Hayer. Fogle is not quite up to the standards of some other operatic singers in power metal, and her breathing is bad, but she does a pretty good job overall.
The record is actually much more symphonic than metal, with little notable guitar work, although there is no shortage of straight rock songs, as well as a couple of slower pieces, to go with the expected choirs and orchestration. Typically, it's the last song (the eight minute title piece) that is the most expansive, but other tracks like "Angels Of The Winter Dawn", "Cosmic Revelation" and "Mystic And Divine" are also strong.  As the titles suggest, the lyrics are all heavy in mystic/New Age adoration of the world.
The Infinite Wonders Of Creation is another impressive chapter in Luca Turilli's book, not just as an album in its own right, but by again showing how diverse he can be, while still keeping his characteristic flourishes prominent enough to please listeners who get so much enjoyment from his work.

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