Crystallion - A Dark Enchanted Crystal Night (2006)

Crystallion is a German band who doesn't really do anything remarkably new on this, their debut album, but still offer plenty to like as they indulge in all the cliches of power metal.
It's consistently speedy (no ballads), with reasonable melodies (highlights including "Visions" and "Crystal Clear"), and lyrics that revel in fantasy battles and triumphing over evil - example from "Tears In The Rain": "Onward now my warriors, we fight with no remorse/Sail away, the stars will guide us far to distant shores/Thunder shakes the battlefield, the dark defeats the light/'Til the last there's no retreat, for we stand as one tonight."  Where's my sword??
Thomas Strübler's vocals, which are a bit lower than usual for this style, are reasonable, but somewhat uninspiring, although the rest of the instrumentation is fine, particularly Manuel Schallinger's keyboards. 
The final song is the nine and a half minute "The Final Revelation", which brings out that great standby, the Book of Revelation and a battle between the angel Michael and Lucifer.  It's a nice effort, but lacks that epic feel, to the point where it almost sounds like the two protaganists are singing a duet in some apocalyptic cafe.
To a certain degree, I think Crystallion come across as a less hysterical DragonForce, and A Dark Enchanted Crystal Night (even in the title they try to squeeze in all the power metal cliches they can) is a pleasing listen, without managing to take the breath away.

***1/2