RHAPSODY OF FIRE Signs With NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS

Italian symphonic metal masters RHAPSODY OF FIRE will release their new album, "The Frozen Tears Of Angels", on March 5, 2010 via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD was produced by Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli and it was mixed and mastered by Sascha Paeth at the Gate Studio (AVANTASIA, EPICA) in Wolfsburg, Germany.

Commented the band: "We are finally proud to announce to the world that RHAPSODY OF FIRE are stronger than ever and finally ready for their glorious comeback!

"We just signed a worldwide-level agreement with the legendary label Nuclear Blast, at this time the greatest choice we could have ever done. Wonderful people, a great business vision and the best organization possible, for a relationship that can be anything else but successful for the years to come.

"In the last months, we worked very hard and now all we can say is that a great new album, a real masterpiece of power/speed/symphonic metal, is finally ready!

"This is not just a new album for us, but pure emotion carved in music. Lyrically, it's based on the third chapter of 'The Dark Secret Saga' and the long journey of five bravehearts to the frozen northern lands at the unexplored borders of the known world in order to find a way to stop the demonknight's prophecy. This album and its music will underline the feelings, hopes and fear of the main characters in this new epic adventure. All the drama of this new part of the saga will be as always enchanted by the soundtrack oriented orchestral arrangements and the majesty of opera choirs, real trademark of RHAPSODY OF FIRE's music, but surely this album will sound more powerful, speed- and guitar-oriented than in the recent past, in order to underline the dark and romantic rage of the lyrics too. Every song will have its own character, as you will be able to fly with the angels of the crystal realms through the cold skies of the north on the notes of hit songs like 'Sea Of Fate' (song written for the first time together by Luca Turilli, Alex Staropoli and Fabio Lione),'Raging Starfire' or 'The Frozen Tears Of Angels', and at the same time you will have a taste of the angels' holy rage listening to 'Reign Of Terror', real gem of this new production. The energy of more extreme metal applied to positive lyrics hymning to the victory of hope, truth and respect over the inner demons lying in the depths of our conscience for a unique contrast never heard before and that made us really excited while composing this song.

"This new CD will include a great-looking cover artwork, created this time by a new and incredibly talented artist able to turn the drama of our fantasy world into a serious, cinematic and realistic representation, and a complete booklet including all the details of the saga's new chapter.

"The album will be released as a special limited deluxe digipak (first edition),including two bonus tracks and an incredible 32-pages booklet, as well as a standard jewelcase and, of course, on vinyl.

"We are looking forward to inviting you to the unexplored snowy and icy majestic landscapes of the north, that mystical dark frozen world where even the tears of our beloved angels can't be anything else but frozen!”

RHAPSODY OF FIRE announced in June 2008 that it was suspending band-related activities for the foreseeable future.

The band's first-ever DVD, "Visions from the Enchanted Lands", was released in July 2007 through Magic Circle Music. The disc chronicles the 2005 tour and production for the albums "Symphony of Enchanted Lands, II" and "Triumph or Agony". Highlights of this double DVD are recordings from RHAPSODY OF FIRE's first tour through U.S. and Canada as well as their outstanding performance at the Eartshaker Fest 2005. A clip from the DVD can be viewed below.

RHAPSODY OF FIRE's last album, "Triumph or Agony", was released in September 2006 via Magic Circle Music.