Dark Moor - Ars Musica (2013)

Spanish power metal band Dark Moor have already made a name for themselves with their bombastic, classically influenced, Rhapsody of Fire-esque wizardry, but on Ars Music they decided to go in a different direction. This time, they've greatly pared down the shredding and focused on simply making good, catchy songs. As much as I like their previous albums, this one resonates with me more because of its emotionality and utter catchiness. In fact, this album contains some of the catchiest songs I've ever heard from a power metal band. If I had to compare this to anything, it would be to Kamelot's Silverthorn albeit not as dark. There's still a bit of wizardry on this album, particularly on the superb instrumental "Asturias" but even there it's quite restrained compared to some of Dark Moor's older songs. This may not be a popular opinion, but I think this album is the best so far in Dark Moor's discography. Check it out if you like well-written, highly catchy symphonic metal.
9.5/10