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Arguably the most palatable band to fall out of the UK's Power Metal tree, international sword-bearers Power Quest started life as the brainchild of DragonForce keyboard maestro Steve Williams and guitarist Sam Totman, way back in 2001, where other, less established acts such as Intense and Fallen Skies were already finding their feet. Failing to find capable musicians in the quagmire of British talent, Williams went overseas to round up Arthemis vocalist Alessio Garavello, who remains in the band to this day, and has done a superb job on both Wings of Forever and subsequent releases.

As far as the ubiquitous DragonForce comparison goes, you'll find very little here to associate Power Quest's light, feathery style with DragonForce's penchant for celerity and insane technical wankery. Don't get me wrong, songs like the "Glory Tonight", "Beyond the Stars" and the excellent "Far Away" are fast, pelting Power Metal numbers that vaguely recall the humble beginnings of the aforementioned self-styled ‘guitar heroes', but in essence the sweet, breezy soundscapes Power Quest create are much more in tune with the European school, with the immensely catchy title track and galloping "Freedom of Thought" owing more to bands like Sonata Arctica, Helloween, and naturally, Arthemis and Labyrinth. Production-wise, Wings of Forever is far greater than its dry Neverworld follow up, but essentially this was the flowering of a band that would go on to great things, and while the songs themselves will satisfy anyone with an ear for speedy, keyboard-led fantasy Power Metal, Wings of Forever is merely a modest foundation for what the multi-lingual sextet would go on to build.