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It always surprises me when a Power Metal band flies under my radar long enough to release four albums before I catch wind of them, but that's exactly what has happened with Trick or Treat. Hailing from Italy and featuring Luca Turilli's Rhapsody vocalist Alessandro Conti you might rightfully expect some flowery, fantasy-based Power Metal but hold that thought. Conti must be getting enough of that with LTR as Trick or Treat plays straight-up Helloween/Sonata Arctica speedy Power Metal with double-kick drums galore, acrobatic solos, just enough keys to keep things happily melodic and some above-average ballads. The band's fourth album, Rabbit's Hill Pt. 2, is (presumably, as I haven't heard Pt. 1) a continuation of the Watership Down story by Richard Adams. The band name is clearly a reference to Helloween and Conti sounds a lot like Michael Kiske on tracks like "Efrafa" even though the songwriting sounds a bit more like Ecliptica-era Sonata Arctica to my ears. The fact that Sonata Arctica's front man Tony Kakko guests on the song "United" doesn't hurt the comparisons (other guests include Ancient Bard's singer Sara Squadrini on "Never Say Goodbye" and ex-Judas Priest singer Tim "Ripper" Owens who plays the part of General Woundwort on "They Must Die").

Rabbit's Hill Pt. 2 is highly derivative but so immensely enjoyable that if you like Keeper's-era Helloween and early Sonata Arctica I can't see how you wouldn't eat this album up, too. Trick or Treat may not be as memorable as the giants on whose shoulders they stand but they are pretty damn good so don't miss out if double-kick drums make your pulse race in time.