With the international success of Finnish outfits, it was bound to happen, the first Finn “supergroup,” founded by former Sonata Arctica/Altaria guitarist Jani Liimatainen, with help from vocalist Timo Kotipelto (Stratovarius), Mikko Har kin (ex-Sonata Arctica keys), Jukka Koskinen (Norther/Wintersun bassist) and drummer Jani "Hurtsi" Hurula (Paul DiAnno). Gather The Faithful? Appropriate. So, the music? Brutal death metal? No, a lilting, virtuoso laden power metal style that soars on Kotipelto’s pipes, even if the blazing eagle cover art bears a resemblance to Primal Fear.

The ‘My Queen Of Winter’ opener and ‘Dawn Of Solace’ are the type of fist-pumping metal songs Sonata began their careers with, but have since (watered down, if not) abandoned. Pseudo-symphonic instrumental title cut offers a different hue, while ‘Stolen Waters’ features one of the disc’s best guitar soloing moments, and the concluding ‘Elegantly Broken’ is basically comprised solely of piano, synthesized strings and Kotipelto.