So on this date in 1970, while I was in my senior year in high school, Alex Staropoli,the keyboardist for the Italian symphonic prog rock band Rhapsody Of Fire was born! While I am not familiar with Alex on an individual basis, I have listened to Rhapsody of Fire/s latest release Dark Wings of Steel and enjoyed it particularly the keyboards!!
Some background from ProgArchives:
The Italian power metal band incorporate classical and baroque sounds into their music, a combination which proves to be very powerful. Each album fits into one ever-expanding storyline, “The Chronicles of Algalord”, comparable to the great literary works of the fantasy genre if we deem musical imagery as viable for such purpose as the constructs of effective writing. Certainly the band create the same scale of setting, indeed the same epic atmosphere in their fantasy work as may be found in such literary tales as the masterworks of Tolkien.
The members of RHAPSODY are Alex Staropoli (harpsichord, keyboard, piano), Luca Turilli (guitars), Fabio Leone (vocals), Alex Holzwarth (Drums) and Patrice Guers (bass). All may be considered virtuosos on their respective instruments. In addition to this 5-piece core, a great many other musicians, vocalists and even actors have collaborated over the course of what are now seven albums Read More
I honor of Alex’s birthday I listened to Dark Wings of Steel again today and liked it even more. What I really looking forward to is starting to run again and using the album as a soundtrack with the fast guitar licks it would e great and there’s even enough slow orchestral music to give me a chance to catch my breath!!
So Happy Birthday, Alex!! I look forward to exploring the rest of the band’s catalog the includes at least ten more albums.
Here’s one of the more orchestral tracks on the album the closing track on Dark Wings of Steel “Sad Sadistic Moon”