Opening opus “Katana - The Moths and the Dragonflies/Katana - Mud” tries to do everything and be everything in its 14:40 running time, and by god, it succeeds. The piece is breathtaking. How many times do you listen to a song of this length - - even a great one - - and immediately want to play it again after it finishes? Kids throw around the word, “epic,” but it absolutely applies. This is glorious. Smart, sprawling, all-encompassing, a journey from chrysalis to soaring heights on delicate wings. Heavy, flighty, gentle, aggressive, introspective; it’s an incredible thrill.

OK. . . . I’ve given all this detail and haven’t gotten past the album’s first song. If the first track carries the banner and sounds the horn, the rest of the record answers the call. None come close in length to “Katana - Moths and Dragonflies,” but musically, they bear the same ambition, intelligence, and passion - - whether it’s the other Power-Prog rushes, or the quiet instrumental interludes.
Lots of parallels and influences at work: Nevermore, Symphony X, Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, Between the Buried and Me, Unleash the Archers, Gamma Ray, Helloween, Gloryhammer, Edguy, Blind Guardian, Dream Theater, In Flames - - it’s all here.
Even more impressive: “To Live to Kill to Live” is the conclusion of two concept albums from Manticora, following up on 2018’s “To Kill to Live to Kill” (Full disclosure: I missed that one on its release in 2018. Mea culpa). Adding another layer of creative accomplishment: these albums are based on the novel, “To Kill to Live to Kill,” written by Manticora vocalist, Lars Larsen. I was initially going to drop some snark about “Ten Thousand Cold Nights,” but I decided to check myself on that. The track is 51 seconds of an older-sounding gentleman ranting in Japanese, with vague pounds of horses and battle in the background. It’s a bit jarring and feels out of place, but I assume that it makes sense to those playing along at home with the book and the full story.
Manticora have been around since 1997, with a few important players in their ranks, but the primary drivers are the Larsen brothers, Lars on vox and Kristian on guitars. Their two elements rule the ecosystem of this rich, diverse world of atmospheres, climates, terrains, and systems. Manticora have delivered one of the best of 2020, so far.