RHAPSODY released their second album, "Symphony of Enchanted Lands," on October 5th, 1998 through Limb Music, recorded that year at Gate Studio in Wolfsburg and produced by Sascha Paeth and Miro. It is the second part of the Emerald Sword Saga, and the record on which the Italian band's ambitions finally matched their means. Luca Turilli wrote all the lyrics and shared the music with keyboardist Alex Staropoli; Fabio Lione sang; Sir Jay Lansford narrated. The arrangements pull in a chamber choir, sacred choirs, baroque recorders and oboe, viola da gamba, marching drums and lead violin, ending in a sixteen-minute title suite. "Emerald Sword" became the band's signature song and one of the most recognisable pieces of European power metal ever written. Little else in the genre has attempted this much and pulled it off.
