Once again, Blackmore's Night takes us on a journey through ancient times to modern. As always, Richie Blackmore's guitar stylings are energetic and complex while Candice Night's vocals are utterly bewitching. The merry band of minstrels that accompanies them are solid as always. The album begins with an instrumental, "God Bless the Keg," opening with a harpsichord solo until other instruments join in, ending with a haunting, deep organ. That leads seamlessly into "Locked Within The Crystal Ball," a song that echoes the darkest, most romantic fairy tales—with a beat that's somewhere between fast Celtic folk and driving rock. Those two cuts provide a very strong opening.
