Well, they’re back! Lion Music’s “super-group” BOOK OF REFLECTIONS have returned with their latest effort entitled “Chapter II: Unfold The Future.” The only members consistent between the debut release and this one are drummer Eddie Sledgehammer and project leader Lars Eric Mattsson who is the mastermind behind BOOK OF REFLECTIONS and once again adds his bass, keyboards and most importantly… his absolutely amazing guitar playing to this follow-up release.

Mattsson and Sledgehammer have once again surrounded themselves with another group of talented musicians which include; vocalists Bjorn Jansson (TEARS OF ANGER) and Martin LeMar (TOMORROW’S EVE) , additional guitarist Anand Mahangoe (SPHERE OF SOULS) and keyboardist extraordinaire Mistheria who gained popularity playing with Bruce Dickinson.

“Chapter II” delivers all the power and energy supplied by the first BOOK OF REFLECTIONS release. This is very apparent on tracks like “Free My Soul,” “Ashes To Ashes” and “Unfold The Future.” All of which are intense, power-driven tracks featuring some absolutely INSANE guitar licks and solos. Mattsson is simply brilliant and could compete with Yngwie any day for his crown as reigning king of power metal!

But what I really like about this release is that it’s a bit more experimental than its predecessor. While all the elements of his speed-guitar prowess are evident, Mattsson is also able to show that he’s more than just another Yngwie clone with some more precise and intricate melodies thrown in through out the release. This is very obvious on tracks like “Blink of An Eye,” a soft, slower acoustic piece, “Heal Me,” another slower track featuring some nice piano parts and guitar solo, and “Got To Get Low,” which features some strange, but very interesting, reverb and guitar effects.

“Bringer of the Torch” is a great track. Heavy yet melodic, I really like the arrangement on this one and LeMar REALLY sounds like (Bruce) Dickinson… it even has the feel of a MAIDEN track. “Make Sure You Don’t Fall” is another one of my favorites. It’s a bit more melodic but still maintains the integrity of a solid, power-rocker and “Love Conquers All” wraps up the release with its soft, almost mystical arrangement.

BOOK OF REFLECTIONS’ “Chapter II” is definitely worth a listen and has all the elements of an artist who’s really coming into his own. Power metal fans and guitar virtuosos will absolutely LOVE this and hang on Mattsson’s every chord. So if you’re a fan of that “neo-classical / power metal sound,” than this is the album for you!

Eat your heart out Yngwie!