"The Origin" starts the album, with a Lord of the Rings-lite orchestra in the background and a cheesy deep voiceover which introduces a fantasy adventure, set '1,700 years ago' when it seemed that 'all hope was forsaken'. It's like listening to a cut scene on a computer game and gives the listener no indication where things will go next. "Chapter I - Tales Of Ithiria" starts with authentic sounding medieval instruments and ethereal female heavenly voices. Ironically these conjure images of distant fantasy lands far more efficiently than the previous voiceover. Two minutes in the spooky voice returns for a moment. We'll be listening to this song for over eight minutes so it's best to pace yourself. Things turn into a metal direction, which then merges with the medieval vibe. We then move – relatively smoothing – between the two genres. It's a bit mystifying, but intriguing enough to keep you listening. Even at its heaviest the music doesn't venture beyond the politer side of Tiamat.

While previous Haggard releases have dealt with real historical subjects such as Nostradamus and Galileo, this time the band are creating music about the mythical country of "Ithiria". "From Deep Within" furthers the story with another movie-style cut scene, but "Chapter II - Upon Fallen Autumn Leaves" is the more interesting piece. Imagine if Aerosmith had been a German Gothic Rock band and Run DMC had been Medieval Baebes. If in these transformed states they had collaborated on "Walk This Way" then they might have created "Chapter II - Upon Fallen Autumn Leaves". This song loses me a bit when it starts talking about unicorns and some of the female trilling sounds unintentionally comic, but overall this is an unusual and intriguing creation.

It's difficult to glean who is actually in the band – beyond creative mastermind Asis Nasseri. In publicity photos there are at least 12 other members. This multitude of players can be heard in the instrumental and classical "In des Königs Hallen (Allegretto Siciliano)". While the classical and metal genres do mix surprisingly well, sometimes it's nice to be able to concentrate on one musical form at a time. "Chapter III - La Terra Santa" continues the whimsical air. This is the sort of music you could play in a New Age shop without frightening the customers – at least for the first minute and a half. Things get heavy and frightening after that. Perhaps you could use it at closing time? The mix of male and female vocals works well, as does the piano solo which brings proceedings to a close.

"Vor dem Sturme" is another cut scene, which sets the stage for "Chapter IV - The Sleeping Child". I don't know if creative mastermind Asis Nasseri has any children, but if he's having trouble getting them to sleep it might be because he is making an unholy racket like this. Or maybe it's a 'holy' racket because there are monk-like voices added to the mix. Either way it would take more than Calpol to help a child sleep through this. "Hijo De La Luna" starts with a beguiling female voice. This song, more than the other epics, is likely to linger in your mind. It's a superior slice of Gothic Metal.

While the cut scenes are brief I find that they draw me out a fantasy world of my own imagining. "On These Endless Fields" is not better or worse that these other inserts, but if this album were a magazine, these bits would be the leaflets you shake out to get at the stuff you really want. "Chapter V - The Hidden Sign" is more of the mix of metal and classical. It leans slightly further towards the former, while not neglecting the latter.

Creative mastermind Asis Nasseri and his cohort are visionaries. They have produced a genuinely intriguing album that should thrill both classical fans and metal fans. Of course if you only like one genre you'll only enjoy half the album. Maybe it's for people with partners who have opposite tastes and can never agree whose turn it is to choose a CD. If such is your situation then Haggard could save your relationship – who can ask for more than that?