Official music videos: — 'Powerwind' — 'Flight of the Sapphire Dragon' Official lyric videos: — 'Battle of Arcane Might' — 'Riders of the Dawn'.

Heroes of Mighty Magic is the second studio album by the Swedish power metal band Twilight Force, released internationally on August 26, 2016. It is the band's first album with Nuclear Blast Records. The band describes the album as a step up from their debut in every way, most notably in the increased use of symphonic, orchestral, and operatic elements in their songs. It is the second and last album by the band to feature Chrileon on vocals, before he was replaced by Alessandro Conti in June 2018.

Composition[edit]

Elements of Heroes of Might and Magic had been laid out for years — even before the band's first record. The lore of the characters, world, and stories within the album were all the work of Blackwald, who is also one of the primary songwriters and lyricists. Initially, the album was a loose collection of songs that Lynd and Blackwald had written several years before Heroes of Mighty Magic's release, and some even dating back before Tales of Ancient Prophecies.^[1] release. As the tracks came together and the writing was nearing completion, the band set out to create something they could look back on in several years and be proud of.^[2] The band was inspired heavily by fantasy novels and video games, such as the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Isaac Asimov.^[3] Most notably, the album lends its namesake to the video game series Heroes of Might and Magic, though Blackwald and Lynd have noted the influence of other fantasy video games as well, such as World of Warcraft.^[4]

Recording and production[edit]

—Lynd, 2016

Access to a larger record label was a driving factor in the production and the creation of the new record. During this time period, Twilight Force also acquired their own recording studio known as the Twilight Forge. Although the album's concept had existed for years beforehand, Nuclear Blast Records and the band's personal studio set the groundwork for the content of the album to be fully realized. Additionally, it allowed the band to mix, master, and record tracks and parts at their own pace, without any major deadlines to meet. Members of the band were able to take as long as they wanted to tweak and adjust individual parts of songs.^[2] Additionally, the band's primary songwriters and producers, Lynd and Blackwald, were able to push their talents to new heights and experiment with new styles, like orchestration and opera. Compared to their previous record, the production quality of Heroes of Mighty Magic was ramped up significantly, involving four different studios in several different countries and nearly twenty separate personnel working on the project. The band also enlisted the help of an orchestra and a choir for some tracks.

Artwork[edit]

Lynd and Blackwald handled the concept art and the art direction for the album and the booklet, although the final character designs, emblem designs, and cover art was done by Kerem Beyit. Blackwald designed the map of the Twilight Kingdoms featured in the album booklet. Many locations found throughout the Kingdoms lyrically tie into the band's overarching concept and story. The album's booklet also contains detailed character portraits, statistics, classes, races, and items that each band member wields, displayed in a manner similar to a tabletop role-playing game character sheet. In addition, the booklet includes detailed character descriptions and backstories, describing each character's personality, origins, and abilities in great detail. To tie into the character descriptions found in the booklet, a series of videos narrated by Blackwald were released by Nuclear Blast Records, explaining the origins and lore of the characters in the band.^[5] All of the contents of the booklet, including the lyrics, were written by Blackwald.^[6]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by Blackwald and Lynd.

Personnel[edit]

Twilight Force^[7]

• Aerendir – rhythm guitar, backing vocals(2, 8, 9)
• Born – bass guitar, backing vocals (2, 8, 9)
• Blackwald – keyboards, piano, violin, cembalo, narration, backing vocals, orchestration
• Chrileon – lead vocals
• Lynd – lead guitar, acoustic guitar, lute, backing vocals, choir arrangements, orchestration
• De'Azsh – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2, 8, 9)

Additional musicians

• Joakim Brodén – vocals (10)
• Fabio Lione – vocals (5)
• Ylva Eriksson – vocals (Bonus disc, 11)
• Borganäskören – choir (12)
• Andreas Olander – rhythm guitar
• Hjalmar Lundblad – vocals (8)
• Sangeeta Chauhan – backing vocals (2)
• Sara Lindberg – backing vocals (8, 9)
• Jens Prahl – backing vocals (2)
• Hanna Turi – backing vocals
• Twilight Choir – backing vocals

Heroes Of The Force Full

Production

• Blackwald – mastering, mixing, arranging, sound design, producer
• Lynd – producer, mixing
• Marcus Moszny – conducting
• Kerem Beyit – cover art

Charts[edit]

Heroes Of The Force Lyrics

References[edit]

1. ^'Christian Hedgren in the studio'.
2. ^ ^ab'INTERVIEW: LYND AND BLACKWALD OF TWILIGHT FORCE'. Moshville.com.
3. ^Heroes of Mighty Magic booklet. p. 2.
4. ^'An Interview With: Blackwald & Lynd (Twilight Force)'. The Metalist.
5. ^'TWILIGHT FORCE - The Lore Of Lynd (OFFICIAL)'. Nuclear Blast Records.
6. ^Heroes of Mighty Magic booklet. p. 1.
7. ^ ^abhttps://www.discogs.com/Twilight-Force-Heroes-Of-Mighty-Magic/release/9724966
8. ^'Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40 (2 September 2016 - 08 September 2016)'. Official Charts.
9. ^'Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 (2 September 2016 - 08 September 2016)'. Official Charts.
10. ^ ^abUltratop.be – Twilight Force – Heroes of Mighty Magic
11. ^ ^abSwisscharts.com – Twilight Force – Heroes of Mighty Magic

The Heroes is a 1989 British/Australian mini-series on Operation Jaywick, a World War II special forces raid on Japanese shipping in Singapore harbour by the Australian Z Special Unit, based on Ronald McKie's 1960 book The Heroes.^[2]

Plot[edit]

Part One[edit]

When the Japanese invadeSingapore, Captain Ivan Lyon formerly of the Gordon Highlanders and currently working for the SOE flees to Sumatra with civilian evacuees. On the way Lyon meets with Bill Reynolds, the captain of the battered old Japanese fishing boat the Kofuku Maru and they sail to Ceylon. Returning to Australia, Lyon wanting to come up with a way hit back at the Japanese who have captured his wife and son, concocts a plan to attack enemy shipping in Singapore harbour. Meanwhile, the newly formed Z Special Force conducts a special operation to test techniques that could be utilised against Japanese shipping. Led by Captain Sam Carey and Lieutenant Ted Carse the commandos paddle in canoes into Townsville harbour, planting explosives on the docked vessels. Lyon now with proof of the effectiveness of this method meets with Colonel Mott of the SRD to help promote his plan codenamed Operation Jaywick. Initially Lyon and Mott receive resistance from their superior officers but eventually are given the greenlight to launch the attack using the Kofuku Maru, now renamed the MV Krait. Lyon enlists Carse and two other officers, Donald Davidison and Bob Page to lead the mission. Along with the fishing boats crew, Lyon's batman, a cook and a radio operator, Davidson also selects five navy commandos to conduct the actual canoe operations. The Krait leaves Exmouth Gulf on its long journey to Singapore when it immediately broke down, after returning to Exmouth Gulf and a patch up repair Lyon's force eventually begins its long and hazardous journey.

Part Two[edit]

With the commandos disguised as native fishermen, the Krait sails northwards towards Borneo. The trip is far from uneventful as the Krait struggles against strong tides in the Lombok Straight and Carse is sick. Reaching within striking distance Lyon leads the canoeists and they destroy many Japanese merchant vessels docked at Singapore before making their escape by canoe. After initially missing their rendezvous, Lyon's party are finally picked up by the Krait. On the journey back the men on the Krait must endure nerve-wracking run in with a Japanese destroyer, again in the Lombok Straight, before finally entering Exmouth Gulf to a heroic welcome.

Cast[edit]

• Paul Rhys as Ivan Lyon - Mission Commander
• John Bach as Donald Davidson - Raid Commander
• John Hargreaves as Ted Carse - Ship's Navigator & Captain
• Bill Kerr as Paddy McDowell - Ship's Engineer
• Jason Donovan as 'Happy' Houston - Navy Commando
• Cameron Daddo as Joey Jones - Navy Commando
• Christopher Morsley as Robert Page - Medical Officer
• Timothy Lyn as 'Taffy' Morris - Medical Orderly
• Gerry Skilton as Corporal Andy Crilley - Ship's Cook
• David Wenham as 'Horrie' Young - Radio Operator
• Jeff Truman as 'Cobber' Cain - Ship's Gunner
• Tim Robertson as Colonel Mott
• John Ewart as Bill Reynolds
• John Bonney as Rear Admiral
• Lorna Lesley as Pat Carse
• Briony Behets as Alice

Production[edit]

Heroes Of The Forge

The mini series was developed for Channel Ten by Glenn Darlington, writer and producer and principal of Menwood Television Pty Ltd. Darlington acquired the television rights to the book 'The Heroes' by Ronald McKie with his permission that the story remain an authentic account of events of the Operation Jaywick raid. Darlington developed the synopsis interviewing key survivors of Operation Jaywick. He sold the rights to Network Ten Australia and Television South of the UK. An early draft of the script included a fictitious love story included at the insistence of British investors but this was later cut. George Whaley was originally attached to direct but pulled out in order to do a proposed mini series of My Brother Jack.^[3]

Heroes Of The Force Movie

Filming was done at Homebush, Sydney, in and around Cairns, and at Mission Beach. The shoot took eleven weeks with two weeks rehearsal.^[1]

Reception[edit]

The mini series was enormously successful in the UK and Australia. In the UK it was seen by over 15 million people and was the highest rating mini series on ITV at that time. It rated well in Australia despite the rival Channel Seven screening The Highest Honor (1982), which dealt with the same story, beforehand as a spoiler. Channel Seven funded the sequel, Heroes II: The Return, which dealt with Operation Rimau.^[3]

In 1991 the mini-series was cut down to 90 minute TV movie.^[4]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abMary Colbert, 'The Making of a Mini Series: Heroes of Our Time', Cinema Papers, March 1989 p12-15
2. ^The Heroes at National Film and Sound Archive
3. ^ ^abBuckley, Anthony, Behind a Velvet Light Trap, Hardie Grant, 2009, p 290-297
4. ^Ed. Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995, Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p79

External links[edit]

• The Heroes at IMDb