This one might just be another case of "brilliant albums you may have never heard of". Released in 1997, so just over 20 years ago, Komödia was the first full length album of the Dreams of Sanity, after having recorded a couple of demos before, and you wouldn't know it from just listening to it.
Komödia is a beautiful and complex album, with a refinement that is just remarkable. Especially for a debut. And on top of it all it's subject matter is nothing less than one of the greatest works of world literature: Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedia from 1320. An epic poem describing the journey of a wanderer, guided by the Roman poet Virgil, through hell, purgatory and eventually heaven on the search for his lost love, Beatrice.
Clearly, you can't blame Dreams of Sanity for a lack of ambition and, of course, when you aim that high, the chances of failure are quite substantial too. The band however masters their set task brilliantly, with confidence and excellent ideas. A really classy performance, especially by the vocalists, who contribute a lot with their expressive, nuanced performances.
To me Komödia has as much in common with a classical symphony, or opera as it is a metal album. And quite extraordinary in how it brings both together. It is rich and complex, without being too academic, features nuanced and stunningly beautiful songs without drifting off into kitsch-regions, is technically impressive, but never forgets to play for the song, not over the song - its no coincidence really that I still find this album so appealing and interesting after all those years.
Dreams of Sanity would release two more albums, Masquerade and The Game, before they split in 2002 after several line-up changes. A pity they never got the recognition they deserved.
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