I interpreted "Dark Wings of Steel" as a vain attempt to distance Rhapsody of Fire from Luca Spaghetti's writing style. The plodding, mid-paced power metal tracks it heaved up under uneventful orchestrations (all the while Luca Manicotti was revealing more traditional Rhapsody songs within his version of the group) rarely struck gold. "Into the Legend" tells a different tale, as Rhapsody of Fire ventures beyond the mid-paced approach and once more acquaints itself with faster tempos and profound neoclassical elements. "Dark Wings of Steel" drifted away from these, but "Into the Legend" faces them unblinkingly. The few tolerable bits of "Dark Wings of Steel" seem to have been integrated into the mold, however, leaving the band a galactic mile of creative space to flex its glittery dong.

The tracks boast organization and poignancy, two qualities that are absolutely mandatory for symphonic power metal to function properly. "Distant Sky" and the title track launch the group's style into fast tempos composed of cutting riffs and double-bass hammering while the grandiose arrangements and atmospheres sound revitalized. The neoclassical guitar work especially feels fortified; the lead guitar sections bleed classic Rhapsody. It helps that the choruses and bridges have an extra boost of importance. Perhaps this may be chalked up to the speedy rhythms, but I'm going with songwriting that isn't afraid to move outside its comfort zone, which was a major issue "Dark Wings of Steel" couldn't seem to shake.

"Winter's Rain," for example, actually sounds like it could've been cut from the same cloth of the aforementioned dud. Rather than move around the issue completely, Rhapsody of Fire took the mid-paced mold and stuck a syringe full of this rediscovered vigor right in its ass; the result is a "Dark Wings of Steel" track gushing with affecting orchestration and the unique intensity of Rhapsody of Fire. "Into the Legend" otherwise manages to flow nicely and capture the dynamic of which this group is capable if it applies itself properly. "A Voice in the Cold Wind" changes up to a more composed setting, full of serene flutes and other classic motifs that scale back the urgency a bit. "Rage of Darkness" harkens back to the spitfires of turbulent speed storms of the past à la "Raging Starfire," while "Realms of Light" dangles on the edge between frantic quickness and something mid-paced. There are many shades of the band explored here, obviously, and with fine results.