The previous Dragonfly album made quite a mark on me, to this day it's still one of the finest Power Metal albums in my books. It took me by surprise, the melodies, the grandiose Spanish vocals. I know not everyone agrees, and maybe I'm tuned differently, but I really love Spanish songs (even though I don't understand almost anything). Anyway, let's just say I was REALLY looking forward to this album.

The first listen was inconclusive to say the least, I hated it and kept skipping the track right after the chorus in disdain for what I was lisetning. It sounded too different from its predecessor and it seemed, at first, to have lost a lot of its personality. After a few listens I quickly realized that it was simply a more complex album, not as accessible as Alma Irae. One thing that I have some issue with is the production, I am having trouble telling what bothers me, I think it's trying to be overproduced and delivers some sort of opposite effect somehow. It still better produced than Alma Irae, but something in there bothers me, I don't know, maybe the the vocals are mixed too low... Now the songs, while this album is much more varied than its predecessor, the song quality is more variable, some songs are true killers, most songs are great to excellent, but some are sub-par (or maybe it's just some filler moments, I still get the feeling that this album is less focused than its predecessor). The opener is amongst the good songs but could easily be placed later on, a song with more panache is always preferred in my book for an album opener (so the album GRABS you and you keep listening), the cat mewing at the end of the song is unexpected yet funny. The vocals that made me literally fall in love with this band are back, though the melodies are often less catchy than before, or it's simply the fact that there is more varied material. Some of the vocal melodies are simply out of this world and they make their impact. The song writing is on the good side as well, trying to offer the listener more things than before. In the end its a more complex album, and while it succeed in many parts, it lightly fails in others. Of course this isn't to say this is medium album. Overall the music quality, song-writing, as well as complexity and pure power factor makes this new Dragonfly release an album that I believe will bring them more fans than the previous one, even if Alma Irae holds a special place in my heart. The guitars riffs and solos are to my liking, they are varied and don't try to be overly technical for the sake of it but stay melodic, always. The keys play a more important part than before (probably due to the production) and make the overall sound less symphonic and more powerful (but it does tend to sound synthetic from time to time). The rhythm section is also quite strong, but what really makes me tick in Dragonfly, is the vocals and the over-the-top vocal melodies and chorus deflagrations like in Rompe tu Silencio, Dipuesto a Seguir or 2012.

Dragonfly is more complex this time around yet their more in-your-face delivery of Power Metal should appeal to more fans. Great guitar riffing, good to godly vocal melodies, and even a song in English this time around, a Black Sabbath cover of Die Young (strong accent but for a Spanish singer it could have been much worse). Overall this is a great release, one that I enjoy more and more with repeats and that I hope many of you will as well. It's no Alma Irae but I get the feeling I'm amongst VERY few who actually vibrate to that particular album with so much passion. Whether you know this band or not, Non Requiem is a solid Power Metal release, but one that needs many listens to really sink in and to uncover all its facets. It's bold, it's strong, it's epic and melodic, yet complex and requires attention and time. If you're into all that, and like Spanish lyrics (or at least the sound of Spanish songs), then you should give Dragonfly a listen, you won't regret it.