A bewitching and operatic duet, TEMPERANCE’s “Daruma” is a masterclass in symphonic power metal.While I’ve enjoyed TEMPERANCE since The Last Hope in a World of Hopes, I’ve got to say that “Daruma” blew my expectations out the water, sent them on an epic wizard quest fit for the latest dark fantasy novel, the whole shebang. TEMPERANCE does some really interesting things with the harmonies and duets but what I can say they really excel at here is building anticipation and layering musical elements. The song hits hard immediately with the chant of “daruma” and rhyming adjectives. This creates an intense sense of mystery immediately, which crescendos with swelling drums and steady guitar into the first vocal solo. Instruments are subdued and atmospheric, punctuating an excellent string of clea...