Already one of Austria's leading power/prog bands, Serenity formed in 2001, stabilized their lineup a few years later, and have released albums in 2007 and 2008 thus far. In recent years they have gained in popularity due to touring with Threshold and Kamelot, and these two bands give a good indication of where Serenity is coming from -- not that Serenity clones either band, but their style of power-laced progressive metal with symphonic elements surely fits nicely alongside either band. Occasionally their songs seem to remain within the bounds of their genre (a common criticism for many bands) -- while the musicianship, songwriting and production can't be faulted, in reality there isn't a lot here that really sounds unique. European fans routinely lap up bands like this, and with the field as crowded as it is, Serenity might find it tough to rise above the rest, but there's considerable talent here, and they seem to have all the pieces in place to continue to flourish.