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From the first tones of the opening track “Genesis,” an epic makes itself apparent. Forgive Durden’s latest album, Razia’s Shadow: A Musical, is just that - an ambitious piece performed as stagecraft and backed by instrumentation reminiscent of the orchestra pit.

What stands out most, however, is the endlessly imaginative writing of Thomas and Paul Dutton, who construct a world, inflict it with love and tear it all down over the course of 13 tracks.

Indeed, Razia’s Shadow is a reminder that the best music isn’t all that different from a good book. Each builds a landscape in your mind with full characters that are enriched - not confused - by an endless smattering of new detail.

At this point, you’re probably thinking ‘musicals are lame and I don’t wanna listen to 63 minutes of some overbearing jerk with curly hair wailing about fairies and heartbreak.’ Yet somehow, this album doesn’t come off as pretentious drivel, and that fact alone is a minor miracle.

All of the cheesy and uneven elements of musical theatre are skillfully affixed to the sensibilities of  contemporary rock music in a way that makes it obvious Dutton and his cohorts close their eyes and imagine these tracks as the backdrop to an epic Broadway production.

No song better encapsulates the album than the 10th, “Meet The King,” in which our hero, with the help of the princess, plead for the King’s blessing of their love. Like the rest of Razia’s Shadow: A Musical, this track is marked by a frantically changing pace and amusing storytelling, giving the project an exceedingly high replay value.

The 12th track, “Doctor Doctor,” has our star-crossed lovers desperately seeking to cure the princess’ affliction.

“Now I’m sure you’re wondering what’s in it for me, surely I would not perform these miracles for free, I’m not asking for a lot, it won’t cost you a dime, I just want the princess here with me until the end of time,” the Doctor leers as his menacing laughter crescendos into the foreground. “I promise to take care of her, more rather she’ll take care of me for the rest of her life in the dark fulfilling Doctor’s fantasies.”

Perhaps the most stunning aspect of Razia’s Shadow: A Musical is the synthesis between its pitch-perfect production and storytelling depth, buoyed by narration from plainspoken voices and an ocean’s-worth of sound that breezily communicates elaborate simplicity.

“Oh, the scientist was the author and the architect, the angels were his ink-slingers - his actors and actresses - his two purest were Ariema and Niedria, two destined hearts bound by the same idea,” the narrator says near the end of the intro track. “The unrelenting constancy of love and hope can rescue and restore you from any scope.”

Razia’s Shadow: A Musical is a tribute to an earnest love for sonic craftsmanship and one of the best albums you’ll listen to this year. Basically, what I’m saying is: This is one musical you’ll want to buy tickets for.