Holy Knights - Between Daylight and Pain 2012

Behold, newest line up from the Italian power metal hordes. Their flag is none other than “Holy Knights”. Expecting something bombastic is logical thinking here, and I must add some of the material are close reaching what Rhapsody of Fire done. The band consist officially three core members and this is only their second album despite being formed in around 1998. Band’s member were previously involved in other projects such as Thy Majestic and Crimsonwind. So please enjoy another screaming epic power metal album, Between Daylight and Pain.

Formulaic the first track should be epic orchestration, but in this album Mistery only provided second ticks of “strings” and then enter the singer and full scale bombastic drumming power metal song. Choruses are there and the direction of melody are close clone of Rhapsody of Fire. Frozen Paradise is one of best point in the album, with careful song writing, starting epic ballad, then progressively reach the development and really technical demanding instrumental interlude in the middle. Beyond the Mist then started as standard riff leading song. Until this point the singer Dario Di Matteo bring us Italian school of high tenor singing. 11 September then bring down the mood to dark and emotional theme but it is a full scale power metal tune in the main body. Glass Room is another point of interest with its neo classical and church organ layered. So then in this high point why Wasted Time with inferior track filler. Doesn’t matter because Awake is there acting as the album final madness. The real ending , The Turning to the Madness is a synth orchestration experimental track, which is an okay composition after fifty minutes of drumming attacks.

So please included Holy Knights into this month power metal line up. Very similar to Rhapsody of Fire, but more straightforward, without too epic or too technical. Holy Knights is bringing elements of the genre in the normal path and will not surprise fans of power metal, neither upsetting. The guitars, drumming and keyboards are completely fine in service to the genre’s technical demanding. Singing are fine and even able to performed in foreign language (the bonus track if you wonder). Give the disc a try if you keen listener to the genre.

Metalharem class: ******* seven stars out of ten

Holy Knights Between Daylight and Pain 2012 
Buy it here

1. Mistery 05:10
2. Frozen Paradise 05:38
3. Beyond the Mist 05:40
4. 11 September 05:01
5. Glass Room 05:18
6. Wasted Time 04:50
7. Awake 04:15
8. The Turning to the Madness 06:01

Simone Campione (Nexus/Thy Majestie/Ex-Irencors): Guitars, Bass
Claudio Florio (Crimson Wind/Trinakrius/Ex-Synthesys): Drums
Dario Di Matteo: Keyboards/Vocals

Fantasy genre in cover artwork: