Review by David Pearce

Artist: Holy Knights
Album: Between Daylight And Pain
Label: Scarlet Records / Rubicon Music Japan
Year: 26 August 2012

Track Listing

1. Mistery
2. Frozen Paradise
3. Beyond The Mist
4. 11 September
5. Glass Room
6. Wasted Time
7. Awake
8. The Turning To The Madness

Symphonic Power metallers Holy Knights have signed a deal with Scarlet Records for the release of their second, long-waited album ‘Between Daylight And Pain’. The band debuted in 2001 with the critically acclaimed album ‘Gate Through The Past’. Which attracted enthusiastic reactions throughout the world, despite the fact that a series of internal problems put the band in hiatus for the following ten years, with its members now focused on various projects such as Thy Majestie, Trinakrius and Crimsonwind to name a few. In 2010 the long break was finally interrupted with the band entering the studio to commence working on their sophomore album. ‘Between Daylight And Pain’ is everything that a Symphonic Metal fan can dream of: powerful guitars, captivating melodies, refined orchestrations and evocative atmospheres for what has already been described as a true melodic masterpiece. Follow http://www.scarletrecords.it/ for all the updates.

The album starts with Mistery the song itself starts off with some keyboards then kicks life with some powerful drumming good melodic vocals and the song it self is pure genius the way it has been put together a true great start to the album. The Second and Third song on the album is Frozen Paradise and Beyond The Mist both of these songs have some real captivating melodies, scintillating powerful guitar work and the same melodic vocals which brings you right into the songs giving the listener what they really want. The Fourth song is 11 September it starts off with the keyboards you can here what I think is aircraft flying above then the guitars kick in and those captivating vocals come in straight after. The song is technically spot on for me it just has everything you would need in a symphonic power metal song. The Fifth and Sixth songs are Glass Room and Wasted Time the power continues to hit you in these two songs as they are full on power. But with it they give you some superb riffs and solos that just captivate you and the keyboards wow they are just out of this world. The Seventh song is Awake starts off with a quick intro riff then those melodic vocals come in thick and fast. The song has some amazing powerful drumming included keeping the beat at that powerful level that this guys play at. But it works so well together along with the scinttilating guitar work and the symphonic keyboards giving it the edge. The Final song on the album is The Turning To The Madness starts off with a captivating piece of guitar work together with it you have a thunder and a bell chiming in the distance then the vocals come in. I the background you have a orchestra playing some what i would describe a piece of captivating music that goes so well with the song it puts you in a world of peace. It also has some good solos this song is a perfect ending to this kind of album it is like something out of a fairytale story it is that good I know putting it that way doe not sound that great but I can assure you it really is.

 
Overall
This is one of the best orchestral symphonic power metal albums I have heard in a very long time if you like Imaginarium By Nightwish you are going to love this album. Every song has its own story, which has been perfectly done, and the music arrangement is astonishing. I take my hat off to The Holy Knights and say this album is brilliant if they can keep this up they can go a very long way.

9/10

Band Members:

Dario Di Matteo – Vocals / Keyboards
Simone Campione – Guitars / Bass
Claudio Florio – Drums

Website

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