Holy Knights - Between Daylight and Pain (28.08.2012)
 

The band "Holy Knights" was founded in 1998. 2000 the first demo called "gate through the past"  was recorded in the studio Blu in Palermo (Italy). This first match of the band immediately earned good reviews in the press and so the label Underground Symphony paid attention for the guys. In April 2000, the band signed to the label after a line-up change and in November of the same year they began to work on the first album, the recording of "gate through the past" took place at the zenith studio in Lucca and the mixdown in the Finnvox Studio 2001. In 2002, Holy Knights recorded two covers of Sword and Heavy Load, which were part of two metal compilations. While working on their second album, Simone Campione joined the band, and it was determined that it would be a concept album. To monitor the work better singer and bassist founded together their own studio but before the project was completed, the band took a break which lasted 10 years. During this time, the musicians were not idle and dedicated themselves to various side projects. In 2010, Holy Knights found back together to complete their second album, but it should be different than planned. The band had the idea for arranging a more powerful album, it should be faster, with orchestral support and a symphonic explosion. In April 2012, the album has already been released in Japan via Rubicon Music Japan. Now it is also available in the rest of the world. After 10 years of development time, I'm really excited about "Between Daylight and Pain".

The description of the CD is promising. So power on the hifisystem and let us start with "Mistery" the first song, which starts very atmospheric and bursts into brilliant grandiose power metal. The track is driven by the drums, the singer is supported by choir-like backing vocals, which gives the refrain a special richness. Melodic interludes interrupt the metal part and light up into a guitar firework. Now that's a really good start for the album. "Frozen Paradise" is held very quiet and a little bit playful at the beginning, in addition to the piano sounds the guitar take part to lift the song into an explosive and powerful new sphere. But the synthesizer elements are disturbing because they do not really fit into the track. "Beyond the mist" goes its own way, it is fast and very powerful, so this is power metal. Nevertheless, there are throughout the song orchestral backing tracks without beeing overloaded. The melody is really exciting, and I really liked the interludes of the guitars, that's also the point where the band takes a bit speed out. All in all a very great song, which you can hear easily a second or third time. The fourth song is called "11 September" and opens with a piano track. Just befor the guitars starts to play you can hear an airplane. Now i am a little bit confused, but it rapidly became clear to me that it must be a musically discussion of the disaster in 2001. Some parts of the song sounds like Russian folk music and other like clear uptempo metal, impulsive and powerful almost like an hymn. On first listen is "11 September" a little getting used to but with every time hearing the song it gets better and better. The next song" Glass Room" starts with a classical Orchestra, but quickly the guitars and the drums lead the song. Always accompanied by violins. Guided by the voice of the singer this song is an absolute tip for the CD. The sixth song "Wasted time" I can also recommend without a doubt, it is just great and even after repeated listening it does not get boring or lose power and expressiveness. 2 thumbs up for this song. "Awake" 2nd last track on the cd, and Holy Knights let it rip again. This is power metal at its finest, rhythmic, melodic simply bombastic, sounding guitars, heavy riffs and driving drums. The grande finale on this album "The Turning to the Madness" introduced by patter of rain, rises playful and melodic, almost symphonic. In addition to the quiet but powerful vocals are the orchestral interludes, then a diffidend guitar and then the transition to voice and orchestra at the end a finish ringing, the rain falls and then silenced the track.

Conclusion: 10 years of waiting time were surely worth it. Holy Knights burn off a  brilliant power metal fireworks. They gave everything: orchestral elements, driving powerful guitars and soulful vocal performances. The production is very good and must not hide and the variations are very good and even after repeated listening the album is not boring. Only the use of the synthesizer in "Frozen Paradise" is disturbing and takes the song some pluses. "Between Daylight and Pain" is recommended for all fans of bands like Hammerfall, Rhapsody of Fire and Kamelot.

Line Up:

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

Soundquality: 10/10                Variation: 9/10                      Cover: 8,5/10         Booklet: 0/10
Total: 9/10