Italian symphonic power metal band Moonlight Haze recently released their 4th album, “Beyond.” I have been following them for a bit but admittedly was only somewhat familiar with their earlier material, honestly moreso with Chiara Tricarico’s earlier work when she was with Temperance. I was excited to dive into this album and hear how the band had evolved, and I can report that their development just continues getting better. On the surface this is a mix of symphonic and power metal, but there is a lot of in your face heavy metal sensibility that keeps this album moving at a quick pace. Things start with the amazing vocals of Tricarico, who adapts her voice to what the song needs at the time. She leans on a much more aggressive metal delivery, but can switch on a dime to others, including a silky vocal, the operatic many associate with the genre, and even some growls to add extra aggression. The guitars are in your face constantly, with heavy riffing and great solos. The bass is prominent and really adds a nice heft to each song. The drumming is technical, driving, and deft. The compositions have a lot of variety, making great use of melody and dynamics while also ensuring you headbang consistently. Lyrically, this album is extremely uplifting and positive, and it is hard not to feel good after a listening session. The sum total are songs that are fun, interesting, and exude the band’s talent.

The album starts with the title track, a gorgeous piano driven piece featuring instant variety from Tricarico, with silky, operatic, a more subdued rasp, and whispers all making an appearance. It sets the stage nicely for the cinematic intro of “Tame the Storm,” which perfectly blends symphonic and power metal. It kicks off with a symphonic breakdowm before racing ahead in power metal fury. The verses feature a dichotomy of the raspy delivery against the operatics, leading into an oh so catchy chorus, all while demonstrating Tricarico’s versatility. The drums never let up, the guitars are nice and thick, and the late guitar solo is awesome. “Crystallized” has a synthy intro, and this melody serves as an undercurrent for the more traditional heavy metal feel of the song. The chorus is super catchy (you will find this to be a recurring theme on this album), and the driving bass adds extra oomph. Moonlight Haze does a great job making one of the album’s more straightforward songs just sound good.

Personal favorite “Chase the Light” has a majestic vocal opening and a driving symphonic power metal pace. The chorus in this song is a positive anthem for everyone, reprising that amazing intro, and its earworm nature will stay stuck in your head. It features a great guitar solo, some late dynamic contrast, and soaring vocals throughout. “Would You Dare?” never lets off the gas, building from a cool piano intro to symphonic power metal fury, with the first appearance of growls and a killer late guitar solo.

“L’Eco Del Silenzio” is the first time the listener gets a breather, slowing the pace way down for an absolutely gorgeous song. Acoustic guitar and strings create the foundation for a breathtaking performance from Tricarico, featuring both English and her native tongue of Italian. The lines sung in Italian are goosebumps inducing, and I would love to hear more singing in Italian from her. A little over halfway through, the piano takes the lead, creating an incredible atmosphere before building up and allowing her to soar above the rafters, toning back down to an almost somber finish.

“D.N.A. (Do Not Apologize)” returns the frenetic pace with a driving chunky guitar riff. The late slowdown almost reminds me of something Visions of Atlantis would do, with nice symphonic atmosphere, before pushing the gas again. The flange at the start of “Untold” gives it a throwback feel out of the gate, as does its straightforward guitar riff, until the halfway point where it shifts gears more into symphonic metal territory, and then dances with both for the remainder.

“Time To Go” is probably the most symphonic metal sounding track on the album, with a heavier dose of orchestration and operatic vocals dominating the verses, while the chorus dives more into power metal, with the pounding drums and raspy vocal delivery. This song features the most extreme vocals, particularly in a late symphonic breakdown. The album closes out in style with “Awakening,” featuring soaring theatrical vocals atop a driving symphonic power metal foundation.

This album goes by quickly, with almost every song in the 3-4 minutes range, but each song adds a nice facet to the overall package that has me coming back to listen again. This is a great album, and you should definitely check it out!

Original Instagram review Part 1
Original Instagram review Part 2
Original Instagram review Part 3