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I can't tell you much about this Italian band, only that this is their first step into the limelight with a self-produced album The Nightlitany. First I have to talk about the production which unfortunately is behind todays standards - even for a self-produced album. Anyway, it soon get obvious that the quintet knows how to play and how to write songs! After the intro The Macabre March they storm off with Suffocating Night. They switch between fast parts and slow passages, but always the violin is quite up-front. Singer Marta Pierdominici has a powerful voice and can even keep up with the growls of her male colleague. Somehow this is a mix of 80's heavy metal, power metal, folk and some neo-classical influences spiced up with some growls. Sounds weird? Not at all, but a better production would have done the songs good. At Archways Of Stars they include a semi-acoustic passage which shows again that Marta has a great voice and the song could have been a real treat, but due to the lame production it can't shine bright. The Afternoon Of A Faun is a semi-acoustic folk tune and I guess fans of Blackmore's Night should welcome this one, but also fans of their fellow countrymen Elvenking should like The Nightlitany, even if Elvenking fans might prefer Suffocating Night... A bit heavier and faster is Ambiguous Greed, more metal - so to speak. But also more complex and almost progressive... They close this chapter with Dewforged Fairy, a slow tune which again shows that Marta's voice don't need to be doubled - like it's at some parts of the heavier ones. Later in the song they add some power, but stick to the initial melody line. Well done.
Please note that the rating is excluding the production! The rating would be much lower when I would consider the production! But it should be about the music and the playing, but I really hope that the fivesome will release a proper album soon!
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