• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

About 20 years ago, Italy was ground zero for legions of Power Metal bands, enough for the sound to become its own cliché, but that was a long time ago, and a lot has changed since then. It's now downright refreshing to hear a Power Metal band from Italy, especially one doing it this well. Despite being female-fronted, Moonlight Haze don't have much similarity to Edenbridge or Nightwish, though I am reminded somewhat of Within Temptation or even Delain in the big, bombastic songwriting. There's not really any trace of Goth sound to this, and it is a cheerfully shameless Power Metal album, starting off with a song based on The Neverending Story and not letting up from there. This kind of thing succeeds or fails on the melodies and hooks, and they are all pretty good. Even if there are no real ace songs, they are all good.