Skylark
Divine Gates Part III - The Last Gate

There is a sense of novelty in the Skylark camp, fresh off the release of the latest installment of the "Divine Gates" saga that began years ago. Contrary to rumors, the news of a probable disbandment of the historic tricolor power metal band was denied by their leader (keyboardist Eddy Antonini). After dealing with the departure of their charismatic singer Fabio Dozzo, they find themselves once again in the spotlight, following criticisms received from various quarters after the release of their previous work, "Fairytales," mainly due to the addition of the blonde-maned Kiara (a blend of the sweetness of the typical sirens of Northern Europe and the masculinity of Elisa Martin, ex-Dark Moor) at the microphone.

With production finally on par with more famous names and a return to the ranks of Underground Symphony (who released the album in a nice A5 digipack format), they partly abandon the keyboard overlays of the previous release to return to the subject matter that the concept requires: speed, fast tempos, double bass drumming, and ultramelodic solos. Examples include the opening tracks (especially "The Scream", introduced by beautiful medieval melodies, which immediately configures itself as a true classic in live performances). In these, we notice an improvement from the singer, who decided to abandon some daring (and even off-key) registers to deliver a smoother, more enjoyable performance. Her talent also shines in the ballad "Believe in Love", placed right after the super-fast instrumental interlude "Hurricane", and entirely played on the sweetness of sounds and voice in the style of hard rock ballads, as well as in the short but pleasant "Time", enriched by well-integrated male vocals. The melodic-dramatic "The Heaven Church" (already heard on "Gates of Heaven") and the acoustic version of "Mountain Fuji", skillfully placed at the end, are also particularly notable.

"Divine Gates Part III - The Last Gate" is a work that flows smoothly like water and quickly without moments of particular excitement (after all, this is a common trait in most productions of the genre), but composed and recorded with passion and honesty that, I hope once and for all, will not fail to give due credit to a band that has already done more than enough groundwork in their own country.

It is inevitable, finally, when talking about an Italian power metal band, to compare them with the famous Rhapsody Of Fire. Let the comparisons begin: both Skylark and Rhapsody started by playing symphonic power metal with fantasy elements, maintaining the same sound over the years and sometimes adding minimal changes (female vocals entrusted to Kiara for the former, strengthening of orchestral sections for the latter). Both have a rather "flashy" attitude descending from the forefathers of cliché banners in heavy metal, namely Manowar, which is compensated for by a solid technical base sometimes even too prominently displayed. On one side, we have a band that has always tried to remain modest and, with a limited budget, has always produced pleasant albums and garnered appreciation, especially abroad (Italy has never known how to appreciate them), and on the other, a group of people, in my opinion, more astute in marketing than composing music who have often and gladly let absurd and ridiculous statements spout out from their mouths, who in recent years have captivated mainstream audiences thanks to scenic expedients aimed at exalting a sub-kind of unlikely latent symphonic grandeur. The same people who in some interviews loved using their allotted time to discuss how many millions of euros it cost to produce this band or another.

It might also be true that metal music, if one wants to reach as many people as possible, always needs to be extracted from the underground. But what's the best way to do that? The Rhapsody way or the Skylark way? Well, considering that "The Last Gate" is certainly not a masterpiece and that it might even horrify the usual ill-thinking defenders, I could conclude the review by saying that the truth usually lies in the middle, but for once (setting aside the gaudiness of both proposals), I prefer to lean in favor of modesty and honesty towards their audience, wishing them to be able to continue living their dream (maybe just abroad) for a long time to come.