(Melodic/Symphonic Power Metal) [CD] Skylark - Divine Gates Part III: The Last Gate (Japanese Edition) - 2007, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

There is no middle ground with SKYLARK. Metal fans either worship or despise them. Labels either sign or sue them (or vice versa). Band members either stay or make way. And so on. It’s just the SKYLARK way.

‘The Last Gate’ is full-length album no.8. In fact it’s been about 8 years since ‘The Divine Gates’ saga was unleashed. In that time the band has taken a few side steps on most fronts, but the vision has yet to waver. All of which of course has to do with Eddy Antonini. I’m not sure whether it’s truer to say that metal’s lucky to have found him, or that he’s lucky to have found metal. Either way, it’s a marriage made in heaven. But what this album asks you to do - is turn to the final chapter in his saga of the the marriage between heaven and hell.

We start with a spoken “Intro”. Yep it’s in broken English, and nope it doesn’t work any better now than it has at anytime in the band’s ten year history. RHAPSODY OF FIRE may not be one hundredth the band SKYLARK are musically, but at least they pay someone else to do the talking. I don’t know, maybe it’s a budget thing. But then the music starts. “The Scream” starts with thunder in the distance, then a solo violin, then a choir, then a band called SKYLARK snatching at speed, power and symphonic metal to hammer the foundations of the last chapter of the ‘The Divine Gates’ trilogy into the earth.

Kiara is now the band’s fully fledged lead vocalist, and she has a natural sad tinge in her voice that makes her perfect for telling the story the album has to tell. Track one very quickly settles into speed metal territory to emphasise the desperation the characters are feeling. And “Soul of the Warrior” is every bit as desperate, and every bit as loaded with hooks that aren’t moving out anytime soon. Remember, it’s Eddy Antonini we’re talking about here. He doesn’t just write choruses. This is the guy that single handedly keeps amplifier companies in business.

“Dying Inside” comes next, and the title kind of says it all. Things don’t slow down, but they do stare into the darkness. The guitars have been shredding side stage up until now, but from here on the solos are a neoclassical whipping. But not for one minute do we get technique over melody. Fabrizio Romani doesn't exist on most guitar work radars, but after this he might. And with long time bassist Brodo playing the six-string game more often than ever, SKYLARK have never sounded better on the axe front.

“Hurricane” comes next, and it’s an instrumental. In metal terms that normally means you’re getting either a jam session or a song not worth finishing. But since someone forgot to show Antonini the script, you end up with a symphonic tempest that sets the scene for the best metal ballad you’ve NEVER heard. It’s called “Believe In Love”. This one’s just waiting to climb up every chart in sight (metal or otherwise). Whatever the next word up is from catchy, use it to describe this song.

“All is Wrong” and “Time” work as the song equivalent of picking yourself up off the ground. The pain and disillusion is still very much there in the lyrics, melody and story, but things are going to get a little bit dramatic. The Princess of the story is suddenly facing up to some terrible truths and the music here works like a brilliant film soundtrack or a mighty finale to a grand opera. That means you get nuances that your average metal band just can’t hack without losing the plot. We go from fragmentary melodies to soaring choruses, and stop-start bridges to raging gallops, and when all’s said and done they somehow manage to make it all look too easy.

“The Heaven Church” has been redone for this album, and what a remake. Last time around the song was a power metal hymn. This time around it’s an epic that you just don’t see coming. And you’ll be reaching for the liner notes to check how many session players chipped on this release. The answer is that this band’s a four piece. Leave it at that. “A Story Not To Tell” seems to hint at a bitter hope in the melody, but the words are a pen running out of ink. There’s nothing left to say, and the band play like it’s the final song of the set. They’ve been building up to this, but…….no I better stop there. Not going to give the story away. Which by the way, is an accomplishment in itself. Metal bands with epic fantasy stories to tell are a dime a dozen. Which is about what most of those stories are actually worth. RHAPSODY OF FIRE still have no idea where their story is going.

One last thing. Lately Antonini has been sharing his songwriting credits on both music and lyrics. He’s not kidding anyone. No doubt they contribute something, but it doesn’t take a genius to see what’s going on here. Band politics are one thing, and money matters are another. You can trade these things, but the vision can only belong to one person. And like I said, it’s a good thing metal and this guy crossed paths. The road’s there people. Take it.

Review written by Metal_Grail for www.metal-archives.com

Kiara Laetitia - Vocals
Roberto "Brodo" Potenti - Bass
Fabrizio "Pota" Romani - Guitars
Eddy Antonini - Keyboards, Piano