I have been interested in Moonlight Haze’s music for a while. I was waiting for an opportunity to review one of their albums. Well, opportunity just knocked!
This Italian unit, Moonlight Haze is about to release its fourth studio album, Beyond on Scarlet Records, on May 23. I have already ordered the CD, based on how great this album sounded on the MP3s that they sent to me for the review.
Moonlight Haze is made up of members: Chiara Tricarico, who sings lead vocals; Marco Falanga and Alberto Melinato who play guitar; Alessandro Jacobi, who plays bass; and Giulio Capone, who plays drums and keyboards.
The band describes “Beyond” as “a perfect mixture of heavy, melodic and super catchy songs recorded in the old fashioned way with little to no edits. They went ʻorganicʼ, this time, with a little help from the acclaimed producer Sascha Paeth, that was able to make some of the classic features of the band emerge and shine even more”. Moonlight Haze’s fourth record is “a journey through time and space, galactic landscapes and earthly elements; a never-ending quest for a deeper reality and a purest inner truth. Soul searching symphonic power metal, if you please”.
And, who may I ask, does not want or like that?
The title track, “Beyond”, is one of the best songs on the album. It is a little over 2 minute introduction to the band’s latest chapter. The bold and encompassing piano playing of Giulio Capone is an absolute magical way to say hello. Then, Chiara Tricarico sings softly, “Out in space. Where our story has taken place. Far away. Through the endless sea of dark, stars and blazing moonlight. We will go into the unknown. Far beyond. Far beyond. Far beyond. Far beyond. Beyond!” Chiara’s voice reminds me a little of Manda Ophuis of Nemesea, especially when she gets going on the next song.
“Tame the Storm”, is another chart-busting song with an absolutely absorbing music video. The Dark Queen reminded me a little, of Clementine of Visions of Atlantis. (She plays a Dark Queen in one of the music videos from their 2022, Pirates album). The over 3 and a half minute long song is full of intricate keyboards and then blasting drums, bass, and double electric metal guitars. The use of chorus – like vocals throughout this album is a wonderful surprise and gift to the ears. Chiara Tricarico’s more metalic vocals make their debut. She is screaming, but not ear-piercing, just full of energy. She sings, “Locked in a cage, caught myself in the nothingness I dwell. Dealing with my own Hell. Empty soul and empty stare. Paralyzed, I stand aside in the maze inside my mind. It is all in my head, yet it feels so real. So I will hold my breath before I delve into the Abyss. Gathering the strength just to resist. Sorrow’s kiss. Time to tame the storm, so here I stand! I will not succumb – until the end. Claiming my life back – to discover who I am”. Then, her lyrics take a positive turn, “Here I am to make a change, do my best so that I’ll treasure every second from now on until I die. Wiping all the dark away to find my inmost light”. She closes the song with, “Getting my life back – while unveiling who I am!” I love all of the positive vibes and lyrics throughout this album. It stands tall, against all the negative metal out in the world.
“Crystalized”, opens fast with Chiara Tricarico, who sings, “Turn back time. Crystallized. Then, innovative keyboards and electric guitars. It is nice to harness the power of two lead electric guitar players, to build massive metal sound. It fills out the soundscape and makes for a powerful push of metallic sound. Then, Chiara Tricarico returns singing straight forward, “Walking down the lane of memories. Countless feels appear to me like movie scenes. Smiles and tears, a taste so bittersweet. Because I realize there is so much I really miss. But like the Moon can’t meet the Sun, still both exist. I’ll think about us just like this. Love’s still alive. Crystallized in my memory. I wish I could turn back time. And change our history”. A fond memory of a love one from the past.
“Chase the Light”, opens with cool orchestration before Chiara Tricarico sings, “Chase the light, don’t you hide. Find the power deep inside! Sailing through the storm. Can’t find a way out of darkness. Sinking down below. Drowning in despair. Without a compass to guide you. How to fill this void? Take the wheel and don’t fear the waves. Let the wind wipe away all the clouds. Chase the light, don’t you hide. Find the power deep inside. Take your time, free your mind. Just seize the day! Chase the light and you will shine. Take a look on the bright side. Can you see the Sun as you look at the horizon? Do you feel it’s warmth? Set the sail and go. And leave the tempest behind you”. The positive and energetic lyrics and Chiara’s voice are wonderful and uplifting. I could listen to her and her positive message all day. Hopefully enough metal heads will listen and give this music a chance. We need more positive influences in metal. “Chase the Light”, is the only other fantastic energy, performance music video, for Beyond, right now. Let’s just say, you won’t sit still through it.
“Would You Dare?”, opens with deep piano and orchestration. Then, the guitars, bass and smashing drums return. Chiara Tricarico sings, “Let the adventure begin! There is no turning back, no turning back from here. The rest of your life will start today. We’re risking it all, we’re ready to fall. Let a new chapter commence! The wait is over now…no more regrets!” Keep that positive energy flowing!
“L’Eco Del Silenzio” is the longest, at over 6 minutes, and the best song on the album. The Spanish lyrics were an especially nice surprise, along with the title. The song opens with beautiful strings, acoustic guitar and orchestration. Chiara Tricarico sings in almost a whisper, “Let our whispers lie below the snow. Frozen rivers that one day will flow. Hidden beauty still remains untold. Icy treasures, they’re a wonder to behold. In my slumber, cradled by the Winter’s cold. I’m enshrining all the words. I won’t unfold. We will just hide secretly. To be forever concealed. No ice, no fire can destroy a strong desire. It lives on, under the snow”. Then she sings in Spanish, “In silenzio tutto resterà. Senza perdere intensità. Nel profondo poi si sentirà. Come un’eco nell’immensità”. Then, Italian, “Le parole si dissolvono quassù. Illusioni che non torneranno più. Tutto riparte da qui. Dove il rumore svanì. Non spariranno né la calma né l’affanno. Nella neve che si scioglierà. Tutto ciò che non è necessario. Può tacere in un giorno d’inverno. Di un mondo che ruota al contrario. Che resterà? Rimarranno nella memoria. Le canzoni, il dolore, la gioia. Tutto parte della mia storia. Dentro di me” Chiara Tricarico returns to English, “Everything starts back from here. Where once all loud noises ceased. No joy, no sorrow will just disappear tomorrow. In the cold ice that will melt away”. Then, she closes in her native Italian, “Tutto riparte da qui. Dove il rumore svanì. Nessun rimpianto, tutto resta dentro al canto. Della neve che cela la realtà”.
“D.N.A. (Do Not Apologize)”, is another heavier metal song, that opens with buzzing orchestration and then blitzing electric guitar. Chiara Tricarico sings, “In silence molecules combine in every cell. We cannot stop their motion. Those little strands are intertwined. A fragile balance between rest and chaos. It’s all we are, we cannot stray. From what’s inside our DNA. Don’t listen, do what’s right. And do not apologize! I was told I should mutate. But I would rather re-arrange. Many questions stay unanswered. Wrong scenes never altered. I tried my best but I can’t conform. When they tell you that it’s not wise. To follow your perceptions. Don’t listen, do what’s right. And do not apologize!” An anthem to freedom, personal liberty and self-realization.
“Untold”, opens with launching electric buzz guitars and drums, picking up pace and creating rhythm and the song’s beat. Chiara Tricarico sings in melodic form, “Lies have decayed. Can we end this masquerade? We both dwell in the haze of this unsteady state. Lust, fear, romance. Love and hate, all at first glance. It is tough, but we really got to take a chance. Don’t you think the time has come? Don’t you want the truth?” Then she rifles off some requests, “Tell me more, tell me more, tell me something I don’t know. Make me feel in the real, let me read between the unspoken words. So that we’ll unravel the untold. Set me free, set me free it is time to be sincere. Talk to me, talk to me. I will open up”. She slows it down a little for, “Planets on the way. To their collision once again. Will our orbits align. Before stars burn out?”
“Time to Go”, is the second longest track on the album, at just past 4 minutes. It opens with volcanic orchestration, drums, electric guitar, bass, and keyboards. Chiara Tricarico sings, “We slip beyond the realms of time. To be forever wandering. Through blackness we look for a way. To find the brightness. It’s time to leave it all behind. To recreate our story. To start an endless journey home. No fear of falling. Come and join our Fantasy!” Then Chiara Tricarico sings such uplifting lyrics, “Follow us, let the past decay. Looking up to the stars. You can’t go astray. Join this ride, it all starts today. Head into the unknown. It is time to go… beyond!” despite the angry growling vocals that get washed away as soon as Chiara sings. Later she closes the song, after some wonderful gritty electric metal guitar soloing, “Head into the unknown, it is time to go…”
“Awakening”, is the album closer. It opens with cool keyboards and orchestration. At only a little over 3 and a half minutes, its shorter than what I would prefer. But it not always quantity, it is quality. And this song is full of it. It is also full of lyrics. Which means more Chiara singing. And that is always great. She sings calmly, “Thunderstorms and rain. Dim light, cloudy days. Beaten by the hail. There’s no shelter, only pain. In a blink those times will go away. Fading colors start to shine again. Gathering secretly. All of my dreams will become sweet melodies. I open my eyes and see. The beauty that lies in the little things. Treasuring everything. Blooming like Spring, this is my Awakening. Wandering everywhere. Let me get lost in the ocean’s deep. Sun above the trees. Flowers dancing to the breeze. The heart-warming scene. Of the new season breaking in”. Later, after some more great guitar soling and power drums, she sings, “Deep silence all around. Still I can hear my memories resound. I can no more pretend. I’m gonna dance in the rain. Through the fire and the flames. Now I see what’s beneath all my needs. And I just want to heal in a heartbeat. This misery is not meant to be. I wanna sing, spread my wings. I will cease to overthink. I’ll be able to solve my inner mysteries. With every step I’ll take, I’m alive again!” She closes so powerfully, “Now I behold a brand new sky, in a blink. I’m far away. I’m ignoring sad thoughts in my brain. To find the answers. Time’s passing by. I’m not afraid. I won’t let my life be all in vain. I own my future. I’ll always hold on to my dreams!” Powerful words…for us all. Yes, this track was definitely a showcase for her voice and her lyrics.
Moonlight Haze’s “Beyond”, is one of the most positive metal albums I’ve heard in a long time. We need more of this in metal. Thank you Moonlight Haze and Chiara Tricarico for your lyrical and music contribution to 2025. Moonlight Haze is exploring new worlds and inspirational lyrics. Moonlight Haze’s music videos are great, so far. Hopefully there will be even more. The album cover art is amazing. The music speaks for itself. One of the best metal albums of 2025 for me, so far. What more could you want? This is it! Give Moonlight Haze’s “Beyond” the opportunity to be heard and I think you will enjoy it. I have been listening to it every day since I received the MP3s. I have purchased the CD, and I’m waiting for it to arrive after its release in a couple of weeks. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to interview and talk to Moonlight Haze about the inspirational message I received within “Beyond”.
Album Track List:
- Beyond – 2:22
- Tame the Storm – 3:33
- Crystalized – 3:03
- Chase the Light – 3:51
- Would You Dare? 3:19
- L’Eco Del Silenzio – 6:07
- D.N.A. (Do Not Apologize) – 3:43
- Untold – 3:16
- Time to Go – 4:05
- Awakening – 3:39
The vocals were produced by Sascha Paeth at Pathway Studio. Cover and artwork by Beatrice Demori/Oround Studio. The first edition will be released in a 6-panel digipack. Exclusive limited vinyl version available. Moonlight Haze is officially part of the Dragon Productions booking roster. Front Woman Chiara Tricarico is currently one of the live vocalists of Avantasia and was a special guest on the Manowar 2022’s EP “Highlights From The Revenge Of Odysseus”.
Band Website and Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Moonlighthazeband
https://moonlighthaze.bandcamp.com/album/beyond
https://moonlighthazeofficialstore.bigcartel.com
YouTube and Music Video Links:
https://www.youtube.com/@MoonlightHaze