IVORY MOON was formed in Rome nearly twelve years ago. In 2002, this Italian band released their first promo CD entitled "Ivory Moon" with four songs, two years later they published their debut album "On On The Edge Of Time". In 2007, "Human Nature" came along and now there is the brand new dish of "Dark Time" with 11 tracks of Metal mixed with ingredients of Symphonic, Progressive, Hard Rock and Gothic Metal.

Coming up as the hard entry is the intro of the opener, "New World Order". The guitars and rhythm section are ok, in the background there are gentle kind of keyboards. Gabriella Aleo's singing in anoperatic in the vein of Tarja Turunen took me back to one of the most fantastic bands of Symphonic Metal, NIGHTWISH. "New Horizons" provides strong riffs and a melodic edge displaying a fine collaboration of Power and Progressive Metal. There is also an utmost power through the midst of "Darkness" as it infuses Euro Power Metal with a Rockish climate. Surging forward with additional elements are the Folkish "Apocalypse". There is that great drumming tight with the bass and keyboards. This track offers an amazing joint chorus singing by Aleo with Sandro Manicone. I can see a certain similarity to Hungarian bands like ALHANA or CHROME RT. The vocal aria can make the listener goose-bumps.

My favourite song around is surely "Heroes".Another powerful song with meaty guitar riffs following a melodic duet chanting Aleo and Manicone in the spirit of an exalted royalty. The guitar solos and great work on the skins accompany a series of hard riffs & keyboards lines. A very good song indeed that takes me back again to older version of NIGHTWISH. On the other hand I found out a riffing style that sounds like METALLICA, along with machine gun drum and bass on "Soul Disguised", yet again with a colorful duet of the duo vocalists.

The rather more peaceful songs are "Away", with nicely played keyboards and "Endless" presenting a passive play. The band shows that they can unify a great symphonic sound with strapping riffs and gentle singing such as on the entering point of "The Merchant of Venice" that huddles lofty atmosphere of singing with a memorable exhortation. Drum whirls with melodic guitar solos and woven calm acoustic playing. On "Rogue" there are grand hard riffs with amazing keyboards mixed moods of roughness and tenderness distributing a perfect melodic end.

IVORY MOON are great in general, playing music straight from the heart without being plastic about it. I liked the duets between the singers. Aleo sounds the professional one of the two as Manicone exhibited something a bit more amateurish or as if by force. Every song on "Dark Time" is more or less different with respected themes. This album will be liked by fans of NIGHTWISH, EPICA, WITHIN TEMPTATION,  THERION and generally Symphonic Metal fans.