
"The Triumph Of Metal"
100 / 100
➤ "This is the kind of album I can listen to every day! I love the beauty, power, and energy it brings … unites gifted musicians blending their compositions to perfection … a melodic voice and technical tunes can push this brilliant music to fly away boundaries of pleasure … a masterpiece to kneel to."
(The Metal Mag)
10 / 10
➤ "Wenn HARTLIGHT mit 'The Triumph Of Metal' nicht ganz schnell im Vorprogramm von namhaften Bands wie Dream Theater, Epica oder Nightwish landen, geht es nicht mit rechten Dingen zu. Diese Musik gehört auf die großen Bühnen dieser Welt, und ich komme nicht umhin, die höchste Note zu vergeben. Das hier ist wahrlich ein Meisterwerk und für mich ein früher Anwärter auf den Titel 'Album des Jahres'."
(Bleeding4Metal)
10 / 10
➤ "… absolutely magnificent … such a big leap in all around quality … has completely taken my breath away … Noémie Marie absolutely soars … she was always a fantastic singer but on this album takes complete control and delivers her finest performance to date … I’m going to find it difficult to hear a better album this year and we are only in February!"
(Banshee Entertainment)
10 / 10
➤ "… superb … combines a wide array of influences in one of the biggest displays of show-stopping grandeur … a magnificent display of epic, atmospheric, Symphonic Metal with incredible amounts of enthusiasm, zest and gusto …"
(Metal Gods TV)
98 / 100
➤ "The album is brilliant in every way … executed masterfully … without overdoing any of the instruments … high-pitched Progressive Symphonic Metal … Noémie gives an excellent contrast … her voice always stands out against the musical instruments without getting lost."
(Darkzen Dragon)
19,5 / 20
➤ "… this second album is even better than the first, which was already good ... HARTLIGHT have taken a step forward, moved up a level and with 'The Triumph Of Metal' they can look the giants of Symphonic Metal in the face without lowering their eyes …"
(Aux Portes De Metal)
9,7 / 10
➤ "Da ist man erstmal baff … Klasse … musikalische Raffinesse … fesselndes Songwriting … geniales Gespür für den perfekten Moment … liefert von vorn bis hinten … bereitet enorm viel Freude … da kommt etwas wirklich Geniales auf uns zu … jetzt schon in meinen Highlight’s des Jahres 2025 ganz weit oben … grandios …"
(Zephyr's Odem)
17 / 20
➤ "... rare talent for creating chord progressions that hit the mark ... varies atmospheres, rhythmic sequences and stylistic exercises at will ... sound engineering that is hard to fault ... perfectly oiled instrumental technique ... smooth from start to finish ... finely sketched and enveloping melodies ... enchanting vocal imprint of the frontwoman ... outstanding performance ... a second jewel in a satin case that will now probably rank her among the rising stars of this Metal scene ..."
(Spirit Of Metal France)
9,5 / 10
➤ "Symphonic Power Metal der Oberklasse … schon das Debütalbum gefiel mir ausgesprochen gut! Mit dem neuen Album legt die Band aber nochmal eine Schippe drauf und steigert sich eigentlich in allen Belangen … die neuen Kompositionen zeigen ihre gesamte Stärke und gehören definitiv jetzt schon zu den absoluten Genre-Highlights in diesem Jahr!"
(Rock Garage)
8,5 / 10
➤ "... I love to see a band find their style and go for it … there isn’t a single weak or bad song on 'The Triumph Of Metal', so the album is far more than solid or even good: it’s great. I suspect that my opinion will only get stronger as I keep listening this year."
(The Prog Mind)
83 / 100
➤ "… a sacred mood with symphonic sounds such as choirs and strings, the songs themselves are characterized by modern and progressive elements, from aggressive songs with Djent riffs and male growls to speed numbers. While some of the songs have a technical aspect, the melodies sung by Noemi's exuberant voice are also impressive … a large work …"
(Burrn!)
8,3 / 10
➤ "… effortlessly presents a mature, powerful and very melodic album thanks to a mixture of different genres. Noémie Allet, who is comfortable on vocals, delivers a fine performance accompanied by skilled musicians and orchestrations that are both engaging and epic. While the particularly rich and varied style sometimes seems to move away from Power Metal, Speed Metal and Symphonic Metal remain present throughout … surprises us … appreciated."
(Power Metal France)
8,3 / 10
➤ "The sound is excellent and flawless, beautiful in the guitars, perfect in the orchestrations and the rhythm section. The production is masterful, of the highest quality, flawless."
(Melodic Metal Sound)
8 / 10
➤ "... enchanting ... medieval atmosphere, which is intensified by the choirs and the magnificent use of various string and wind instruments ... lets you fly along with every intoned note ... a sensual pleasure is guaranteed ... solemn sonority ... fiery symphonic blasts ... conveys numerous emotions ..."
(Satan Arise)
8 / 10
➤ "… trotz orchestralem Bombast immer sehr Riff-lastig … Sängerin Noémie Marie beherrscht den Klargesang sowohl in den mittleren als auch in den höheren Tonlagen perfekt … die Musik ist meist im Doublebass-lastigen Euro Power Metal angesiedelt … die Produktion ist sauber, warm und druckvoll."
(Crossfire)
8 / 10
➤ "... mainly Symphonic, but also with Classic, Progressive, Celtic and Gothic. What stands out even more are the orchestrations that allow to create different environments that are appropriate to the story of each song ... a good and varied album."
(Sounds From Apocalypse)
8 / 10
➤ "… acht epische, progressiv angehauchte Songs auf beachtlichem Symphonic-Power-Metal-Niveau … besonders hervorzuheben ist die gesangliche Weiterentwicklung von Frontfrau Noémie, deren Stimme zusätzlich Tiefe und Ausdruck verleiht … bringt alles mit, was ein starkes zweites Album braucht."
(Time For Metal)
8 / 10
➤ "… HARTLIGHT haben sich in nur wenigen Jahren von einer spannenden Newcomer-Idee zu einer ernstzunehmenden Größe im Symphonic Metal entwickelt. 'The Triumph Of Metal' zeigt die Band auf dem bisherigen Höhepunkt – wuchtig, detailreich, atmosphärisch dicht und trotzdem mutig genug, neue Facetten einzubringen … epische Klangreisen, bei denen Musik, Story und Symbolik eine Einheit bilden …"
(Obliveon)
7,5 / 10
➤ "... … a good album in the genre of Symphonic Power Metal with dominant and very sympathetic female vocals … frontwoman and bassist in one person Noémie Allet is a gentle saw whose voice is not one of the most aggressive (it can be sensually fragile), but it could penetrate even through a steel record ..."
(Metal Forever CZ)
7,5 / 10
➤ "… more complex and structured … a grandiose opus that blends the dictates of female-fronted Symphonic Metal with hints of Power Metal, subsumed by an extremely full-bodied and impactful sound … have developed a precise stylistic identity …"
(Rock Hard Italy)
70 / 100
➤ "... robust compositions … musical growth … heavy guitar work and dynamic vocals … songs like 'Polymorphia' and 'The Scales Of Rebis' highlight the band's ability to intertwine progressive elements with symphonic grandeur … 'A Song Of Blood And Steel', stands out as an epic closer, incorporating Far Eastern motifs and theatrical arrangements … cohesive storytelling … seamless blend of orchestration with Metal elements … a significant step forward ..."
(NTTR)
3,5 / 5
➤ "… starke Leistungen und ein gut durchdachter Sound … ein lobenswerter Output im Bereich des symphonischen Power Metal, der eine Mischung aus kraftvollem Gesang, technischer Instrumentierung und reichhaltiger Orchestrierung bietet."
(Metal Underground AT)
➤ "… I love the heavyness … her voice has never sound stronger as here … so much power … so much strength … orchestrations were done so well … I am really impressed … phenomenal …"
(Power Metal Ranger)
➤ "… great Progressive Symphonic Metal …"
(Progressive Rock Central)
➤ "… great … not just for a very bright future for them but for this whole style of great music in general … pitched perfectly throughout … with a nice blend of more traditional fare with something a little newer and refreshing … indeed a huge triumph … have certainly put their own stamp on … undeniably earned themselves a place at the top table …"
(Female Voices Of Metal And Rock)
➤ "… excellent guitar work … solos are crisp and sharp and the riffs chunky where needed … HARTLIGHT have created a gem here, one well worth your time."
(Female Fronted Power)
➤ "... a tour de force of Symphonic Metal - with grandiose songs that sweep the listener away … arranged in such a way that the whole album fits together well as a whole."
(Rancor Metalzine)
➤ "… represents an aesthetic change of course without losing its direction. The new album will still appeal to Symphonic, Heavy and Power fans, but it will also flatter Prog and Modern Metal lovers."
(Metal Alliance Mag)
➤ "… excellent … hits levels of the genre I wish more bands would try to achieve … from the solos to the soaring vocals to the orchestration of it all; this one is signed, sealed, and delivered to be one of the finest Symphonic Power Metal you may hear in 2025. This is simply how it's done and even longstanding bands in the genre need to take note …"
(Heavy Debriefings)
➤ "… with strong roots on its melodic verve … showcases HARTLIGHT might have also some Prog Metal influences due to the extreme care with the instrumentals and the use of many classical music features … possible that Angra's 'Angels Cry' was really the big reference to the album. Even better."
(Metal Addicts)
➤ "This album is simply divine. I was a little concerned after 'As Above, So Below'. I thought how can this be matched, or even beaten? Now we have the answer. It gets better with every listen … what an album, what a band … thank you HARTLIGHT."
(Symphonic Metal Lovers)
➤ "If you like Therion, Epica, After Forever or Seven Spires, you should give an ear (and a look) to 'The Triumph Of Metal' ... HARTLIGHT prove once again that Symphonic Metal has lost none of its greatness ... a powerful and introspective work suitable for lovers of orchestral frescoes as well as lovers of mysticism and symbolism."
(My Dark Lifestyle)
➤ "… a solid follow up to their debut… strong female fronted Symphonic/Power Metal with an emphasis on the power … a good mix that has lends some nice epic touches to the music … executed very well. A very worthwhile album from an up and coming band in the power scene."
(Metal Heart)
➤ "… are on a momentous roll, making a huge impact with their unique blend of Heavy, Progressive, Power, Gothic and (of course) Symphonic Metal … in just a few short years, HARTLIGHT are now rubbing shoulders with the likes of Epica, Nightwish, Rhapsody Of Fire, Twilight Force, Within Temptation and Xandria in terms of orchestral arrangements, extensive use of keyboards and instruments normally found in classical and/or folk music …"
(Frenzy Fire)
➤ "… wants and has a lot to contribute to Symphonic Power Metal. A beautiful voice, dazzling, virtuosic guitars that together with the bass and drum lines bring us closer to progressive area. An equation with a positive result, the triumph of Metal is assured!"
(Retales De Metal)
➤ "… punchy riffs and some technical guitar runs … vocals are powerful … 'Polymorphia' reminds me a little of Savatage with that build up and mid tempo Heavy Metal … the keyboards are always well placed …"
(Transcending The Mundane)
➤ "… deutliche Entwicklung … stärkerer Fokus auf den progressiven Aspekt … herausragende Gitarrenarbeit … die kraftvolle Stimme von Sängerin Noémie thront über einem Fundament aus druckvollen Drums, schweren Riffs und ausgefeilten Soli … mitreißende Melodien … kein Album, das man nebenbei hört … spannende Reise in die Welt der Alchemie und der epischen Klänge … Fans des Genres werden es lieben …"
(MetalZone - Support The Underground)
"As Above, So Below" • 2024
10 / 10
➤ "… a blend that’s both emphatic and dramatic … fifty tension filled minutes … a magical journey of aural delight and discovery … the band are elegance personified … elevates the excitement level to new and uncharted heights … the vocal range of singer Noemie is so wide, ranging from soaring symphonic to a classic Heavy Metal roar …"
(Metal Gods TV)
10 / 10
➤ "… euphoric instruments and vocals … nothing conventional here … catchy and lively … the high notes by the female vocals is impressive … blistering guitar riffs … timeless … never in my life have I enjoyed an album so much …"
(Project Metal Music)
98 / 100
➤ "Forget everything you've heard so far when it comes to Symphonic Metal bands with female vocals, because a new band has arrived with the aim of elevating this genre to a level never seen or heard before … and it all starts with a vocalist, Noémie Marie, capable of a dreamy register, not too rocky, not too operatic, but touchingly beautiful."
(Via Nocturna)
95 / 100
➤ "... very well done ... a strong, melodic, symphonic debut ... excellent musical structures with multiple layers and rhythms ... well accentuated, dramatic tempo changes ... very refined, textured sounds on multiple musical levels ..."
(Darkzen Dragon)
17 / 20
➤ "... in the style of Battle Beast , Ancient Bards, Xandria and Delain ... an opus that is as sunny and exhilarating as it is strongly emotionally charged ... atmospherically and rhythmically diverse, stylistically varied, with a good sound engineering ... you can follow from start to finish without any detours ... a serious hope in a field where it was not necessarily expected ..."
(Spirit Of Metal)
17 / 20
➤ "... beautiful ... oriented towards the gothic and dark arts ... excellent album ... an absolute must ..."
(Aux Portes De Metal)
9,5 / 10
➤ "... with antique motifs ... great orchestrations and choirs ... Noémie Allet proves to be a sensational singer, very expressive and with a powerful voice that captivates from the first moment ... the Power Metal track 'The Land Of The Star' is beautiful with its proud chorus and Allet's high vocals ... all these hits ... unpretentious, pleasant and intelligently played symphonic Power Metal without being overly pompous. A simply excellent debut."
(Melodic Metal Sound)
16 / 20
➤ "... Noémie Marie shows all her talent and vocal range ... musically rather gloomy and melancholic, in contrast to the 'happy Power Metal' that you often find in Europe ... an album of high quality ... impressive ... you will have to reckon with this new player in the future when it comes to Symphonic Power Metal ..."
(French Metal)
8,7 / 10
➤ "... let the soul of your sword speak ... first-class band ... a real discovery … I was really surprised by their rare qualities, I was almost carried away … this is a band that really deserves our attention ..."
(Belgian Metal Shredder)
8,5 / 10
➤ "… excellent and versatile vocalist Noémie Marie … songs flow between symphonic, gothic, power and progressive, but always maintaining a high level of quality and melody … a good album, all songs will please most Metal fans …"
(Sounds From Apocalypse)
8,5 / 10
➤ "... pure, varied and melodic symphonic metal where they reach straight for the top quality shelf ... singer Noémie is far from the usual operatic approach ... she has enough power to really go forward and stand up to the bombastic orchestration ... sophisticated and well realized, most of the songs eat their way into the ear canals and stick there for a long time ... one of THE (underground)surprises for me so far this year in the Symphonic Metal sector ..."
(Rock Garage)
8,2 / 10
➤ "... lots of bombast. Noémie Marie knows how to convince with her clear-as-a-bell soprano voice, without falling into opera mode ... a convincing debut work ... there is a lot of epic music to be heard, but also classic Heavy Metal. Both form a balanced melange."
(Keep On Rocking)
8 / 10
➤ "HARTLIGHT delivers an accomplished first record! The ensemble is very clean and masterful. There is here a certain talent that only asks to find its public!"
(Pavillon Webzine)
8 / 10
➤ "HARTLIGHT show themselves to be very multi-faceted ... fat riffs ... dreamy, folky melodies ... soundtrack-like sound collages ... virtuoso, but not overdone ... the vocals of front lady Noémie Allet are not as operetta-like and theatrical as usual for the genre, but bright and clear, yet always powerful and expressive ... very interesting ..."
(Crossfire)
8 / 10
➤ "Never stingy with orchestrations … a Power Metal opera with an emphasis on bells, choirs and a harmony that grabs the heart … with this first album, HARTLIGHT leave their mark … succeeds in distinguishing itself both through its almost unique style in France, through its engaging harmonic orchestrations and through a singer who delivered a great interpretation. These are good prospects!"
(Power Metal FR)
8 / 10
➤ "… balances melancholy and energy very well … lots of great riffs and spacious instrumentals, and the vocals are quite good … really excel on their more cinematic and theatrical tracks … I really do think this band will find themselves and produce some fantastic records in the future …"
(The Prog Mind)
7,5 / 10
➤ "… exaltation of Gothic-Symphonic with female vocals, with an eye on Fantasy Power … a compendium of majestic arrangements, epic sounds and dramatic suggestions … vocalist Noémie Marie, capable of weaving textures that are as elegant as they are theatrical, enriches the whole … tasty … reflects the personality and determination of the band, which is a candidate for a leading role in the world of music and within the genre …"
(Rock Hard Italy)
7 / 10
➤ "... charismatic vocals ... fantastic guitar solos ... very good sound ... a more than solid start ... should be able to establish themselves effortlessly in the scene ..."
(ReviewRalle)
7 / 10
➤ "… an extremely attractive and very worthwhile debut … interesting insight into their musical conception in which elegance, pathos and aggression manage to coexist harmoniously … fresh and lively, full of interesting cues … HARTLIGHT prove to be very adept at alternating the right doses of melody and musical solidity. Bravo!"
(Metal IT)
3 / 5
➤ "... pleasant to listen to, especially if you are a fan of certain Symphonic Power with female vocals ... Noémie is much more expressive than in the past and definitely effective and versatile ... musically never banal, but always well done and equally well played ... a good debut album ..."
(All Around Metal)
➤ "… very unique … I just got enveloped in it … really cool … dark magic … amazing … love it …"
(Power Metal Ranger)
➤ "… a high-quality debut … when making Symphonic Metal, you have to make sure that what you're doing sounds good and coherent - and HARTLIGHT have done really well here … imagine the sounds of Therion, Epica and After Forever, you get a pretty good idea of where you are … melts the genres a bit and everything is beautifully carried through by Noémie's voice and the strong riffs and beautifully arranged orchestral parts … with a touch of Power Metal …"
(Rancor Metalzine)
➤ "…what a beautiful sound … the vocals of Noémie Marie will have you holding on to every word … awesome album … what a debut …"
(Rockerhead)
➤ "... a pleasure! Lovers of Sympho, Power, Heavy and... video games, don't be late! Must have in your playlist."
(Metal Alliance Mag)
➤ "… oozing an immense infectious nature to satisfy even the most peckish of appetites … a sparkling, stunning album … truly unique blend of Heavy, Progressive, Power, Gothic and Symphonic Metal …"
(Frenzy Fire Metal & Rock Reviews)
➤ "… Gothic Metal with some progressive and symphonic twists. I like how it mixes melancholy with energetic portions. I hear a lot of potential here."
(The Prog Mind)
➤ "Notable tracks include "That Which Stagnates is a Liar" and "And Nature Unfolds Once Again," each offering a unique blend of intricate compositions and evocative storytelling."
(Morte Magazine Mexico)
➤ "Stylistically similar to Edenbridge, HARTLIGHT have a knack for writing Symphonic Metal that incorporates a bit of gothic down-tuned guitars (or perhaps 7-string instruments) with a cinematic vibe … consistently heavy and melodic … thoroughly entertaining … fans of Edenbridge, Magica, and Amberian Dawn have a new band deserving of a place in their collections."
(The Metal Crypt)
➤ "... a beautiful Sympho Metal album in power and prog ... all melodic ... the sublime voice of Noémie enhances the effect as well as the imposing orchestrations of Adrien. All this gives the music a great personality that will appeal to a wide audience ... I advise you not to miss it and to follow the group closely with its significant potential."
(OdyMetal)
➤ "… taucht tiefer als je zuvor in dunkle, mystische Gefilde ein und zeigt HARTLIGHT von einer sehr persönlichen Seite. Heavy-, Progressive-, Power-, Gothic- und Symphonic-Metal verschmelzen hier zu facettenreichen Klangwelten."
(Obliveon)
| Aktion: | HARTLIGHT |
| Titel: | The Triumph Of Metal |
| Basis: | Avignon • France |
| Stil: | Symphonic Metal |
| Genre: | Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal, Melodic Metal, Power Metal |
| FFO: | Therion, Epica, After Forever |
| Typ: | Full-length |
| Format: | CD + Digital |
| Label: | Kvlt und Kaos Productions |
| Distro: | / |
| Release: | 28. Feb. 2025 |
Dieses Album führt alles weiter, was die Band auf dem Vorgängeralbum "As Above, So Below" begonnen hat. Es ist eine Reise durch eine sehr vielfältige Palette von Emotionen und Atmosphären.
Das Album lädt zu einer Reise ein, die von der uralten Weisheit der europäischen Alchemisten über Konzepte wie das Gleichgewicht zwischen Ordnung und Chaos oder die Kraft der Natur bis hin zur Geschichte der Samurai-Frau Tomoe Gozen im abschließenden 11-minütigen epischen Track reicht.
Im Jahr 2022 lasen Noémie und Adrien gemeinsam den Manga "Berserk" und kamen auf die Idee zu einer Power-Metal-EP als Hommage an das Werk von Kentaro Miura. Die EP "From Midland And Beyond" war geboren. Sie wurde im Dezember 2022 über Wormhole Death in digitaler Form veröffentlicht und von Kritikern bereits gut aufgenommen.
2023 ist ein ruhiges Jahr für das Duo, aber sie haben vor, ihr erstes Album zu machen und eine Band zusammenzustellen, um live zu spielen. Im Dezember 2023 veröffentlichen sie eine Hommage-Single an das Spiel 'Lost In Random' mit dem Titel 'Roll The Dice'. Zu dieser Zeit äußert Noémie den Wunsch, dass Adrien Musik für ihre Stimme und auf ihre eigenen Texte komponiert. Sie schreibt auch Texte über persönlichere Themen wie Alchemie, Magie und Instrospektion. Adrien schreibt die Musik für den Song 'As Above, So Below' und die beiden nehmen ihn sogleich auf. Diese neue Dynamik führt zum ersten Album. Es sollte 'As Above, So Below' heißen und ein Konzeptalbum über Alchemie und Magie sein.
Sie beten Adrien Guingal, offizieller Gitarrist der Band zu werden, er sagt zu. Adrien und Noémie komponieren und schreiben das Album innerhalb von zwei Wochen und nehmen es zusammen mit Adrien innerhalb von drei Wochen auf. Zu der Zeit bereitet sich die Band erstmals konkret darauf vor, live zu spielen.
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