Black Knight - 'Tales From The Darkside'
                                                                                                                Released on Aeon Records in 2000
THE BAND:
Pieter Bas Borger -vocals
Gertjam Vis - guitars
Richard Tseng - guitars
Hans Heider - bass
Rudo Plooy - drums

 TRACK FRAGMENTS:
1.) "Story of the Day" -The highlight of this intro was the key change. The vocal style and arrangements are a lot like vintage Iron Maiden.
2.) "Beware of the Blind" -This track's intro has a vintage eighties lead scale. Through the verse you can hear a couple vocal overdubs, which it seems just about everyone is doing these days. There are several cool lead scales throughout the song. After a very eighty's arranged solo there is a small rhythm change that is a lot like older Rush stuff.
3.) "Irish Boy" -From the opening note you can tell this is not going to an Old Irish folk song. From the intro you kind of expect a pretty straightforward metal song. But after a blistering intro the band really pulls back to a very clean melodic guitar arrangement. There is an amplified acoustic section that is pretty cool. The music arrangement within this song is some of the best I have ever heard.
4.) "Excavated" - The intro to this track has a very heavy bass line. The lyric arrangement has a lot of hooks and is very easy to remember. The band really pulls back on the first half of the guitar solo then intensify it a little on the second half.
5.) "Rival" -This track opens with a very classic metal rhythm section with modern lead scales. At times the vocals re of a Geoff Tate arrangement and style. The first twin guitar solo was blistering, sounding like a bunch of angry bees. There is a minor solo type breakdown towards the end of the song.
6.) "A Tale From the Darkside" -This track opens with a clean electric rhythm along with a lead scale. At times the vocal arrangement and style sound like Religious hymns. The band really kicks the song in after the pre-verse. Musically after the kick in the song takes a vintage Iron Maiden sound. The song also has some great drum work on it.
7.) "Profound" - This track opens with a very simple picking pattern on guitar with a lead scale. Lyrically the first is very religious sounding. When the song kicks in the really up the tempo Once again there is some great drum work. The solo is real laid back and echoed.
8.) "Pay for Black Knight" -This intro kicks of with classic metal guitars and heavy drums. The song has a few drastic rhythm changes within it. The song in whole is sort of a cross between Rainbow and Iron Maiden.
9.) "Warrior"- This track kicks off with a very melodic lead scale. Once again the main rhythm is of a very classic metal style. Also in this on just like the last there are several rhythm changes. There is a very melodic solo and breakdown section. The first half of the solo is very classical based.

      I never really was that much into Iron Maiden and groups like that. So it was a little hard for me to really get into this. But it is a very good release musically and vocally, and I think anyone who is into bands like Iron Maiden will really like Black Knight.