Skylark is an Italian

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...

band founded in 1994 by Eddy Antonini and is still active today.

History

Skylark was founded by Eddy Antonini in 1994 with the intent of exploring several musical styles in one project.Eduardo Rivadavia,

Skylark ''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

After adding four members, the group recorded the 1995 album ''The Horizon and the Storm'', the first of a series of yearly releases. From 1996 they released on the Italian label Underground Symphony. The 1997 released ''Dragon's Secrets'' received several positive reviews in metal magazines.Biography
at Tartareandesire.com Antonini also recorded a solo effort, ''When Water Became Ice'', in 1998 in between Skylark releases. In 1999, they released the first of a two album project, ''The Divine Gates''; the second half was released the following year. The group had several of their albums released in Japan, where they found critical success, particularly in the music magazine ''

Burrn! is a monthly Japanese magazine for fans of heavy metal music, published since September 1984. It is the major publication on heavy metal music in the country. As of 2013, it is published by Shinko Music Entertainment in Tokyo. The magazine's c ...

''.Skylark biography
at

MusicMight MusicMight (formerly RockDetector) was a rock music website which provides artist and product information through a global website and an ongoing book series. Based in New Zealand, the site was founded by British writer Garry Sharpe-Young, and was ...

They toured Europe in 2000 playing in Germany and headlined at the Rock Machina 2000 festival in Spain. After 2001's ''The Princess Day'', the group embarked on a world tour, including dates in Japan. The group then went on a short hiatus, returning in 2004 with ''Wings'', featuring

Kiara Laetitia Kiara Laetitia (real name Chiara Letizia Pernigotti - Tortona June 16, 1979) is an Italian-born rock singer and entrepreneur. She now lives in London. Career She is known for being the vocalist in Skylark from 2003 to 2011 and her solo EP ''Fight ...

the new vocalist. After three albums on

Scarlet Records Scarlet Records is an Italian independent record label based in Milan. It is most notable for featuring two side projects from Soilwork front-man Björn "Speed" Strid, as well as bands like Agent Steel, Royal Hunt, Skyclad, Eldritch, Hatespher ...

, they contracted with Underground Symphony again in 2006. In 2007, they continued the ''Divine Gates'' project with a third release "The last gate". In 2007 "The last gate" hit the HMV Japanese Rock and Pop charts at No. 3 only behind

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald (American musician), Hugh McD ...

and

Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of the ...

staying in the Top 50 for several weeks. In January 2008, Skylark played the longest Pan China tour of History for a western band. They played seven headliner shows touching even

Harbin Harbin (; mnc, , v=Halbin; ) is a sub-provincial city and the provincial capital and the largest city of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China, as well as the second largest city by urban population after Shenyang and largest ...

, capital of

Heilongjiang Heilongjiang () formerly romanized as Heilungkiang, is a province in northeast China. The standard one-character abbreviation for the province is (). It was formerly romanized as "Heilungkiang". It is the northernmost and easternmost province ...

, plus one supporting gig with

Nightwish Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Neva ...

and

in Beijing and one supporting gig in Shanghai with

. In May 2008 Skylark played for the first time in the United States and recorded a live DVD of their performance in Phoenix Arizona. This DVD "Divine gates part IV The Live Gate" hit position No. 4 in the HMV Japanese charts only behind

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

and

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

. Skylark as of 2010 played 5 tours in Japan. In 2011

leaves Skylark. The album ''Twilights of Sand'' stayed on the Japanese Amazon rock/metal chart for 30 days, occupying position number one for 10 days and position number two (only behind the new Van Halen release) for another 10 days. ''Twilights of Sand'' also reached the top 100 global chart remaining there for 15 days, reaching its peak at number 12 and ending 32nd in the second week of January (best western act ahead of artists such as Adele and Lady Gaga).

Discography

Albums

*1995 - '' The Horizon & The Storm'' (self production) *1997 - '' Dragon's Secret'' (Underground Symphony, Meldac Japan, Rock Empire Taiwan re-mastered) *1999 - '' Divine Gates part I: Gate of Hell'' (Underground Symphony, Hot Rockin Japan, Magnum Music Taiwan, CD Maximum Russia, Pony Canyon South Korea) *2000 - '' Divine Gates part II: Gate of Heaven'' (Underground Symphony/Pick up/SPV/Metal Blade, Hot Rockin Japan,Magnum Music Taiwan, CD Maximum Russia, Dark Angel Records Thailand tape version, Pony Canyon South Korea) *2002 - '' The Princess' Day'' (Underground Symphony/Pick up, Hot Rockin Japan,Magnum Music Taiwan, CD Maximum Russia, Dark Angel Records Thailand tape version, Pony Canyon South Korea) *2004 - ''

Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expresse ...

'' (Scarlet Records/Audioglobe, Soundholic/Tokuma, Nems Argentina, CD Maximum Russia, Evolution South Korea, Rock Empire Taiwan, Renaissance/Koch Epic re-mastered) *2005 - ''

Fairytales A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful beings. In most cult ...

'' (Scarlet Records/Audioglobe, Soundholic/Tokuma, CD Maximum Russia, Evolution South Korea, Rock Empire Taiwan, Renaissance/Koch Epic) *2007 - '' Divine Gates part III: The Last Gate'' (Underground Symphony/Audioglobe, Soundholic/Tokuma, Renaissance/Koch Epic, Rock Empire Taiwan, Melodic Pia KOrea) *2012 - '' Twilights of Sand'' (Media Factory, Moon Records, Underground Symphony) *2015 - ''

The Storm & The Horizon ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

EPs

*1996 - ''

Waiting for the Princess Waiting, Waitin, Waitin', or The Waiting may refer to: Film * ''Waiting'' (1991 film), a film by Jackie McKimmie * ''Waiting...'' (film), a 2005 film starring Ryan Reynolds * ''Waiting'' (2007 film), a film by Zarina Bhimji * ''Waiting'' (20 ...

'' *1999 - '' Belzebù''

Compilation

*1998 - '' After the Storm'' (Underground Symphony) *2005 - ''

In the Heart of the Princess IN, In or in may refer to: Places * India (country code IN) * Indiana, United States (postal code IN) * Ingolstadt, Germany (license plate code IN) * In, Russia, a town in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast Businesses and organizations * Indepen ...

'' (doppio CD, Scarlet Records/Audioglobe, Soundholic/Tokuma, Evolution South Korea) *2013 - '' Divine Gates Part V Chapter I: The Road To The Light'' (Compilation)

Live

* 2009 - '' Divine Gates part IV: the Live Gate'' (Underground Symphony, Soundholic/First, Renaissance/Koch Epic)

Line-up

Current members

* Roberto "Brodo" Potenti -

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

Guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

* Eddy Antonini -

keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...

Former members

* Ashley Watson -

vocals Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

* Fabio Dozzo -

backing vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are use ...

* Nico Tordini -

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

* Carlos Cantatore -

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

* Francesco Meles -

* Federico Ria -

Drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

* Fabrizio "Pota" Romani

Guitars The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

References

External links

Skylark Official Site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skylark Italian power metal musical groups Musical groups established in 1994 Scarlet Records artists