THE EDGE

I think this record is a model to follow in the melodic progressive metal genre! It has been a long time since I've not been listening to a very good prog metal album like that! I remember the album Superior -Behind. Behind, being excellent, is more metal than progressive: the rhythmic guitar, although having an outstanding perfect razor sound, is more monolithic than here. Many prog metal artists do not exploit enough the progressive side, so that if the guitarists are not comparable to Glen Tipton or Dave Murray, then the overall music is less interesting. Actually, this Eternity X album has this rare perfect balance between progressive and metal elements! The progressive textures will certainly move you, because this album is very emotional! Women should like this jewel!

The lead singer often has a highly pitched voice a bit like Geoff Tate from Queensryche. The keyboards and the guitars sound a bit like Dream Theater circa "Images & words". The musicians are just slightly less virtuosos than the Dream Theater members: the music is just a bit less loaded, more atmospheric, and the emotions involved are very palpable: I would say more than on Dream Theater's "Images & words"! There are omnipresent excellent piano parts, and the lead singer is VERY emotional, varied & theatrical. I do not recommend to turn the volume too loud, so that the excellent razor guitar does not kill all the background subtleties and ambiences, provided by subtly floating keyboards, ear candy melodic & modern keyboards and guitar sounds effects.

The first time I've heard the "The Edge part 3" track, I've almost fell under my chair: it pretty sounds like Simple Minds' the "New gold dream" album! Some prog ambiences remind me Iluvatar, like on "Confession" and "Day in Verse". "Imaginarium" and "Rejection" has heroic choir-like background keyboards, a bit like on the early Manowar albums! The tracks can be very catchy, like "Fly away", and there are many very melodic guitar solos. Finally, let's add that all the tracks are at least very good!

Rating: 4.5 stars