FICTION EDGE 1 (ASCENT)

It must be rather challenging to start a rock band in Portugal. And the merit of "Forgotten Suns" is only reinforced by this.

Strangely enough, the opening track featured some spoken lyrics in .French which plunges the listener into the very start of the creation. But you could also say that it sounds as the end of the world. Scary and dark.

The band has shifted through neo to eclectic to finally end up in the "heavy-prog" genre on PA. The band openly speak about metal influence on their web-site (which is closer to reality). So, it's up to you to decide...

This album is a concept one about the creation and development of our planet and is mostly instrumental. It flirts between metal ("Creation Point"), spacey ("Nature") and even light music ("Child" illustrating "birth").

Since it is a conceptual work, there are several short transition tracks which are not really captivating. The album almost starts with "Wartime". One can appreciated the passion in the voice of "Linx" (their lead vocalist) but this number sounds a bit chaotic, difficult to follow.

The central piece of this album is the twenty-one minutes epic: "A Journey". This complex number has definite reminiscence with "Dream Theater" ("A Change Of Seasons") but not only. The extensive use of keyboards convey a true prog sense to their music. But the mood is not on the joyful side. The atmosphere is rather dark and pessimistic.

I think that it is difficult for an almost instrumental record to illustrate such a wide concept as the creation of Mother Earth. There are so many great ideas that could have been developed lyrics-wise than I am somewhat disillusioned with "Fiction Edge".

This epic sounds directionless and can't really captivate myself during the whole of its length. It sounds a bit as a long track for the purpose of making it long. The final part of the song having been used several times already (mixing famous phrases like "I Had a dream" or "It's a small step for man but a giant leap for mankind" etc.

The best track from this offering is "Routine". Some "Marillion" flavours but more than anything very emotive vocals are probably the ingredients that were necessary to get a highlight on this album. And it is really day and night with the rest of the songs. The most delicate piece of music by far.

The same Marillion influence can be heard in the closing number Betrayed. The guitar solo is particularly well crafted. Of course, if the whole album would have sounded like the last numbers I would have rated higher but the band could have been acused of being just another Marillion. Difficult choice...

Two stars because even if the musicians are very good, it lacks in great numbers (only two actually).

Now I don´t want to come down too hard on this album, but there are things here that just turns me off instantly. Forgotten Suns play progressive metal/ heavy rock with lots of keyboards. This is the typical concept for most progressive bands and there is nothing wrong with that. What is wrong is the fact that this is more heavy rock with irritating keyboard inteludes than progressive metal. The singer is a typical south european heavy rock vocalist. He sings with an accent that I thought was german at first but it turns out the band is from Portugal. I am not surprised.

I have really tried to find things that could pull this up but the production isn´t very good and the band plays pretty standard stuff too. So nothing can really save this from oblivion. This is definitely below what I call average and proves once again the most south european metal bands are below standard even though there examples that prove me wrong. Rhapsody of Fire comes to mind.

I guess my personal opinion would be 1 star here but looking past my obvious discontempt with this music, I have to admit that the quality is for 2 stars. Some might find this more exciting than me, but I can´t even bring myself to say this is average stuff. Not recommendable.