Edge of Sanity

I like it - but I fail to see the superior quality that others
see in this album. Maybe I need to listen to it some more, but
I think that it's quite boring in some passages, and even in
its good moments it's outshined by other key albums of the
genre.

Although I do not understand why many Swanoheads consider this to be the best album by Edge Of Sanity , I have to admit this is a great experience. Compared to its successor, Crimson , released two years after, this is a weaker effort lyrically, technically and conceptually.

I really enjoy this album, but its progressiveness, honestly speaking, is rather questionable. Besides the synth in the first track, which, in my point of view, is the only progressive song here, the album is just a great Death Metal record in the style of Dark Tranquility . The riffs and melodies are written incredibly well, the choruses are very catchy, and Dan's growling vocals are much better than on any of the previous releases. I know this isn't an aspect to attract Progressive Rock fans towards this album, but the extreme vocals are quite possibly the greatest done in the genre. Dan also sings on three tracks - Twilight , Blood-Coloured and Black Tears . For the people unfamiliar with the Swedish mastermind: Dan Swano's clean singing sounds a lot like David Coverdale, who seems to be a common influence even among the manliest metal musicians of Sweden.

Joking aside, the tracks here vary from 'excellent' to 'average'. The highest point of the album is the very first track, Twlight , with its beautiful and, later, hauntingly mysterious synth parts and clean vocals, amazing melodies and the mighty chorus. Of Darksome Origin is a riff-based song, with a dark atmosphere and Black Metal vocals. ... -> show full review