EDGE OF FOREVER – Ritual

The previous output by this group, namely Seminole from last year, was a fantastic and cohesive slice of epic melodic metal that ticked a lot of the right boxes for me, and this latest LP of theirs is just as vital-sounding and catchy as its predecessor was. These gents have some serious musical chops and the production packs plenty of punch while maintaining the perfect balance between crunch and clarity. Alessandro Del Vecchio is the in-house songwriter and instrumentalist at Frontiers Records, and the quality of his work ebbs and flows a bit, which is understandable considering the amount of songs and albums he writes and appears on each year, but Edge of Forever seems to be the thing that is closest to his heart – this is clearly reflected in the highly engaging vocal melodies, the electrifying riffs, and the big, beefy choruses. With hooks and atmosphere in spades, this is a cracking good and enjoyable listen where ‘The Last One’, ‘Forever’s Unfolding’, and the fast-paced ‘Freeing My Will’ serve as the standout moments. Not every tune is a winner but there are bucketloads of juicy stuff to sink your teeth into here and I applaud the upwards creative trajectory of this outfit and the heartfelt desires they seem to pour into their compositions.