Twilight - The Edge


Year of Release: 2000
Label: Lucretia Records
Catalog Number: AR-006-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 44:29:00

Twilight is the brainchild of Danish keyboard-player Finn Zierler. He tried to find musicians for his melodic metal band in Denmark. This proved to be a difficult task. He moved his search to Sweden, where he found luck. This all happened about ten years ago. The band traveled back to Denmark and recorded their first demo, The Edge (1992). The demo sold an amazing 2000 copies and secured them a deal with Warner / Chappell Music Denmark.

I don't usually review demos as proper releases, but since this IS a re-release I will. This "new" release features a re-mastered version of the original demo and an 11?minute bonus track called "The Black Manifest," which was written in between the recording of The Edge and it's follow up Eye For An Eye. The actual music can be described as melodic power metal with a slight (very small in fact) progressive touch. The style is typical for the Scandinavian metal in those days, when the Swedish bands like Tad Morose, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Glory were popular. The Edge sounds a lot like Tad Morose's "Sender Of Thoughts." Each song has strong vocal lines, Anders Engberg has no problem reaching the high pitch notes, staccato guitar-playing with Malmsteen inspired solos are played as they should and the strong presence of Finn Zierler's keyboards are always there.

I find the drumming very boring, there is not much variation here. Two different drummers have recorded on this CD, but it's hard to tell them apart. The drum sound is terrible on the first 6 tracks, it sounds like they were programmed on a keyboard (I don't think that they are though). The producer has put on thick reverb and gate effects that totally ruin the punch and clarity of the drum kit. It's a bit of a shame really. Luckily enough the last track, "The Black Manifesto" is far better. This is not that strange, most bands progress and get better. The track was recorded a couple of years after the first 6 tracks.

I really like this song, great melodies, cool guitar playing and theatrical keyboards. The main melody line in the beginning sounds very familiar, I could swear that I've heard something similar on another occasion. The vocals on this track are the spoken words of a storyteller - it's basically an instrumental. More progressive than before, lots of twists and turns, 11 minutes of atmospheric-soundtrack-like glory. I look forward to hearing their next endeavour.

Twilight are solid musicians that deliver the goods. It's not the most original metal I've heard, but it's difficult to invent new, ground breaking music. Fans of true melodic metal will appreciate this release, especially if you like the main stream Swedish style from the early 90s.

Be your own judge.

Originally released in 1992 by Zierler Records, reissued in 1999 by Warner / Chappell Music Denmark

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site; Twilight became Beyond Twilight -ed.]


Tracklisting:
Far Beyond The Edge Of Sanity / Blacklight / Salem / Struck By Destiny / Twilight / The Nightmare / Black Manifest

Musicians:
Finn Zierler - keyboards and backing vocals
Anders Engberg - vocals
Micke D?rth - guitar and bass
Janne Johansson - lead guitar
Nicklas Landin - drums

Discography:
The Edge (1992/1999/2000)
'Sail Away' (maxi cd) (1994)
An Eye For An Eye (1994/1995/2000)
Beyond Twilight - Lurking Fantasia (promo) (rec. 1996/rel. 1999)
Beyond Twilight - The Devil's Hall Of Fame (2001)
Beyond Twilight - Section X (2005)
Beyond Twilight - FOr The Love Of Art And The Making (2006)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin FI

Added: January 31st 2005
Reviewer: Dylan
Score:
Artist website: www.beyondtwilight.com
Hits: 3132
Language: english

  

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