The term Progressive Metal can mean different things in our music, but with Ocean’s Edge we are talking about the classic Progressive Metal style initiated by the likes of Dream Theater, Fates Warning etc, then taken forward towards the Millennium and beyond by bands such as Symphony X, Enchant, Shadow Gallery and the like. Whilst these better known American bands were prominent in the genre, there was a healthy crop of European bands emerging around the same time with their own take on Progressive Metal – Threshold for instance gave the genre a British flavour, Pain Of Salvation took it in a more experimental direction, Time Machine gave it a little Italian flair and Dreamscape mixed in some German Metal melodies.
The point I was grasping for there was that bands from different European countries have their own take on the genre, but I don’t remember a particularly memorable Progressive Metal band from Greece. I’m sure there were plenty but few managed to make a particular international impact, so step forward Greece’s very own Ocean’s Edge with their impressive debut offering, who will be looking to put that right. Given the wealth of Progressive Metal that’s gone before them, it’s great to hear that Ocean’s Edge have approached things with intelligence, complexity and melody. Yes, this accomplished five-piece have elements of bands like Symphony X, Dreamscape, Enchant and Time Machine, but this was bound to happen if the members are a fan of the genre. What they also have is an approach that blends their influences with a good dose of their own identity.
The production is clear and precise to match the music, with all musicians proving their ample abilities throughout and every band member gets a chance to shine through in every track thanks to the intelligent song-writing. The vocals stay within the mid-range, which helps them sit within the music and be an integral part of the songs rather than an afterthought for technically minded musicians as can sometimes happen in Progressive Metal. The songs are very well crafted and arranged, they shift moods and tempos as they should and keep you guessing throughout, but they never descend into over-complication for the sake of it, choosing to rely as much on memorable musical and vocal melodies rather than an endless display of technical prowess. This gives Ocean’s Edge the chance to appeal to Melodic Heavy Metal fans and even followers of Symphonic/Melodic Power Metal. However there’s more than enough classic choppy Prog to please die-hard genre fans immensely. This is undeniably an impressive first offering from this talented new band and who knows what the future might hold if a label like Inside Out put their weight behind them.
(8/10 Andy Barker)
Leave a Reply