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Edge Of Forever: Native Soul
Edge Of Forever - Native Soul Album Art Work

Edge Of Forever: Native Soul

Melodic Metal Rock
5.0/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 30.11.2019 | Released: 06.12.2019

We all know Alessandro Del Vecchio as an accomplished and prolific singer, songwriter, keyboard player, and producer. As a musician, and especially as a producer, he's been a part of the Frontiers Music team for nearly a decade. Del Vecchio has been behind the success of such bands as Hardline, Revolution Saints, The End Machine, Jorn, and too many more to mention here.

Edge Of Forever - Click For Larger Image

Edge Of Forever

But did you know he has his own band? Yep. Edge Of Forever was created by the artist in 2002, with three albums to their credit, the last, Another Paradise, released nearly ten years ago. Now Del Vecchio reboots his band with original bass player Nik Massucconi (Labyrinth) and new players, guitarist Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere) and drummer Marco Di Salvia (Hardline) for their fourth album, Native Soul.

While that was a long introduction, the music of Edge Of Forever requires a lesser explanation, or not. Essentially, Del Vecchio and crew play classic melodic hard rock with a metal edge wrapped in AOR accessibility. And that's how I would have described the previous album. But today's album, Native Soul, seems a bit heavier and edgier, more metalish. I'm hearing this from the sharper guitar riffs and heavier rhythm section. But the essentials of melody, vocal harmony, and catchy refrains are never neglected in song composition. Wherein we could rewrite that earlier sentence to: melodic metal with a hard rock groove wrapped in AOR accessibility.

Having said those things, Edge Of Forever throws you a curve ball right at the start with Three Rivers, essentially a four part vocal harmony, a cappella song. But then the band rips into the title cut, Native Soul, a guitar-fiery metal rocker. More hard and heavy melodic rockers come with Take Your Time, War, and the faster Carry On with its synth and riff opening. I Made Myself What I Am, another metalish rocker turns on a terrific Di Salvia drum line, wrapped in riffs and fine vocal harmony. At the midpoint when the guitar solo fires up, Del Vecchio drops in with a tandem Hammond organ solo. Sweet. If you're thinking Native Soul should come with a ballad, you would be correct. Shine is a fine anthemic AOR ballad featuring voice over piano before rising with riffs and drums, and then concluding with the necessary soaring guitar solo. In the end, it's enough to say: Edge Of Forever's Native Soul is an album of entertaining and premium AOR melodic metal rock. Get it. Quite recommended.


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The Bottom Line

It's enough to say: Edge Of Forever's Native Soul is an album of entertaining and premium AOR melodic metal rock. Get it. Quite recommended.

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