Deafening Silence - Edge Of Life
Brennus Music
Power Metal
10 songs (48'48)
Release year: 2003
Brennus Music
Reviewed by Crims

Edge Of Life is the new CD from HammerFall, oops, I mean Deafening Silence. Bad jokes aside, if there ever was a HammerFall clone Deafening Silence would be it. These guys from France play the exact same style of True Metal, as some might call it (it’s all Power Metal to me), which is firmly rooted in the 80’s school of Power and Speed Metal which focuses on riffs, melodic leads, and soaring vocals. If this is the type of Metal you like, Edge Of Life might be for you; read on.

Edge Of Life begins with a song called Deafening Silence, of all things, and it’s actually very similar to The Dragon Lies Bleeding by HammerFall in overall structure, tempo, and style of riffs and leads. This can be said for almost every song as you can hear one or two HammerFall songs in every track. So you have the fast songs full of double bass and sing-along choruses, you have the slower guitar oriented songs, and of course the progressive “epic” song to finish off the CD. Along with the obvious HammerFall influence some vocal melodies and chorus styles can be noted to be similar to Keepers era Helloween and the vocalist does sound a little bit Kiske at times, due to phrasing and a high-end range that emulates the classic Helloween singer. This traditional Helloween sound in the band is basically the only thing that really separates Deafening Silence and HammerFall, that and I don’t think the guitarists wear a cape, haha.

For what Edge Of Life does it does well despite being unoriginal. The style of leads and riffs, along with the production are very 80’s. If you didn’t know this was a new CD while listening to it you might think it was a lost gem from the 80’s, lost in the shuffle of European Power and Speed Metal bands. The bass is upfront and the songs are built around the riffs and melodic leads, and not keyboards and palm-muted speed-run riffs, which are only there to accentuate the vocals. And for that I really like this CD because personally I love the 80’s style of Power Metal and it can clearly be heard on Edge Of Life, and the production really helps that nostalgia feeling. There is also no shortages of sing along choruses either as every song has a well-done chorus, some better than others, but some of the better one’s come close to some of the best HammerFall choruses. Back up vocals are also used on the choruses though they aren’t as upfront in the mix as they perhaps should be.

If you don’t like 80’s Metal or HammerFall, then stay very far away from this CD because you’ll probably hate it. However, if you can’t get enough of the above-mentioned bands or styles this CD will serve you well, if only temporarily. There are a handful of songs that you’ll want to keep coming back to while others, especially near the end of the track listing become a little more forgettable. Regardless of the unoriginality, though, the bass work, leads, and riffs are competently executed and this type of Metal is just plain fun to listen to; you don’t have to think, you just have to enjoy it.

Killing Songs :
Deafening Silence, The Black Swansong, Edge Of Life, Northern Star, Save My Soul
Crims quoted 76 / 100
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