Edge of Sanity - The Spectral Sorrows

After two semi-standard releases, Edge of Sanity proceed to show the metal world just what they're made of. Sporting an intensely thick sound which just dominates, The Spectral Sorrows takes the "Sunlight Sound" to new levels. Some thrash remains, but more emphasis is placed on melody, allowing songs to stand out easier, and providing more lines to hum along to. This pile of crusty genius does start to blend together after a few tracks, and that's exactly why we get two tracks from left field. Inserting an excellent cover of Manowar's Blood of My Enemies at slot 6 is a good change, also allowing Swan? the chance to show off his clean vocals. Back to the grind for a while, but then Sacrificed (which sounds like a cover, it's so different from the rest of the album) pops in, a quasi-electric dance number reminiscent of the "alternative" 80's. Good stuff. The band is also in top form, with guitar upon bass upon guitar layered like flapjacks, all driven by Benny Larsson's precision percussion. I have total respect for this guy, since you only notice that he doesn't use double bass when he does throw in a db phrase in "Across the Fields of Torment". The beginning of great things for this institutional metal band, whose stunning creativity would also be the cause of their ultimate split. A worthy beginning to Purgatory Afterglow.