(Progressive Power Metal) Edgend - A New Identity - 2009, FLAC (image+.cue+scans) lossless

REM GENRE Metal
REM DATE 2009
REM DISCID 7A0E390B
REM COMMENT "ExactAudioCopy v0.99pb5"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
TITLE "A New Identity"
FILE "Edgend - A New Identity.flac" WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
TITLE "Into The Equation: A Mask Without Identity"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 01 00:00:00
TRACK 02 AUDIO
TITLE "Internal Fire"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 01 01:58:02
TRACK 03 AUDIO
TITLE "My Oath"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 08:41:43
INDEX 01 08:42:43
TRACK 04 AUDIO
TITLE "Acts Of Disgrace"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 12:57:35
INDEX 01 12:58:65
TRACK 05 AUDIO
TITLE "Revelation"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 16:44:35
INDEX 01 16:46:35
TRACK 06 AUDIO
TITLE "A Chosen Truth"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 24:30:35
INDEX 01 24:32:35
TRACK 07 AUDIO
TITLE "The Pain"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 31:48:74
INDEX 01 31:50:74
TRACK 08 AUDIO
TITLE "Winds From The Abyss"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 38:09:59
INDEX 01 38:11:59
TRACK 09 AUDIO
TITLE "Balance"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 42:49:50
INDEX 01 42:50:50
TRACK 10 AUDIO
TITLE "Voices"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 00 52:00:73
INDEX 01 52:02:73
TRACK 11 AUDIO
TITLE "Out Of The Equation: A New Identity"
PERFORMER "Edgend"
INDEX 01 58:30:73

AUDIOCHECKER v2.0 beta (build 457) - by Dester - opdester@freemail.hu
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Finished at: понедельник, 13. 09. 2010. - 17:33.49 (operation time: 0:11.03)

EDGEND is the first Israeli band that has ever reached my ears, and I just now discovered that I've been saying their name wrong (for whatever reason, I was saying it “Ed-Gend” rather than “Edge-end”, which really makes more sense once I think about it). Pronunciation aside, I would classify this band only loosely as Power Metal, as their music is predominantly of the Progressive persuasion. The exception to this being the very first and last tracks, which are simply short, symphonic arrangements that hold the mass of metal in the middle from spilling out all over the place.
Lines have been drawn to all sorts of Progressive bands from this album, and I recognize more than a few of them in the music. I don't identify them strongly with any particular band, but the seventh track, “A Chosen Truth” reminds me strongly of DREAM THEATER for reasons that I cannot wholly explain. Something that they do have in common with all the Progressive greats is the complete tightness of their compositions. Everything is in sync and every song tight and perfectly executed. This is nothing short of an excellent debut release, and anyone who says otherwise quite simply hasn't heard enough other debut albums.
While the guitar provides the majority of the punch on this album, with a lot of low, minor key melodies and rhythms, the keyboard has a myriad of feature points. On more than one track, the band uses a full upright piano (or simulator thereof) to contribute some of the more memorable and serene points of the album. One slight drawback to this album is the relatively (emphasis on this word) unimpressive solo work in comparison to a number of other bands in EDGEND's field. Though with the wankery that occurs in a great number of Progressive Metal bands, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. While there are some extended instrumental passages, EDGEND never gets into the lengthy and occasionally tiresome passages that represent some of SYMPHONY X and DREAM THEATER's catalogs.

I have some mixed feelings about the vocals here. On some songs (“Internal Fire”, “The Pain”, and “My Oath”) I find Rami Salmon a brilliant and original vocalist, singing some great lines and sharing in the general overall excellence of the overall sound, while others (“Acts of Disgrace” and “Voices”) remind me of something a little more trite. They are also the only element of the music that doesn't seems to me to have a little bit of Middle-Eastern flavor mixed in. While it's hard to pinpoint, there are moments in the music where I snap my fingers and experience something wholly new. I fully believe that this is because EDGEND hails from a nation (and a region, for that matter) that doesn't exactly crank out metal bands. I don't know if it's a slight variation in their compositions, chord structures, melodic lines, or a combination of all three of these and more, but this small, elusive part of EDGEND's music is going to be what continues to set them apart from their contemporaries and keep their music exciting and original.
“A New Identity” is, without question, a high quality metal album, and well worth your time and money, especially if you're looking to discover something fresh and new from the far (or not so far) side of the globe!

EDGEND began its activity in 2005 as a heavy power metal band with a neo classical touch and symphonic composing. The name 'EDGEND' is a combination between the words Edge End meaning the sharpest point of the blade. At the end of 2006 we've recorded a demo titled 'Attached by Insanity' with our former vocalist Eran Goldstein who wrote the lyrics for Voices & Balance and participated in composing Voices. a year later we had the honor to do an opening act for the progressive metal band EVERGREY that was performing in Tel Aviv. in that show Rami Salmon made his first appearance with us. he later joined EDGEND's line upand added a new dimension to the sound in many aspects. In the year of 2008 we've started working on the 'A New Identity' album which led us to contact Kevin Codfert and sent him some samples. he liked our material and agreed to produce it. Kevin is a great musician and talented piano keyboard player. With his experience in producing 2 albums of ADAGIO and other bands such as VENTURIA, MYRATH, made him definitely the perfect choice for us. Maor Appelbaum who mastered albums of Yngwie Malmsteen, Rob Halford and David Eleffson (ex MEGADETH) made a great work here too. the excellent art work was made by Sven de Caluwé. the album is now available by Nightmare Records worldwide.

Rami Salmon - Vocals (Stella Maris, Metal Scent)
Sharon Halachmi - Guitar
Ben Metal - Bass
David Ezuz - Keyboards
Assaf Rosenberg - Drums