Edge of Thorns Review
| Band | |
|---|---|
| Album |  Edge of Thorns |
| Type | Album (Studio full-length) |
| Released | April 2, 1993 |
| Genres | Progressive Metal, Heavy Metal |
| Labels | Atlantic |
| Length | 53:59 |
| Ranked | #37 for 1993 , #1,849 all-time |
Album rating : 85.2 / 100
Votes : 27 (8 reviews)
Votes : 27 (8 reviews)
February 9, 2022
Savatage is one of those bands that has quite a few albums in competition for their magnum opus, and depending on some, Edge of Thorns is that album. The most prominent difference here is that Zachary Stevens replaces Jon Oliva on vocals, though Oliva was still heavily involved in writing. Zachary has a more refined vocal style; it’s smoother and more operatic, and dare I say accessible. This reviewer prefers Jon’s poignant delivery and passion, but Zachary is certainly no detriment to the band.
Otherwise, the album is a pretty balanced package, a culmination of the styles they’ve developed on the past 3 albums. It’s lush with piano, and features a strong variety of riff driven rockers, beautiful ballads and effective instrumentals. Unfortunately the first 2 tracks are the strongest, which is a pet peeve of mine. Monstrous openers showcase precisely Savatage utilizing their melodic ballad-meets-metal style (Edge of Thorns) and classic riff writing prowess (He Carves His Stone), but it never meets those heights again. Thankfully, there aren’t any bad tracks, and the album is class quality front to back.
Otherwise, the album is a pretty balanced package, a culmination of the styles they’ve developed on the past 3 albums. It’s lush with piano, and features a strong variety of riff driven rockers, beautiful ballads and effective instrumentals. Unfortunately the first 2 tracks are the strongest, which is a pet peeve of mine. Monstrous openers showcase precisely Savatage utilizing their melodic ballad-meets-metal style (Edge of Thorns) and classic riff writing prowess (He Carves His Stone), but it never meets those heights again. Thankfully, there aren’t any bad tracks, and the album is class quality front to back.
2 likes
Track listing (Songs)
| title | rating | votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Edge of Thorns | 5:56 | 94 | 12 |
| 2. | He Carves His Stone | 4:11 | 90 | 7 |
| 3. | Lights Out | 3:12 | 85.8 | 6 |
| 4. | Skraggy's Tomb | 4:23 | 83 | 5 |
| 5. | Labyrinths | 1:30 | 82 | 5 |
| 6. | Follow Me | 5:12 | 85 | 5 |
| 7. | Exit Music | 3:10 | 79 | 5 |
| 8. | Degrees of Sanity | 4:37 | 83 | 5 |
| 9. | Conversation Piece | 4:11 | 82 | 5 |
| 10. | All That I Bleed | 4:40 | 90.8 | 6 |
| 11. | Damien | 3:56 | 83 | 5 |
| 12. | Miles Away | 5:07 | 86.7 | 6 |
| 13. | Sleep | 3:52 | 87 | 5 |
Line-up (members)
- Zachary Stevens : Vocals
- Criss Oliva : Guitars
- Johnny Lee Middleton : Bass
- Steve Wacholz : Drums
- Guest:
- Jon Oliva : Piano & Keyboards
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