With the new EDGE OF THE BLADE 2023 album it’s a good opportunity to feature the band’s second album reissued by Lions Pride Music with 3 additional bonus tracks.
Featuring the talents of Alan Kelly (ex SHY) and John Francis (ex AFTER HOURS) you can resume EDGE OF THE BLADE’s style & sound taking as reference their previous bands and all the 80s British Melodic Rock / AOR movement.
While their debut album was pretty melodic hard rock oriented, ”Feels Like Home [Lions Pride Music reissue +3]” resulted a pretty different beast. When we say ‘beast’ suppose we should say ‘pussycat’; the fluffiest Persian pussycat you can imagine. Yeah, ”Feels Like Home” takes the AOR waves of members previous bands and add an overall smoothness.
Indeed, the guys have adopted here an amalgam of Bristish sounds akin SHY, TOBRUK, etc, with JOURNEY, FOREIGNER and SURVIVOR with interspersed DEF LEPPARD harmonies and lush production thrown in for good measure.
The bonus tracks are songs written by Judithe & Robin Randall, previously recorded by Mark Free, and EDGE OF THE BLADE give ’em their own contemporary AOR spin.
John Francis has a stupendous voice perfect for AOR melodies, which definitely gives the band a bit of identity among dozens of AOR projects with a similar style. His very perfect-pitch raspy vocal tone is very appealing but also somewhat piercing when he goes for the high notes.
The musicianship of the band is excellent and it is immediately obvious that they have a wealth of experience given the ease with which they perform and the slickness of their delivery.
You are instantly put in mind of the melodic rock / AOR masters when you hear this album as there is a distinct Foreigner and Journey sound to it but delivered with British directness that bands like Ten and Dare brought to the genre.
Highly Recommended
01 – Santa Carla
02 – Lonely Life
03 – Falling for You
04 – Feels Like Home
05 – Don’t Leave Me Now
06 – Yes, It Hurts
07 – Never Needed Love
08 – End Well
09 – I’m Ok
10 – Worth Fighting For
BONUS TRACKS:
11 – State of Love
12 – Never Be a Next Time
13 – The Last Time
John Francis (Ex After Hours) – Lead & Backing Vocals
Alan Kelly (ex Shy) – All instruments & Backing Vocals
Catherine Francis – Backing Vocals (“Santa Carla”)
Danny Beardsley – Additional Guitar Solos
EDGE OF THE BLADE – Feels Like Home [Lions Pride Music reissue +3 bonus] (2021) , MP3+FLAC
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