Alessandro Del Vecchio has probably become the mascot of Frontiers today: in recent years, not a single melodic hard rock album has been released without the Italian's participation in the cast. However, this composer, producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist cherishes a band that is particularly important to him, Edge Of Forever ("his island", he confides). Founded in 2002, this combo, today totally made up of transalpine members, offers us at the beginning of this year its fourth effort, a "Seminole" which, considering its title and its cover, seems to be composed under the sign of the Amerindian culture that fascinates the musician.
This one took care of the writing of the nine titles composing this opus. Only the eponymous track, a convoluted piece of eleven minutes, is the result of a partnership with the drummer Marco Di Salvia (Hardline). Del Vecchio has also taken on vocals, keyboards and production, leaving his beloved guitars to Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere), and entrusting the bass to Nik Mazzuccon (Labyrinth). He is thus fully involved in the conception of songs telling stories intended to convince men to face adversity, to finally realize their dreams. "Seminole" explores the reconstruction of an Indian warrior after a defeat.
The album offers a powerful hard rock with obvious melodic will. From one track to the other, we cross the road of Rainbow, notably on the keyboards and the solo of 'The Other Side Of Pain' but also on 'Wrong Dimension' which plays it like 'Gates Of Babylon' with its Arabian melodies. The bass playing is huge and the six-string solo once again worthy of the man in black. The verses of 'Made It Through' bring back to Black Sabbath in the slow and calm approach while the eponymous title in four parts offers a varied architecture: the first and the last acoustic part evoke Kansas while the second reminds us Scorpions on its riff, is adorned with a typical hard FM chorus and ends with a Dantesque solo.
Edge Of Forever hits the bull's eye with this thoughtful, sincere and skillfully constructed production because it is particularly balanced. Alessandro Del Vecchio's followers will not miss this opus that is so close to his heart. It's even possible that "Seminole" will convince those who previously thought of him as just a guest star on Frontiers' productions.