At the very first “Last Days of Eden” sounds as 1983’s Yes “90125” with its reoriented arena prog rock. First and opening track “Wake up” has this wondrous taste and gets even more tasteful the longer you go in the listening. In fact, though it doesn’t appear to be so, “Last Days of Eden” is an album to be listened with total calm and free mind. The kind of album that reveals itself track by track. The chocolate box of Forrest Gump, if you ask me. It’s complex and so overwhelming that it makes the fan has the will of a non-stop listening.
There is one funny thing about having a great deal of experience in Metal music acquired by having heard tons of albums and bands. That is the memory. I mean, I can remember and compare songs easily meaning that if I listen a riff or a lick that I’ve heard before I’ll know. Well, easily noted by the way I started this review. That happens again with the following track “…and the Truth Will Set You Free” whose riff reminds a lot Scorpions’ “Can’t Live Without You.” Is that a problem? No, not at all. Only if you don’t like Scorpions which would a shame… hahahahahahaha Seriously, it happens. There are tons of examples in the world of music.
The impression that “Last Days of Eden” leaves in me is of an album that has many musical references and citations, and those are exactly the most tasteful thing of it. Third track, for instance, “We All Fall Apart” in the very first beginning reminds Judas Priest “Better By You, Better Than Me,” but it changes a lot then. It’s a natural thing, Metal music has about 50 years of existence and the references are strong. What Sole Syndicate did was to put them all in cauldron and mix everything together to build the album. That’s their contribution. But the golden moment is reached with “We Came to Rock” with its remarkable and simple guitar riff and the slow, but mesmerizing cadence. To my taste the most remarkable song of the album.
Sole Syndicate “Last Days of Eden” is a great example of a modern effort that tries at the same time to be accessible and complex. The grip in it is heavy though with some sugar.
Sole Syndicate was released on November 20th via Scarlet Records.
Track Listing:
- Wake up
- …and the Truth Will Set You Free
- We All Fall Apart
- Glory Days
- We Came to Rock
- Brothers
- Pain Is Only an Illusion
- Have You Heard It All Before
- Bring Us a Hero
- When Darkness Calls
Watch “…and the Truth Will Set You Free” official video here:
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I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!