Edge Of The Blade were a new name to me, with a new album that again was a bit of a mystery until the band members names struck an immediate chord, featuring former SHY drummer Alan Kelly and John Francis (After Hours) who was briefly the vocalist for SHY interest was peaked. The band is the idea of Engineer and Guitarist John Chick (who has also produced the album) and from here at least it’s been a very good idea.

This is a Melodic Rock/Metal album with some excellent musicianship and vocal work and having an Engineer/Producer making this album is a big benefit for the guys and he’s done a really good job. No pretensions here right from the opening riff of the excellent ‘Vital Signs‘ which hums along at a nice pace, the vocals are classic in style and epic of nature, Riffs are chunky throughout and work well with John’s vocals, there are some nice variations as we go along, ‘Believer‘ for example benefits from the addition of keyboards, has a different tempo and construction and like most songs on this particular album layered vocals/backing vocals work particularly well.

These songs are well written and put together, and although the ten tracks on offer have similar feel with the musical style and the nature of a lot of the riffs they still offer enough to keep things interesting and each of the songs holds it’s own. The stand out tracks are ‘Mr. Hell‘ which has some lovely guitar playing on it while maintaining enough gruffness to give it that edge. The slower, rumbling ‘River Runs Red‘ which is a really nice mix of power ballad and classic rock track, clean and harder edged vocals and the same with the guitar parts, this is the song that grows on me every time I hear it.

Last but not least is the monster of a title track ‘The Ghosts Of Humans‘ which just rips the guys out right at the start and doesn’t let up, the riff remains catchy while being solid and heavy at the same time, Alan Kelly is destroying the kit on this one, terrific pounding drums and John’s soaring vocals, it has to be said that they have managed to find a sound that certainly is a little different from what’s been out there in the scene, at times I get a feel of Scandinavian Metal, bands like Tömmermenn, it’s straight in your face music, with melody in there, excellent playing all around and a killer voice.

There is certainly the basis here of something special and the next step for these guys should be eagerly awaited, remember the name Edge Of The Blade.