Edge of Sanity
Crimson II


5.0
classic

Review

by Poet USER (49 Reviews)
November 19th, 2009 | 274 replies


Release Date: 2003 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Dan Swano's opus. He proves why he is the best artist in the history of metal.

For the past two years, death metal has been a very hit or miss genre with me. I think most of you remember my None So Vile review in the summer of 2008 (last time it’s going to get mentioned.) Well I eventually listened to it a few more times and I appreciated it to some extent. In the beginning of this two year journey throughout the various sub-genres of death metal, a good old friend of this site Crimson introduced me to the album of the same name from a group known as Edge of Sanity. At first a 40 minute song sounded ridiculous and seemed like this group was trying too hard with writing music. The first time was a chore to get through, but there were bits and pieces of the song that were pretty amazing. After a few more listens the thing grew on me and Crimson became one of my favorite albums at that time. Shortly after, I found out about the sequel of Crimson, obviously known as Crimson II. This basically was one song, but it’s been divided into nine, or in some cases forty-three, parts. One listen through Crimson II and I came out saying “This is one of the greatest albums ever!”

Two years later, and numerous listens to the “preeminent” death metal albums that have been discussed through the ages, I can firmly say this is the best death metal album ever!, and one of the best albums ever made as well.

What separates this album from the None So Vile’s, Blackwater Park’s, and The Jester Race’s of the world? Everything does quite frankly. The melodies are so intricately placed, the vocals are so well executed, and the keyboard blends into the harmonizing guitars perfectly. The Forbidden Words starts off this masterpiece with a nice atmospheric tone but explodes into metal heaven with brutal riffs and excellent growls. For the next 40 minutes this never lets up either. Incantation starts with a riff that will definitely get stuck in your heads for weeks. The catchiness mixed with the brutality is just phenomenal for the genre.

Interestingly enough this album isn’t all out balls to the wall death metal. This has a very progressive feel to it too, especially in the solos (one of which will be discussed later.) The middle of Passage of Time gets all spacey and proggy after four minutes of baby kicking metal. Dan Swano, who will also be discussed later, shows his very impressive clean vocals before going back to his signature growls, and ending it with this amazing clean section. The end melody is one of the best things on the album.

Speaking of best things on the album, the final eleven minutes are easily the strongest. The beginning riff of Face to Face is without a doubt the greatest riff ever written. People always talk about face melting, baby blasting, and nun punching riffs, but this, people of Sputnik, is the Günther of riffs. Basically nothing is sexier, nothing portrays more emotion, and dammit nothing is better than this riff. Oh, the rest of this section rules pretty hard too. After witnessing the brilliance of that, Disintegration and Aftermath are more than worthy to finish off the story being told here. Disintegration does the opposite of Passage of Time and gets all spacey before ripping your face off. Aftermath begins with this gorgeous solo that comes out of nowhere. The transition from songs made my mouth drop the first time I heard it. After a minute of the same exact section that started in The Forbidden Word, Swano finishes this masterpiece with his clean croon and a soulful guitar solo.

Crimson II is definitely one of my top three albums of all time because of all the musical variety within it; it has brutality, melody, and just it is just plain epic. What makes this more spectacular is that after Edge of Sanity broke up after recording Cryptic without Swano, he reformed the band by himself to record this album. Every solo, riff, synth, bass line, and drum section was written by this man. That in itself was unbelievable, but to follow it up with producing one of the best albums ever truly shows Dan Swano’s talents. I whole heatedly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of not only death metal, but metal in general. Have lyrics to both Crimson’s and listen to the original first because the storyline of these songs are pretty amazing too. Lastly, if you have about eighty minutes to spare, listen to both of them back to back. I’ve done it once and I am better because of it.



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user ratings (802)
4.2
excellent
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...



Comments:Add a Comment 
KILL
November 19th 2009


81580 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

great review overrated album imo

Poet
November 19th 2009


6151 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Woo Happy 30 to me. And this album rules face so hard. Like some feedback too please because I am so rusty reviewing.

FistfulOfSteel
November 19th 2009


898 Comments


ive got the one track version. does that make me cool

Writer
November 19th 2009


136 Comments


Good review. You made it a very personal one which I guess some readers may like or hate. Either way, it was good writing. I shall vote.

Nagrarok
November 19th 2009


8656 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

So yes, I still nead to hear this and compare it to Crimson I.

Poet
November 19th 2009


6151 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

You made it a very personal one which I guess some readers may like or hate.




Basically all my albums I have rated a 5 and have reviewed are very personal in nature. It's just my style for reviewing them.

Writer
November 19th 2009


136 Comments


Gotcha and that's understandable. Classics can often have a very personal nature about them.

Crysis
Emeritus
November 19th 2009


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Sorry, but I wholeheartedly disagree.

Motiv3
November 19th 2009


9175 Comments


was waiting for this review, pretty much sums up how i feel about the album. Great review m8. the keyboard part around 17-18 mins will always be one of the most epic things in existence.

coneren
November 19th 2009


11111 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

I like 1 more, but this is atill awesome.





Summary rocks.

Wizard
November 19th 2009


20558 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Dan Swano's opus.



Sorry, but that honour goes to Moontower (even though I haven't heard this yet hahahaha).



remember my None So Vile review in the summer of 2008 (last time it’s going to get mentioned.)



And I remember it being pretty accurate : ).





Well written review. I understand some peoples idea of throwing in personal notes (first paragraph) but I really feel them to be unnecessary. I usually save that for my late night msn chats with good buddies. Need to hear this badly. Crimson is epic as fuck.



Motiv3
November 19th 2009


9175 Comments


defo do wizard, surpasses crimson AND moontower in every way.

R6Rider
November 19th 2009


5282 Comments


44 "tracks"?

Writer
November 19th 2009


136 Comments


I think the reason for the large number of tracks is because the label wanted the band to break the song up this time around, right?

Someone said you can get a one-track version though.

R6Rider
November 19th 2009


5282 Comments


yeah but dude, FORTY FOUR tracks!

it's still ridiculous considering how short each track is

Writer
November 19th 2009


136 Comments


That's definitely true. I have no idea why they did that.

Maybe its a joke by the band to get back at the label?

R6Rider
November 19th 2009


5282 Comments


lol, could be

Lunarfall
November 19th 2009


3178 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Most of the CDs just have them condensed into 9.

Crysis
Emeritus
November 19th 2009


17640 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I remember this past summer I found original pressings of this, Crimson, The Spectral Sorrows, and Unorthodox in the record store down the street. A few months before I got Purgatory Afterglow and Nothing But Death Remains at the same store. Win.

Writer
November 19th 2009


136 Comments


Haha, that sounds like a pretty good store. The one I have in my hometown is really lacking and expensive.



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