Band: Edge Of Serenity
Title: The Chaos Theory
Label: Romulus X Records
Distribution:
Release date: May 2009
Review: CD

In 2007, Wietze Halma (v, g, music and lyrics) and Henk ter Heegde (d, b, k) started the band Edge Of Anger. In October that very same year, Edge Of Anger released its unofficial debut album, Dying Illusion, followed by many shows in Europe. During Spring 2008, the band entered the famous German Spacelab Studio with Christian ‘Moschus’ Moos (production, mix and mastering; worked with e.g. Imperia, Liar Of Golgotha, Ancient Rites and Danse Macabre amongst others). The album, however, didn’t get released yet, but the band was very active with performing live. Edge Of Anger shared stage with bands as Slayer, Kataklysm, Behemoth, Aborted and Necrophobic, and appeared on several festivals.
In March 2009, Edge Of Anger changed its moniker into Edge Of Serenity, and as Edge Of Serenity the duo finally releases their official debut album, The Chaos Theory.
The Dutch duo recorded a strong album, combining groovy and up-tempo Death Metal with melodic and catchy parts, several tempo-changes and rhythmic, doomy and thrashy riffs. For forty seven minutes, the duo Halma-ter Heegde maintains to draw attention with ten compositions that are both border-crossing and narrow-minded. The first because the band injects their pumping Metal with some personal, sometimes inventing (like a few keyboard-coloured moments, the few ‘mourning’ vocals) elements, the latter because the whole is pretty ‘safe’ too. That’s not a ‘problem’, because too much experiment can disappear into an immature and sarcastic form of exaggeration, and that’s not the case in here.
During the recording sessions, Edge Of Serenity (back then still called Edge Of Anger), the band worked with two guest vocalists, Judith Stüber aka Ciara (of Satyrian / Ancient Rites / Everon / Danse Macabre / Dark At Dawn-fame), and former Mnemic / Transport League / M.A.N. / Icon In Me / Angel Blake / …-member Tony J.J. Jelencovich.
In mean time, the duo recruited two guitar players to complete their line-up, Jaco Dekker (ex-Frozen Tear, Down Till Dawn) and Noud Smeets.

81/100

Ivan Tibos.