Edge of Paradise – Prophecy

Review by: George Andritsakis

Review Score: 9

For my debut review I went with the brand-new release of a band that I have only recently gotten into, Edge of Paradise. I’ve never even heard of them until I saw them open up for the mighty and ethereal Amaranthe and Dragonforce in 2022. I’m a guitar guy at heart, but I was completely blown away by lead vocalist Margarita Monet’s laser-perfection auditory acrobatics, on top of an insanely unique sound that can only be described as Electro-Industrial Power Metal.

Fast forward a year and a half later and it was announced on the band’s social media there was a new album in the works for release in early 2025. I was so pumped and counted down the time until the album was available for pre-order. Not long after came the news that the band would be going on tour in support of the album opening for Xandria and Delain. Yet another perfect lineup for a night out with yours truly.

Back to the album. Dropping the needle into the vinyl groove you are met with a sonic assault on the opening to Death Note, one of the strongest tunes by the group. Heavy, chugging, dark, and one of the most melodic choruses I’ve heard in a very long time. Margarita’s wordplay throughout the song makes her an immensely talented wordsmith in the same vein of Rob Halford, Lzzy Hale, or Tarja Turunen.
Give It To Me (Mind Assassin) is my standout favorite song on the album, Margarita’s hypnotizing lyrics make me want to give up anything she wants, even if I’ve got nothing. Dave Bates and Doug Weiand’s twin guitar attacks are what really got me hooked…and I do mean HOOKED. I could put this track on repeat for days on end.

Other notable standouts are Sad Life of a Rose, a tune that can only be described as an Electro-Goth Metal ballad, Rogue, with its catchy chorus and piercing high notes remind me of Lacuna Coil’s best efforts, Hear Me, an airy, beautiful, powerful pleading to be seen and heard, and The Other Side of Fear, with a chorus that sounds like something out of an Otep banger, fast paced full of hope, Martyr/Monster, which really resonated with me, conjuring up the duality of personalities within each of us as humans.

The recurring theme of the album throughout is humanity raging against it’s loss of control over AI, a popular topic in music and film no doubt, but Edge of Paradise have put a beautifully hopeful spin on the story (think of it like an audio version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, without the plodding and far too lengthy plot), brought to sonic life in wonderful symphonic industrial fashion.

The production on the album was well done, each aspect of the group came together beautifully and mixed well. Producer Mike Plotnikoff (Buckcherry, Halestorm, The Agonist) and the band did a fantastic job with this being Edge of Paradise’s 7th album no less.

I only have one criticism though and take it with a grain of salt as everyone is different in their musical tastes, but my gripe would be Margarita’s use of the upper high register so frequently both on backing and main vocals, which is piercing. Don’t get me wrong, I love piercing vocals, and I’m a massive fan of Margarita’s, but the frequency those upper highs were used ended up leaving me fatigued and distracted by the end of a full playthrough. So much so I had to have several playthroughs of each track while writing this review.

That being said, this album is still top-notch, and if you’re a fan of symphonic/melodic or industrial pop metal, you’re going to love the album. I know I do, and I can’t wait to see what the group has in store next.