FICTION EDGE 1 (ASCENT)

It must be rather challenging to start a rock band in Portugal. And the merit of "Forgotten Suns" is only reinforced by this.

Strangely enough, the opening track featured some spoken lyrics in .French which plunges the listener into the very start of the creation. But you could also say that it sounds as the end of the world. Scary and dark.

The band has shifted through neo to eclectic to finally end up in the "heavy-prog" genre on PA. The band openly speak about metal influence on their web-site (which is closer to reality). So, it's up to you to decide...

This album is a concept one about the creation and development of our planet and is mostly instrumental. It flirts between metal ("Creation Point"), spacey ("Nature") and even light music ("Child" illustrating "birth").

Since it is a conceptual work, there are several short transition tracks which are not really captivating. The album almost starts with "Wartime". One can appreciated the passion in the voice of "Linx" (their lead vocalist) but this number sounds a bit chaotic, difficult to follow.

The central piece of this album is the twenty-one minutes epic: "A Journey". This complex number has definite reminiscence with "Dream Theater" ("A Change Of Seasons") but not only. The extensive use of keyboards convey a true prog sense to their music. But the mood is not on the joyful side. The atmosphere is rather dark and pessimistic.

I think that it is difficult for an almost instrumental record to illustrate such a wide concept as the creation of Mother Earth. There are so many great ideas that could have been developed lyrics-wise than I am somewhat disillusioned with "Fiction Edge".

This epic sounds directionless and can't really captivate myself during the whole of its length. It sounds a bit as a long track for the purpose of making it long. The final part of the song having been used several times already (mixing famous phrases like "I Had a dream" or "It's a small step for man but a giant leap for mankind" etc.

The best track from this offering is "Routine". Some "Marillion" flavours but more than anything very emotive vocals are probably the ingredients that were necessary to get a highlight on this album. And it is really day and night with the rest of the songs. The most delicate piece of music by far.

The same Marillion influence can be heard in the closing number Betrayed. The guitar solo is particularly well crafted. Of course, if the whole album would have sounded like the last numbers I would have rated higher but the band could have been acused of being just another Marillion. Difficult choice...

Two stars because even if the musicians are very good, it lacks in great numbers (only two actually).

"Fiction Edge 1 (Ascent)" is the debut full-length studio album by Portugese progressive metal act Forgotten Suns. The album was released through Galileo records in July 2000. Forgotten Suns was formed by guitarist Ricardo Falcão in 1991 (some sources say 1996).

Forgotten Suns play some pretty standard 90/00s progressive metal, featuring guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocals. There´s little here you haven´t heard before and as "Fiction Edge 1 (Ascent)" is packed in a sub par production job, it´s not exactly among the top albums of the genre. The songwriting is also without much passion and conviction, and the epic almost cinematic keyboard instrumentals make this quite the tedious listen. Opening instrumental track "Big Bang" is for example 6:31 minutes long, which is way too long for an intro track to an album. The tracklist is also a bit weird with four out of the opening five tracks being instrumentals. In fact it´s like the first seven tracks of the album are all just part of one long built up towards the 21:20 minutes long "A Journey".

The musicianship is slightly questionable and paired with the unremarkable compositions, and a sound production which is just above demo quality, Forgotten Suns do not exactly hit the ground running with "Fiction Edge 1 (Ascent)". A 2 - 2.5 star (45%) rating is warranted.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).