THE EDGE

This is my first experience with Alpha III. After seeing the resume of the illustrious Mr. Cantusio, I was intrigued. I finally was able to find The Edge. Listening to this album confirms much of what has been said about him. He is a very talented keyboardist, but lacks creativity in his composition.

The title track shows his chops, but not much else. It is almost like a group of solos, melded into one piece.

"Dogmas" has a very nice operatic vocal by Vera L. Pressagno Brescia, but his choice of synthesizer effect is questionable to say the least. It's straight out of Rush's "Tom Sawyer."

"Zeus" is a mellow piece, and does nothing to hold your interest.

"Mystical" is a very cheesy ballad, made even cheesier by his accent (this one is in English).

"The Mystery of Logos," holds a bit of redemption. It's dark, almost Zeuhl-like quality, is interesting. This one is worth a listen, but probably wouldn't return to the stereo very often.

"The Gates" is an attempt at a Wakeman/Emerson style piece. It's not horrible, but not that gripping either.

"Medieval Moment" is just what the title says. It works, and is executed well enough. However, it pales in comparison to the masters he is trying to emulate.

In conclusion, there is some fine keyboard work here, but there is a need for some good composition. He would be better off playing with a band. I will give him some more points for experimentation, an thus keeps it from a one star rating. If you are seeking out keyboard technique, you may want to check this out. Otherwise, there is not much to recommend here.

H.T. Riekels