PURGATORY AFTERGLOW

I like all Edge of Sanity albums starting from their second one until Crimson. I appreciate that despite progressive and multi-genre explorations, they didn't forget about their death metal roots and improved them vocally and instrumentally. More and more you can feel the spirit of Nightingale but still with mainly harsh vocals. It's less progressive than even first Opeth albums and also probably less instrumentally proficient nevertheless melodic. I must admit that I like their black metal trips "Of darksome origin" and ironically named "Silence" due to the dark brutality but also certain rhythmical and melodic complexity. Clean vocals are not bad and Swano has an identifiable voice, more than when he growls. The alternative metal/rock attempts like "Black tears" or nu-metal "Song of sirens" will leave band camps divided while "Velvet dreams" will sound a bit like the pre-Opeth guitar tandem 90's playing - a great dark song. There is also a short straightforward death-metal song such as "Enter chaos". It is a four-star death metal album but a 3-star for the progressive-oriented audience.