FRASER EDWARDS – The Reckoning

August 2, 2022 Bryce Van Patten Album Reviews, Reviews 0
FRASER EDWARDS - The Reckoning album artwork
  • 9.5/10
    FRASER EDWARDS - The Reckoning - 9.5/10
9.5/10

Summary

Label: Independent
Release date: August 12, 2022

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Banjo Metal Rules!

When you think of Americana music, you wouldn’t automatically think of a British Musician, that is until you’ve heard The Reckoning by Fraser Edwards. The 3rd solo album by the virtuoso guitarist/producer/engineer is his first instrumental offering, and explores the sounds of the banjo, and ragtime piano mixed into Power Metal songs. Few artists would be as brave as Fraser Edwards to create a Power Metal album with Country and Bluegrass themes, and even fewer would be so successful at pulling it off. Fraser decided to take the time during the pandemic to learn a new instrument, the banjo, and are we ever are glad he did.

Blistering Bluegrass

Never would this reviewer have ever believed that such a union between Metal and Bluegrass would work, but with Fraser Edwards’ incredible sense of melody, humor and fun in play, anything seems possible. Though the album is basically an instrumental effort, Fraser is joined by friends and Ascension bandmates Ricki Ascension on vocals for the track “The Harvest”, and drummer extraordinaire Andrew Scott throughout the record. Favorite tracks for this reviewer include “The Prophet”, “The Viking Cowboy” and personal favorite “The Champion”.

Final Notes

If you think you’ve heard it all before, and no one has anything new to offer, then think again. The record is full of fun, surprises, and great melodies from start to finish. Throw in the pyro-technic guitars Fraser is known for, with the incredible lightning drumming of Andrew Scott and you have a real winner. Go out and buy the new album by Fraser Edwards: The Reckoning. Once you’ve tried Heavy Metal with a banjo, you’ll never go back!

Fraser Edwards playing banjo.

Lineup

Fraser Edwards – stringed instruments
Andrew Scott – drums & percussion
Ricki Ascension – vocals on “The Harvest”

The Reckoning – Tracklist

01. The Prophet
02. The Reckoning
03. The Haymaker
04. The Champion
05. The Ghost
06. The Clodhopper
07. The Harvest
08. The Heist
09. The Judge
10. The Viking Cowboy
11. The Adventure (Bonus Track)

Author

  • Bryce Van Patten

    Bryce is an audio engineer and a graphic designer here at Metal Express Radio. From the day he purchased his first album (Machine Head by Deep Purple), he has had a passion for heavy music, which has influenced his whole life. Bryce is from the great Pacific Northwest in USA, and has played in metal bands like Babylon, Holy Terror, The Wild Dogs, Warhead and Egypt through the 80s. He had his first interview for the Portland, Oregon publication The Rock Rag with guitarist Paul Gilbert in his Racer X days. Then he was honored to get to have drinks, and talk for an hour with the legendary Dan McCafferty of Nazareth for his second interview. In 2013, he spent an amazing hour talking to Andi Deris of Helloween, which was the high point of his heavy metal journalism.   In the year 2001, he formed Man in Black Music Publishing. They released recordings by several local bands, and in the spirit of the old Metal Massacre compilations, he created a 2-album series called The Defenders of Metal. The albums featured classic styled Metal bands from all around the world, with bands from Australia to England, and from Argentina to Russia. Currently, he is the producer/creator/vocalist of the Metal band The Black Tuesdays.

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