The duty of the solo artist has a much greater weight to it than that as a shared group or identity, where the collective has different elements of itself sanctioned to logistics, celebrity, outreach, and actual ability the pertinent duty of the self has to accept all faucets and create for themselves a brand and reach unique, wholesome, and defined. FRASER EDWARDS is, himself, unrivaled in many capacities and being an amazing guitarist with a penchant for the ridiculous and over-the-top is just one of those avenues seen clearly through his latest release, the sophomore album, "The Architect."

Perhaps a reference to the metaphorical identity of being the constructor and fountainhead of his own works, creations, and talent or perhaps a reference to the authority that's associated with the figure of the same name within the matrix or perhaps something else entirely, of any accordance "The Architect" is a perpetually twisting, constantly climbing, and reaching coalition of different musical ideas and deliveries each expertly crafted in visceral detail. The most celebrated track upon the record, "Stop Saying We Sound Like Dragonforce," even managed the attention of DRAGONFORCE themselves whereupon they appreciated the track in its entirety both for its context and composition, as SAM TOTMAN put it, "I think it's great." "The Death Zone," is an interesting piece drawing in more industrial techniques than those tracks that came before. "Dio Volendo Lo Faro" roughly translates to "God willing, I will do this" from Italian; the track transitions quickly between staccato progressions to, floating chords, then a groove coupled with an operatic vocal delivery, though perhaps the weirdest-and most amazing-section is the solo which is the leading melody from BOOTS RANDOLPH's "Yakety Sax."

The whole of the album is a cosmopolitan of different sounds and influences ranging from keyboard and techno, to Heavy Metal and Groove, the precision and accuracy of each overlay interlacing in sheer perfection with each other voicing is a miraculous substance in and of itself. Where each instrument has been carefully crafted to carry a specific tone and voice, these attributes blend and build with one other to create a wall of music which captivate the listener with sheer size and grandeur; rather than relying solely on communicated thoughts and ideas the music conveys sensation and reason, a remarkable feat. The clear distinction within the entirety of the album is the practical ability of the guitars; theirs is a intensity met by few, where the riffs are simple and straightforward the solos exist at the opposite end of the spectrum. The drums have themselves an amazing balance between forward and intricate. The bass is powerful albeit a bit difficult to discern beneath the guitars. The vocals are the most pronounced and perhaps the greatest hindrance as well as they are the only instrument which is unyielding and uncompromising; in the song, "Among The Stars," each instrument is subsequently softer, quieter, and more tame save for the vocals which come in full force over the piano creating a distinct tension, however in the song, "On My Own," the vocals build with the instruments creating a full-length sense of progression shared across all instruments which truly amounts to a reckoning force.

"The Architect" is a sculpted masterpiece that takes a wealth of musical knowledge and impression to fully appreciate, however to everyone else the album is still amazing and powerful. This album approaches feature length and is a pure embodiment of the joy and skill that went into recording each track, for anyone with any manner of inclination towards Power or Epic Metal this album is an essential item.