Edge of Paradise
And The Mind Rebellion
Tonight is one of those special nights that sets a positive tone for the rest of the month. I’m meeting my friend Margarita Monet and her band, Edge of Paradise, to take photos during their performance at Nachtleben in Frankfurt. Nachtleben is a cosy cellar club with a nice bar on the ground floor, located in the heart of the city, right opposite the Konstabler Wache subway station.
.
Edge of Paradise are currently on their Prophecy tour all over Europe. The tour is split into two parts: for some dates, they are supporting Visions of Atlantis; for others, they are headlining with a full set, and they are even playing at festivals. Venues range from small clubs, like tonight, to open-air stages in front of 5,000 enthusiasts. On arrival, I meet Kenny, the bassist, who is waiting for Dave, the guitarist, to arrive. We chat briefly about the tour so far, after which I follow Kenny down to the depths of Nachtleben, where I meet Margarita, her bandmates Jamie and Alex, their sound technician and the merchandise manager. It’s lovely to catch up on the time that’s passed since we met in late 2024, and then it’s time for the soundcheck and dinner.
.
While Edge of Paradise change from regular streetwear into true rock-star outfits, the venue slowly starts to fill up. Sadly, it is not quite sold out, but it is well filled for a rainy and rather cold Monday evening. Guests have come from far and wide, even from San Diego and New Zealand, which is far from being “around the corner” like me…
There is no support band tonight, so Edge of Paradise have the audience’s full attention. They open with ‘Prophecy Unbound’ and it is nothing less than a blast. That is the real deal of cinematic metal!
.
‘Hologram* and ‘Soldiers of Danger* follow. Interestingly, at certain points in the set, Dave’s guitar dominates the sound, while at others, Alex’s keyboards are more prominent. The drums played by Jamie are undoubtedly the most consistent instrument, even though his kit is not connected to the PA. This means that all the drum sounds are very natural and unfiltered — something that is rarely experienced at shows nowadays, with all the effects and gimmicks. All in all, the sound is very good and clear for this venue with a lot of corners and edges.
.
The ‘Mind Assassin’ of ‘Give It To Me’ takes over, and it’s great to see the whole band enjoying themselves, even on such a small stage. This leads directly to ‘Digital Paradise’, until everything becomes ‘Dark’.
.
Margarita‘s unique, clear vocals are impressive, and I’m not sure how to describe them. – a kind of magical shyness. I love that she has kept it all these years as a professional vocalist.
.
Then it is time for the ‘Basilisk’ to appear. Perhaps it is the only one that does not turn you to stone, but instead lets you glide away, far beyond the edges of paradise, into a ‘Requiem for a Dream’. Someone should really make a film with this title… 😉
.
On a different note, I must confess that with this band in front of me and this audience around me, I will never fear the ‘Monster’ of ‘Martyr’ or hide from ‘The Unknown’.
.
Of course, there’s still ‘The Other Side Of Fear’, but it doesn’t count because there’s a ‘Falling Light’ for you, me, them and everybody. I like Kenny‘s facial expressions on bass during these songs, as if he’s thinking about something before realising that he’s afraid of the falling light. Later on, he tells me that he didn’t even notice it.
.
After this great show and cinematic metal experience, Edge of Paradise join the audience, hang around, talk, discuss, take photos and sign whatever people have brought along or bought. This takes even longer than the whole show, but it makes the evening really special. It’s the perfect evening with friends — a rounded-up experience. I even met Amanda from Arcane Accessories, who created the jewellery that Margarita wears on stage.
Try to catch Edge of Paradise either as support for Visions of Atlantis or as headliners during their own shows, which I highly recommend. If you can’t make it this time, keep an eye out in October and November — Edge of Paradise will be back for another support tour this autumn.
.
Finally, I would like to thank Margarita, the band and the crew for this wonderful evening. My next stop will be the Düsseldorf Pitcher Club on 24 May at 17:00, after they return from the UK and before the final show in Hamburg. Will I see you there too?
Online:
Please buy merch and physical music or downloads from the band’s official sources and don’t stream it for free because it steals your artists’ income.
photos and text by Friend.X aka Mr. Deep