THE SOUL EXCHANGE, EDGE OF SANITY, CD, 2018

The Soul Exchange is a band that mixes Classic Hard Rock with a contemporary Metal sound. They have taken influences from the 70’s Hard Rock scene and created their own unique style of Metal infused, guitar driven hard rock, with great attention to the melodies and grand vocal arrangements. The lyrics deals mostly with subjects from the darker side of life such as insanity and evil in various forms. The Soul Exchange found their formula and sound with the line-up consisting of Daniel John (vocals & keyboards), Hans von Bell (guitars), Thomas von Bell (guitars), Patrik Ekelöf (bass), and Benny White (drums). Although mostly unknown to the wide public, all band members have long careers in the music business. They released the critically and likewise publicly acclaimed debut album “Bloodbound” in March 2017 on the Mervilton Records label and the five Track EP “Vow Of Seth” in December 2017 on the Pride & Joy Music label. In the fall of 2017, the Swedish group began working on their 2^nd full length release titled “Edge Of Sanity” that is penned for release on the Pride & Joy Music label on June 15^th, 2018. It’s not a theme album per say, but lyrically all the songs have a common theme with lyrics that are metaphorical and treats the dark side of the human psyche. Musically the record is hard hitting and dark themed but not hard listening. Sonically ”Edge Of Sanity” is harder and darker than anything The Soul Exchange have produced in the past, but the trademark vocal arrangements and choruses are predominant, and grander than ever before. In contradiction to the 2016 debut ”Bloodbound”, that was mainly written by Hans & Thomas von Bell with lyricist Jens Joel Evaldsson over a two year time span, all nine songs on the new effort were written in a very condensed period of time and a true team effort by Hans & Thomas von Bell, Daniel John and producer Magnus Ljungqvist with Daniel John taking over the full responsibility as the band’s lyricist. This has resulted in a much more coherent effort compared to the debut.