Year : 2022
Style : Symphonic Power Metal , Female Vocals
Country : Austria
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 273 mb
Bio:
In 1998 - Edenbridge was founded as a studio-project by guitarist / keyboarder Lanvall, bassist Kurt Bednarsky and vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher. By the entry of drummer Roland Navratil the line-up was completed for the production of their debutalbum Sunrise In Eden.In 1999 - the recording of Sunrise In Eden took place in the Seagull Music Studio of sound magician Gandalf. In the same year Edenbridge signed a worldwide deal with the German label Massacre Records.In 2000 - the CD was mixed in the House of Audio studios (Vandenplas, Pink Cream 69, D. C. Cooper, Axxis) by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69). The impressive artwork of the CD was created by Markus Meyer, who also painted the last two Nightwish covers. The album was released on the 25th of September. In February Georg Edelmann joined the band as a second guitar player. In November/December Edenbridge supported their label mates Axxis and Pink Cream 69 on European tour.In 2001 - Georg Edelmann left the band due to other job persepectives in January and was replaced by Andreas Eibler. Sunrise in Eden was released in all important markets of the world (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, South America, North America).In July began the recordings for the second CD Arcana in the House of Audio studios in Germany. In August "Arcana" was mixed by Dennis Ward. Arcana was released on the 19th of November in Europe.In 2002 - In May Edenbridge were touring Europe for 3 weeks together with Metalium (Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden). Right after the band flied over to Korea for a show on the "International Busan Rock Festival" in front of 20.000 fans and a co-headliner show together with Sinergy in Seoul. Kurt Bednarsky left the band right after the tour. Andreas Oberhauser was replacing him for 2 shows in Summer. A tour through Brazil was cancelled in the last moment caused by a heavy economic crises. In November the 3rd album "Aphelion" was recorded in the House of Audio Studios together with Dennis Ward.In 2003 - Edenbridge is on European triple headliner tour together with Trail of Tears and Sirenia (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain). One show takes place at the Summer Breeze Festival in front of thousands of fans. Mike koren is supporting the band on bass.In 2004 - Edenbridge play in Russia for the first time with big success. The live album “A Livetime in Eden” with a bonus DVD is released in August. The 4th studio album “Shine” is recorded in Lanvall..s Farpoint Station studio and again in the House of Audio studio together with Dennis Ward. The band..s UK debut is happening in September with 1 show at the legendary Bloodstock festival in Derby. “Shine” is released in October followed by the single of the title track. Edenbridge is splitting with guitar player Andreas Eibler.In 2005 - Edenbridge are supporting Angra on their European tour together with Manticora. The band played concerts in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, France and Belgium. Martin Mayr is playinng 2nd guitar live. In October the band is starting to record their 5th studio album "The Grand Design" at "Farpoint Station Studio".In 2006 - "The Grand Design" is mixed at "Thin Ice Studio"/England by Karl Groom (Threshold). In April the single "For your eyes only" is released (cover version of the James Bond title song). In May "The Grand Design" sees the light of day. Robert Schoenleitner replaces Martin mayr and takes over 2nd guitar live. Edenbridge sign a new world wide record deal with Napalm Records after their previous record deal with Massacre Records has expired. In November Edenbridge are touring England. At the end of 2006/beginning of 2007 Edenbridge are touring Asia for the 2nd time having concerts in Taiwan and China.In 2007 - In March Edenbridge split with drummer Roland Navratil. He was replaced by Max Pointner. In Autumn the band starts the production of their 6th album called "MyEarthDream", the heaviest and most symphonic album so far. For the first time Edenbridge are working with an orchestra, the "Czech Film Orchestra". Dominik Sebastian is announced as the new live guitar player.In 2008 - "MyEarthDream" is again mixed by Karl Groom at Thin Ices Studios and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios. The release date is set for April 25. From March till May Edenbridge are touring with Rage all over Europe.
Album:
Austrian Symphonic Metal band Edenbridge return with their eleventh studio album ‘Shangri-La‘. If you are a longtime fan of the band, please forgive my ignorance. I am not a close follower of symphonic metal and I have never heard of the band before. I dig bands like Nightwish, Within Temptation, and regard the latest Visions of Atlantis album ‘Pirates’ as one of this year’s great albums. I was hoping for something along those lines with this album. What I got is an album that has tropes that I love about symphonic metal along with parts that do not work for me.I will start with the positives first. The best tracks are the ones that are short and get to the point. Third single ‘The Call of Eden’ has everything that makes symphonic metal unique and powerful. Soaring vocals, fantastic melody, and a chorus that sticks with you long after the song is over. ‘Hall of Shame’ is another winner. One of the faster tracks on the album, it hits you hard from its opening notes and does not let up. Best track goes to ‘Somewhere Else But Here’. The interplay between singer Sabine Edelsbacher and guitarist Arne “Lanvall” Stockhammer works very well. The melody notes are heavy in the verses but lighten up while Sabine is singing, with the focus kept on her until she stops singing, allowing the guitar to come roaring back. Her ethereal singing in the chorus is moving and beautiful, while also remaining powerful. It’s everything I love about the genre.The album unfortunately takes some missteps that could have been avoided had the band decided not to overindulge in their symphonic tendencies. The over eight-minute opening track ‘At First Light’ is a great way to open the album, with a soaring, powerful chorus. Ms. Edelsbacher has the vocal chops to pull off what can be very difficult material, and she does it with ease. The first four minutes are everything I would want to hear when I listen to symphonic metal. The problem arises at around the four-and-a-half-minute mark, the song completely changes direction with a different melody. This is not something uncommon, but what usually happens is the band returns to the original melody to close out the song. That does not happen here. It’s as if two songs were welded together and neither melody complements each other. It does not help that the second melody is not nearly as exciting as what came before. That return to the original melody is critical, without it the song loses its way and lessens the impact, as is the case here.As much as I would like to, I just cannot enjoy any song that runs over sixteen minutes long, which is the case with closing track ‘The Bonding (Part 2)’. Yes, there are parts that are exciting that get the blood pumping, and it’s great to hear Eclipse and W.E.T. singer Erik Martensson guest on the track, but the overindulgence of including multiple melodies is something that always confounded me. It would be so much better to separate the songs into individual tracks and still get the story that you would want to tell across to the audience.Finally, there are some songs that just meander and do not ebb and flow the way a solid song should. Acoustic ballad ‘Savage Land’ does not build to anything. Sabine sounds great and there are times when the song sounds like it’s about to reach a crescendo, with a huge harmony coming in, but then the song ends abruptly. ‘Arcadia (The Great Escape)’ does build up to a huge sounding chorus and has great atmosphere but it’s let down by a chorus that is all choral gang vocals and not much else.If you love everything symphonic metal then I would imagine this album is a blind purchase, especially if you are familiar with the history of the band and know what you are getting. For people like me who follow certain bands and prefer power and melody over grandiose and pomp, then I would suggest checking out the album online first and cherry-picking songs. There are certainly some winners here. I was just hoping for dig more than half of an album.
Line Up:
Sabine Edelsbacher - Vocals (ex-Missa Mercuria, Voiciano, ex-Cascade)
Lanvall - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Piano, Bouzouki, Ba?lama, Mandolin, Pipa, Percussion, Hammered dulcimer (ex-Salvator, Lanvall, Voiciano)
Dominik Sebastian - Guitars (A Ghost Named Alice, Serious Black, Thirdmoon, ex-Shadows' Grey, ex-Scargod, ex-In Slumber (live), ex-Olemus (live), ex-Astaroth (live), ex-Mortus, ex-Patunum (live), ex-Nana D. (live), ex-Out of Cage (live), ex-Swanpoem (live))
Steven Hall - Bass (Crystallion)
Johannes Jungreithmeier - Drums (Bereavement, Thirdmoon, Woodtemple, ex-Festering Flesh, ex-Cremation, ex-In Slumber)
Tracklist:
CD1:
01. At First Light 08:03
02. The Call of Eden 03:49
03. Hall of Shame 04:59
04. Savage Land 04:32
05. Somewhere Else But Here 04:26
06. Freedom Is a Roof Made of Stars 05:51
07. Arcadia (The Great Escape) 05:11
08. The Road to Shangri-La 04:56
09. The Bonding (Part 2) [The Bonding Overture; Alpha and Omega; The Eleventh Hour; Round and Round; The Timeless Now - Finale] 16:08
CD2: (Instrumental)
01. At First Light 08:03 instrumental
02. The Call of Eden 03:49 instrumental
03. Hall of Shame 04:59 instrumental
04. Savage Land 04:32 instrumental
05. Somewhere Else But Here 04:26 instrumental
06. Freedom Is a Roof Made of Stars 05:51 instrumental
07. Arcadia (The Great Escape) 05:11 instrumental
08. The Road to Shangri-La 04:56 instrumental
09. The Bonding (Part 2) [The Bonding Overture; Alpha and Omega; The Eleventh Hour; Round and Round; The Timeless Now - Finale] 16:08 instrumental
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