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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
BEST OF EDENBRIDGE?, June 16, 2008
Austria's EDENBRIDGE are back again, their last album being "Chronicles of Eden", which was their "Best of". Does "Myearthdream" make their "Best of" obsolete? In my opinion, it does and that's a good thing!
The album starts off with the short but epic teaser intro "The Force Within". Unfortunately the next two songs that followed didn't really grab my attention.
Things pick up starting with the fourth track, "Undying Devotion" and for the most part gets better from there.
For me the only other low point is "Whale Rider", which apart from the disgustingly cute title is really soft and slow. To each their own, but I think EDENBRIDGE fares better when they play songs that are heavier, with more variation in tempo and maintaining the great choruses.
The Czech Film Orchestra is a wonderful addition even though it mostly stays in the background. There are some really refreshing oriental sounds on the track "Place of Higher Power".
The standout track for me is the title track, "Myearthdream", starting off with menacing guitars and an epic orchestra sound before Sabine's vocals kick in. It's also really long, clocking in at over 10 minutes!
The Limited Edition has a guitar and orchestra-only version of "Myearthdream" (the song, not the whole album). In my opinion I found the original version far superior, but if you like long purely instrumental tracks, you might want to give it a try.
Certainly one of the best albums I've heard this year and shall satisfy me while I wait for EQUILIBRIUM's "Sagas" to come out.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Edenbridge's Best Album So Far, January 4, 2009
I recently came across Austrian symphonic power metal/symphonic rock band Edenbridge almost completely by chance and thought they may be worth looking into. I started with My Earth Dream, and found something far better than I ever thought possible. Edenbridge seems like another symphonic metal band with an "opera metal" singer, but brings something extra to the table. While Nightwish, Epica, and After Forever tend to be fairly dark, Edenbridge doesn't go quite as far. They aren't as heavy or dark as many other bands in the genre, kind of like Within Temptation. However, instead of leaning on more pop-friendly musical structures, Edenbridge draws on 80s rock influences, most specifically Journey and Heart.
Even though these influences aren't highly predominate in the music, I could definitely pick up on them throughout the album. As a fan of both Journey and Heart (as well as 80s rock in general), I found it very refreshing to see a symphonic metal band pulling from such a rich musical genre. I also liked the use of heavy orchestra and keyboards on the album with just the right amount of guitar mixed in. There is also the noticeable lack of a choir on the CD.
It also doesn't hurt that Sabine's voice is divine. I think that she has one of the most distinct voices in the increasingly large pool of "opera metal" singers out there. She walks a thin line between pop/rock vocals reminiscent of Ann Wilson (Heart) and opera vocals reminiscent of Sarah Brightman...but with something else completely new thrown in.
My Earth Dream is chalked full of past paced rockin' metal that plays very smoothly and offers just enough variety to keep the music from becoming monotonous. From a short, instrumental introduction called "The Force Within" to heavy rock out songs like "Undying Devotion," "Place of Higher Power," and "Remember Me," to songs with folk influences like "Shadowplay" and "Paramount," to an ambitious twelve and a half minute marathon called "Myearthdream."
The only questionable song on the album is "Whale Rider." Even though the violins are pretty and Sabine's voice weaves together a lovely song, it just doesn't stand up to the rest of the album. It's the only slow song, which makes it feel out of place and uncomfortable. It seems to me that Edenbridge thought they needed to include something slower but didn't quiet know how to pull it off.
I can't stop listening to this album. Every time I turn on my iPod or open my iTunes, I have to listen to My Earth Dream. It's Edenbridge's best album so far (after a much needed move to Napalm Records). It features a refreshing variety of songs and makes me hungry for moreEdenbridge. If this doesn't help them break into the metal mainstream in Europe, then nothing will.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
The Latest Is the Greatest, June 27, 2009
Well, despite the title I have given this review, I do not in fact own any of this group's previous albums although I have sampled them to see if their previous works are as good as My Earth Dream. From my sampling, I would say that this is their finest work to date for sure. This is symphonic metal music, which is a very inspiring genre for me.
I am absolutely in love with this album although I have not been convinced to buy any of their previous works. The music on this album is very 'catchy' for me, which is what all music lovers want in their music. As it turns out, this album was recorded along with the Czech Film Orchestra with arrangements by Enrique Ugarte, and I think something with this release has taken a rather radical and positive turn in the group's sound.
The sounds on this album are addictive to me, and I find myself listening to this album cover to cover over and over again. I think it will be hard to pick all of this benefit from simply sampling the album, though. However, in listening to it at full length, I find myself strongly drawn to the sounds on this album. Yes, I would describe the experience as a bit magical for me. It is very positive music - nothing dread or goth about it - very uplifting and full of positive energy.
Everyone's tastes are different; however, if you have a sound palette such as mine, I would strongly recommend purchasing all the songs on this album. The title track My Earth Dream is probably the best with Shadowplay being another excellent selection on this album (in case you only buy selections from an album). Good luck!
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