Customer Reviews

Sunrise in Eden

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I cannot remember when was the last time a band's debut album affected me this way. Magnificent. There are 9 tracks of progressive, melodic power metal....I guess you could say it's a hybrid between Nightiwish and Dream Theater. But to do Edenbridge justice, I must stress that they are a band more than capable of creating their own unique music, they do not copy either of the aforementioned bands. Lanvall, the guitarist/keyboardist is the band leader, a musical genius with incredible technical ability, unique sound and style of playing and an immense talent for producing beautiful melodies. Sabine Edelsbacher has one of the most beautiful and ethereal voices I have heard, the sound of it suits the songs so perfectly, most of all in the divine opening track 'Cheyenne spirit', where I think the 'desperate' quality of Sabine's voice fits so well the subject matter of the song, the sad fate of the Cheyenne people. The whole song could be imagined to be a long-lost going-to-war-type-of-anthem for the Cheyenne....I can almost hear the sound of hooves :). Not even the wrong pronunciation of the word 'Cheyenne' diminishes the pleasure I get from listening to this masterpiece. There are so many excellent and memorable songs on offer here...along with the opener, 'Holy fire' and 'My last step beyond' are among my favourites, the latter containing one of the most beautiful solos I have heard. The title track is classic material as well and not a second too long, even at 8:32. "Wings of the wind" is great too, despite the too-obviously-power-metallic title and has an unbelievable middle section. I cannot recommend this high enough!

These guys are great! The music is amazing, the lyrics are so beautifully written, and Sabine's vocals are angelic. I can't wait for them to put out more CD's like this. Nightwish fans will love this CD, as well as DT fans... and pretty much anyone else who enjoys a good progressive and melodic view into the metal world.

Buy this CD =)

Hailing from Austria, Edenbridge is a fairly unique band in the "metal band with female vocalist" genre. Their particular sound, self-described as "angelic, bombastic metal" is somewhere between Nightwish and melodic rock diva Lana Lane. The music is lush and melodic, with a heavy emphasis on keyboards, and falls squarely in the Helloween/Angra power metal category. The only thing remotely goth-like about this band is their wardrobe. The vocals, which are provided by the lovely and talented Sabine Edelsbacher, are a breath of fresh air in a genre where every female singer seems determined to be a glass-shattering opera star.

While not quite as impressive as their sophomore album Arcana, Sunrise in Eden was still a strong debut by one of metal's brightest new talents. The tendency in metal, even the relatively upbeat power metal genre, is towards the darker aspects of musical expression, and rightly so. Still, it's refreshing to find a band like Edenbridge that practically radiates beauty and light. It's damn near impossible to listen to Sabine's siren-like voice with a frown on your face. It doesn't hurt that she's backed by a group of very talented musicians like keyboardist/songwriter Lanvall who craft exquisite melodic metal songs that play to Sabine's strengths. The album's only drawbacks are that the songs tend to be a bit repetitive and Sabine's voice doesn't seem to be at full strength compared to her performance on Arcana. Still, those are minor gripes for an otherwise very impressive debut album.

Edenbridge is definitely not for everyone. It's well worth checking out, particularly if you're a fan of bands like Nightwish, After Forever, et al and have grown tired of the opera metal style. If you prefer your metal to be dark and aggressive, or crave progressive metal technicality, you may want to skip this one.

Edenbridge's first release is still, songwriting wise, their best album. It was quite impressive CD even at the time. Their mixture of heavy metal riffs, new age keyboards and the ethereal voice of Sabine Edelsbacher was quite unique, but actually it was Lanvall's songs that make Sunrise In Eden an album to enjoy all the time. The production could be better, but at the time I wonder if the band had enough money to invest on it. Anyway, the performance, the songs and their sheer talent more than compensate for it. Songs like the title track and My Last Step Beyond are more progressive, while Midnight At Noon and Holy Fire show their power metal side. Take Me Back is a beautiful acoustic song that reminds me a lot the 70's Renaissance. No fillers or weak tracks on this one.

If you're into prog metal with lots of melodies, a fantastic female singer and some really interesting arrangements, this is the CD for you.

I was pleasantly suprised when I discoverd this Progressive Metal band. I did not expect to hear such breathtaking music Edenbridge delievered on this album, which was their first.
Variaty of songs offered here really shows a great potential, even though songs themselves aren't as polished and well structured as they are on the future releases. One thing is clear though: the band had found its direction and having on board such a talented female singer, Sunrise in Eden is just the first milestone in their career as a group.
Had I listenied to their second opus Arcana after their not so well acclaimed debut, my rating would be even higher. Recomended to all fans of Melodic Rock/Metal.

I first bought Arcana which i liked so i decided to try this one out, and I liked it first listen. I think its the great female vocals that get me then again it could be the well writen songs or perhaps the brilliant musicianship, yes this CD has the works and would make an good buy for those into progressive music through to perhaps even doom metal. Its very melodic and yet can turn bombastic almost like Blind Guardian, it has many moods and is a melting pot of ideas. I recomend you buy this one and Arcana also they are both great. 4 and a half stars.

Edenbridge, the Austrian band relatively new on the symphonic rock block, features rock guitarist Lanvall and vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher -- the latter being one of the more attractive female vocalists around these days.

Speaking of Sabine's voice...

Her voice is pleasant, although slightly limited in range. In other words, her voice doesn't seem to change much, hovering close to a respectable upper mid-range, even though the music pounds and soars behind her. Despite its beauty, Sabine's voice is the weakest link, in my opinion, like she's holding back the songs somehow.

But that's only a small gripe. Overall, Edenbridge is delightful music. Their sound is Bostonish in some spots -- over-the-top rock that has a majestic cadence...and Stratovarius-like in other areas with its rapid-fire neo-classical arrangements.

Sunrise in Eden is Edenbridge's first CD (Arcana being the second). It's an impressive debut. But it's not for everyone. It won't blow away DT fans (as one reviewer suggested). It's just not heavy or technically proficient enough for that.

And it certainly won't appeal to metalheads into Iced Earth, In Flames, Opeth, Therion or other bands that take a more bone-crushing approach to their music.

This is music for fans of Nightwish. Or maybe a toned-down Tristania. Or even Boston. Or simply fans of driving, well-played melodic rock with neo-classical overtones and female vocals.

I like the opening track, "Cheyenne Spirit," a lot. It's an upbeat song that makes me feel happy to be alive. Toe-tapping music.

The second track, "Sunrise in Eden," begins with an Oriental flavor, but quickly just dives right into showcasing Lanvall's guitar prowess. It's a nice juxtaposition of sounds and styles.

The Sensory label says Edenbridge has created a unique sound they call "angelic bombastic metal," which they define as soaring guitarwork, symphonic keys, breathtaking vocals, and a powerful rhythm section.

I'll grant them that. This is bombastic metal, all right. And Sabine's voice is certainly angelic.

However, there's nothing particularly earthshattering about Edenbridge's songs. I didn't say "Wow" after any of them ended (the way I did after hearing After Forever's Decipher CD...or the track "Freedom" off Stratovarius' Infinite CD). This is pleasant symphonic metal with a better than average lead vocalist.

So when you want to feel uplifted, happy and entertained, Edenbridge is just what the doctor ordered. Just don't expect much more than that and you'll be A-OK.

I'm used to debut albums that either lack in production or musicianship. The only thing lacking here is Sabine's vocals, which, like Cristina Scabbia on Lacuna Coil's debut, are in the 'under construction' stage. This was corrected on their next album.

You get a lot of bang for your buck with this album. There are nine tracks, but the last one is almost eleven minutes and the title track is eight and a half. They aren't afraid to play their songs out, and even when they do, the songs don't get boring. Honestly, if I could petition the band for one thing, it'd be an instrumental, just to prove to the world that, unlike most female-fronted metal bands, these guys can actually play their instruments and don't need the vocals to cover up any mediocrity. The most noticeable difference between this and later albums is that there is only one guitar on this effort, whereas a second guitarist was added for their next offering. The lyrics are somewhat profound; I don't know what to make of them just yet, mainly because I haven't had it long enough to sit down and read them, but that's a minor issue anyway. Get this album now.

Edenbridge's Debut Sunrise in Eden, is a nice piece of melodic metal. The production, however, although good could improve with the next release. The guitars needed to be higher in the mix, but otherwise it is fairly well done and balanced. The soaring vocals of the female lead singer really set Edenbridge apart from other bands. The new release Arcana is due out very soon, and hopefully they can build and grow from this very impressive debut. Next time around I would like to see them get a bit heavier and faster, while still keeping their progressive elements. Also recommended: Nightwish, Kreator-Violent Revolution, and Rammstein.

I can understand that "kids" may not appreciate good music, seeing that their brains and souls are tainted and scarred by darker music (?) --like rap--and the lighter music (?) --like Britney Spears and such ilk. Edenbridge's talent isn't with their glam, the Cadilacs, the hate-everything-except-money, the good looks (?), nor the basketball sneakers...it's about a band that can write and play MEANINGFUL music without the hatred for the country of their birth, nor for anything else. "Kids" must learn to listen to the lyrics, and decide whether you want to listen to something worth awe, or something irrational like hatred...