Edenbridge – Shangri-La
Edenbridge – Shangri-La
AFM Records
Release Date: 26/08/2022
Running Time: 57:55
Review By Alex Swift
7/10
Veteran Austrian musicians Edenbridge create an odd fusion in their music. Their music deviates from the Gothic strain of Symphonic Metal and has never fully embraced its Power Metal strain. Instead, with ample dashes of Progressive Rock, Neoclassical Metal, Folk, and even Pop, Edenbridge walk a tight line between Power Metal and Melodic Hard Rock. Their latest album, “Shangri-La”, serves as evidence of their outstanding musicianship, supporting the claim that the band’s extreme eclecticism makes it meaningless to categorise them by genre.
The album is structured with two lengthier Progressive epics serving as the album’s bookends to a collection of simpler, shorter pieces. These are further separated into quick and violent Power Metal songs, melodic mid-tempo Hard Rock tunes, and lovely acoustic ballads. This variety alone guarantees that the album, which comes in at just under an hour in total, is engaging and entertaining throughout its nine tracks. ‘At First Light’, the album’s opening track, is a magnificent multi-part beast that transitions flawlessly from its grandiose, orchestra-meet-Metal first portion. The music’s major driving force, Lanvall’s ballsy but melodic guitar playing, is expertly woven into the choral and orchestral arrangements. The magnificent ballad ‘Savage Land’ is a prime example of Sabine Edelsbacher’s stunning voice, whose highly lyrical tone lends the songs a show tune-like feel. This track, which is in the middle of the album, is also notable for Daniel Tomann-Eickhoff of the NDR Radio Orchestra’s fantastic, Jethro-Tull-like flute solo.
Other highlights include fantastic Hard Rock anthems like ‘The Call of Eden’, ‘Hall of Shame’, and ‘Freedom Is a Roof Made of Stars,’ the latter of which eventually develops into a stunning acoustic conclusion. The opposite approach is taken in ‘Arcadia (The Great Escape)’, which begins quiet and gradually builds to a dramatic chorus with a return of the gospel choir. The dynamic changes in both tracks are significant, and Karl Groom’s crisp, well-balanced production does a great job of capturing them. The quality of the other songs is possibly a little bit worse, primarily as a result of their considerably less alluring melodic hooks. ‘The Bonding (Part 2),’ a vast, 16-minute epic split into five pieces that vary between full-orchestra bravado and calmer acoustic periods, deserves its own discussion. The most adventurous piece on the album, this song almost succeeded. Still, the little too mechanical melodies suddenly lose that visceral draw, providing for a somewhat constrained end to an otherwise excellent record.
Ultimately, Edenbridge’s album Shangri-La is a tremendous comeback, exhibiting a collection of all the traits that have made them a standout outfit in the Symphonic Metal scene. Although the album does not invent anything new, it is difficult to criticise when the content is of such great calibre. A significant full-length by Edenbridge has just been released, serving as a respectable addition to a career spanning more than twenty years.
TRACKLISTING:
01. At First Light
02. The Call Of Eden
03. Hall Of Shame
04. Savage Land
05. Somewhere Else But Here
06. Freedom Is A Roof Made Of Stars
07. Arcadia (The Great Escape)
08. The Road To Shangri-La
09. The Bonding (Part 2) – I.Overture II.Alpha And Omega III.The Eleventh Hour IV.Round And Round V.The Timeless Now-Finale
LINE-UP:
Sabine Edelsbacher – Lead Vocals
Lanvall – Lead & Rhythm
Johannes Jungreithmeier – Drums
Steve Hall – Bass
Dominik Sebastian – Lead Guitar
LINKS:
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