Edenbridge - Arcana

Year of Release: 2001
Label: Massacre Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 57:06:00

Edenbridge have released another melodic edition of the female fronted kind. Not much has changed in the line-up of these Austrians since their last album Sunrise In Eden apart from the addition of a second guitarist in the form of Andreas Eibler. It is not entirely correct to pigeonhole this release as melodic metal given the diversity of songs in speed and atmosphere but the main string leading throughout the album is melody based and carries that typical Edenbridge stamp. You get clean melodies with some faster songs thrown in for some good foot-tapping and a few very nice and enchanting ballads. In a couple of spots I found a comparison to Dreams of Sanity appropriate but overall Edenbridge's music is more involved while not reaching the busy heights of Nightwish.

Once again the songwriter and producer of Edenbridge, Lanvall, shines by not displaying his talents alone but mostly leaving the band in the foreground of the music, which is not too common amongst the guitar virtuosos around. Arcana is definitely a step up from the debut Sunrise In Eden and the biggest difference seems in the songwriting, which shows off the vocals of a very talented Sabine Edelsbacher. I still think that Edenbridge have not reached their peak yet, and given some time and one or two more releases they might reach the "must have" bracket of releases. In the mean time listen to this well recorded album, once again mixed by Dennis Ward, and check out the magnificent cover artwork, designed by Markus Meyer (Blind Guardian, Atrocity) who already designed the beautiful cover for their debut release.

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
Ascending (1:07) / Starlight Reverie (4:12) / The Palace (6:55) / A Moment Of Time (4:05) / Fly On A Rainbow Dream (4:41) / Color My Sky (4:33) / Into The Light (5:21) / Suspiria (5:09) / Winter Winds (4:41) / Arcana (9:48)

The ltd ed. EU digipack double vinyl features the bonus track of Velvet Eyes Of Dawn (btn trk 6 & 7); outside EU the bonus is The Whisperer Of The Ages (btwn 6 & 7)

Musicians:
Sabine Edelsbacher - lead and backing vocals
Lanvall - lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, keyboards
Kurt Bednarsky - bass
Roland Navratil - drums
Andreas Eibler - rhythm and lead guitars

Discography:
Sunrise In Eden (2001)
Arcana (2002)
Aphelion (2003)
A Livetime In Eden (2004)
Shine (2004)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin AT

Added: January 17th 2005
Reviewer: Peter Fundeis
Score:
Artist website: www.edenbridge.org
Hits: 2722
Language: english