Edenbridge – Shangri-La
Release Date: 16th September 2022
Label: AFM Records
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Genre: Symphonic Metal, Cinematic Metal, Progressive Metal.
FFO: Nightwish, EPICA, Within Temptation, Pink Floyd.
Review By: Mark Waight
Edenbridge are an often-underrated band who are more than worthy of a place alongside the big three of the Symphonic Metal scene (Nightwish, EPICA and Within Temptation) than their current status affords them. Shangri-La is a wonderful composition of songs that should further secure their place near the top of the Symphonic Metal tree and help bring Edenbridge some more of the recognition they richly deserve. Shangri-La is a heady mix of Symphonic, Cinematic and Progressive metal, using a combination of softer, harder and heavier tracks to leave you gripped as to what’s coming next.
Edenbridge, who hail from Austria, are Sabine Edelsbacher (lead vocals), Lanvall (lead and rhythm guitars, 6 &12 string guitars, Nylon string guitar, piano, keyboards, orchestrations, electric sitar, bouzouki, swarmandal, ukelele), Johannes Jungreithmeier (drums), Steve Hall (bass) and Dominik Sebastian (lead guitar). Thomas Strubler is once again used to harmonise vocally with Sabine to create Edenbridge’s unique and trademark sound.
At First Light is a fast and heavy opening track set to a sublime orchestral backdrop, creating a truly classic symphonic metal sound, nice. The Call of Eden is a softer tune combining beautiful vocals with a retro soundtrack, giving it a back to the 80s feel.
Hall of Shame has a heavy bass riff and some wicked guitar playing, making it a proper old school metal track with an Edenbridge twist on it – very cool! Savage Land, on the other hand, moves toward a more dreamy, progressive sound with a touch of the Pink Floyd about it, creating a welcome breather on the album.
Somewhere Else but Here nudges the intensity up a notch, combining haunting vocals and a magnificently catchy guitar hook to create my favourite tune of the album. Freedom is a Roof Made of Stars captures the sound of the mystical east and twinkling stars over an epic desert landscape, cinematic metal of the highest order.
Arcadia (The Great Escape) is vocally the best track on the album, with a very emotional performance by Sabine that would melt even the coldest of hearts.The Road To Shangri-La is another retro feel track that took me back to the 70s and listening to ELO on my old stereo. It is a proper feel-good tune that offers hope and joy for the future – lovely.
Final offering The Bonding (Part 2) is a 16-minute-long epic that is divided into 5 musical sections, 1 Overture, 2 Alpha & Omega, 3 The Eleventh Hour, 4 Round and Round and 5 The Timeless Now. Musically, this track has just about everything and shows the wealth of talent and ability within the band. This song is right up there with the very best of anything else written within the Symphonic, cinematic and Progressive genres. Give it a listen and just feel the depth of the music.
As a piece of music, the album Shangri-La is truly faultless, and I am pretty sure it will stand up to the test of time and be popular for years to come. I hope it receives the recognition it deserves rather than becoming another hidden gem.
(4 / 5)
