EDENBRIDGE – The Great Momentum (2017)
Austrian sympho / melodic metal act EDENBRIDGE spent more than a year working on its latest album, “The Great Momentum” to be released tomorrow February 17, 2017 through SPV/Steamhammer.
Like its predecessor album featured here on the blog, “The Great Momentum” was produced by the banod’s guitarist/composer Lanvall and again mixed by Karl Groom (Threshold) at his Thin Ice Studio in Surrey, England. The mastering was taken care of by Mika Jussila (Stratovarius) at the renowned Finnvox Studios.
Among the featured guests on the album are Edenbridge’s ols friend vocalist Erik Martensson (ECLIPSE, W.E.T., NORDIC UNION) and the Junge Philharmonie Freistadt Orchestra providing some majestic orchestrations. In addition, this new album introduces new drummer Johannes Jungreithmeier, whose powerful style has contributed to the recording’s great dynamism.
Making a name by themselves in the Symphonic Metal sub-genre among the likes of Nightwish and Epica with their own style, Edenbridge delivers a great performance in this new album “The Great Momentum”, perhaps the stronger to date.
Driven by their mastermind and six-string maestro Lanvall a.k.a. Arne Stockhammer with his precise riffs and good-ole guitar solos plus Sabine Edelsbacher’s unique vocals, the album opens with ‘Shiantara’, a full-on heavy cut featuring massive riffs, killer drums an huge lead vocals.
‘The Die Is Not Cast’, which is similar in intensity, but with a faster pace and some amazing keyboard solos.
The album is somehow divided (effectively) into two type of songs; the catchy ‘The Moment Is Now’ (where you can hear Erik Martensson’s helping hand in the sound), ‘The Visitor’ and ‘Return To Grace’ are faster and more aggressive but yet gentle and symphonic, while ‘Until The End of Time’, ‘Only A Whiff Of Life’ and ‘The Greatest Gift Of All’ are more acoustic, mellow and emotional.
Talking about the latter, that song is an impressive 12-minute magnificent piece including a real orchestra that can be compared to some of the finest Nightwish moments during the Tarja years mixed with Allen / Lande project, and why not, some Ayreon. Stunning arrangements on this one.
While on “The Great Momentum” Edenbridge sticks firm to their winning formula – they could’ve been a little more adventurous – this is a really effective, entertaining sympho / melodic metal / prog heavy album plenty of melody. Sound & production are superb, bombastic and polished.
Strongly Recommended
01. Shiantara
02. The Die Is Not Cast
03. The Moment Is Now
04. Until the End of Time
05. The Visitor
06. Return to Grace
07. Only a Whiff of Life
08. A Turnaround in Art
09. The Greatest Gift of All
Sabine Edelsbacher – Vocals
Lanvall – Guitars, Keyboards, Bass, Dulcimer, Bouzouki
Dominik Sebastian – Guitars
Johannes Jungreithmeier – Drums
guests:
Erik Martensson (ECLIPSE, W.E.T., NORDIC UNION) – Vocals
Junge Philharmonie Freistadt Orchestra
PRE ORDER:
www.emp-online.com/art_348241/
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