Edensong

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в Oct 16 19:39:19 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залит Edensong/(2016)Years_In_The_Garden_OfYears

Молодая американская прогресив-рок-группа с длинной и запутанной историей, которая тянется чуть ли не к 90-м. Группа раза 3 полностью распадалась и вновь пересоздавалась в новом составе её фронтменом Джеймсом Байроном Шоном. В процессе она успела выпустить два диска, на первом из которых, кажется, все композиции сыграны в разных составах... Второй - этот.
Активное использование флейты, конечно же, наводит на аналогии с Джетро Таллом, но, если и так, то с поздним Таллом, а не ранним. Что-то есть от Йес, но опять же - от поздних. А в общем - интересно, эпично так, знаете ли, но не нео-прогово.
Рекомендую!

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US band Edensong has a history that goes back to the progressive metal band Echoes of Eden, an active unit back in the 1990's featuring Benjamin Wigler, Tony Waldman, Alex Нornbake and James Byron Schoen. When that band disbanded, following the release of a solitary album, Schoen decided to form a new band in the fall of 2002, alongside Matt Cozin (drums). Fellow Echoes of Eden member Ben Wigler subsequently joined.The three worked on new material, as well as old Echoes of Eden material, but after a short while Ben left the band.

James and Matt moved on and decided to develop 3 hours of what they called 'surrealistic pseudo-rock-opera', involving a lot of the music they wrote earlier. They joined forces with some other musicians, Ian Carbone (bass), Aurora Maoz (flute), and Asa Sourdiffe (violin, keyboard). The initial performance in April 2003 motivated the band to go on a live tour, but the rehearsal schedule and antics involved in this "Beyond Eden" project was too much for Aurora and Asa, who were replaced by Rachel Kiel (flute) and Mike Drucker (violin). After touring, this line up started working on the material that would eventually become the debut album "The Fruit Fallen". During the work, Arthur Sugen joined on piano and organ, and Ian Carbone was replaced by T.D. Towers on bass.

In 2005 and 2006 the band played an extensive list of live shows for a growing amount of followers, but in the spring 2006 the tensions of touring led to a complete band break up.
James Byron Schoen found himself alone, and focused again on getting the album done. All material recorded when the band was still together needed to be mixed, and remixed (with an occasional overdub). In October 2007 "The Fruit Fallen" was mastered by Bob Katz then released in the summer of 2008. The album provides an outtake of material developed throughout the various band line ups, and was recorded before the band disbanded. After the release, James started working on getting together a new band to tour with and promote the material. This new version of the band eventually settled with Schoen joined by his old band mate from Echoes of Eden, Tony Waldman (drums), alongside previous Edensong member TD Towers (bass) and new recruits Stefan Paolini (keyboards) and Barry Seroff (flute).

Come 2009 and Edensong was booked to perform at the progressive rock festivals Progday and The Three Rivers progressive rock festival, and the following year they were booked for the Canadian Terra Incognita festival as well. The band also released an album in 2010, "Echoes of Edensong", consisting of some new material, some reworked material from the Echoes of Eden days and some live recordings from recent concerts.

This new line-up of Edensong have proved to be a stable one. While they weren't all that visible in the years following 2010, the band had been hard at work from that year and onward, writing, recording and reworking material for a sophomore studio album. Following a handful of years of preparation they were ready with their new CD. This sophomore production, named "Years in the Garden of Years", was released through noted US label The Laser's Edge in the fall of 2016.

The music of Edensong is an interesting mixture of heavy and symphonic prog, progressive folk and even some RIO/Avant influences here and there. As one collaborator of ProgArchives put it after being introduced to the band: "Jethro Tull meets Dream Theater meets Yes. It's amazing-sounding stuff".

(c) bio based on information provided by James Byron Schoen, and an initial review by ProgArchives Collaborator p0mt3. Revised and updated in 2016 by Olav M. Bjornsen and Tony Waldman, PA
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(c) Review by Windhawk, PA

US band EDENSONG is a project that was in development from 2002 and onward, eventually releasing their debut album "Fruit of the Fallen" in 2008, a production that was followed by the EP "Echoes of Edensong" two years later. "Years in the Garden of Years" is their sophomore full length studio album, and was released through renowned US label Laser's Edge in the fall of 2016.

Back in the spring of 2013 I sat in an apartment in Brooklyn and listened to just shy of half an hour of material that was in the works for this album. I cannot recall the specific details of that listening session, but it was a fun and interesting manner in which to conclude a weekend in New York City before traveling on to meet other friends stateside. I had stayed with drummer Tony Waldman for part of that weekend, and we've been in touch on a fairly regular basis ever since. Нe was passionate about the qualities of the forthcoming Edensong album even back then, and from what I can recall the band have worked quite a bit to add some quality finishing touches to the songs at hand here.

As with many other progressive rock bands, Edensong's take on the genre is one that is hard to pin down. They appear to have something of a passionate interest in progressive folk rock of the kind that Jethro Tull made a career out of, and traces and echoes of that band can be found on numerous occasions throughout. Not merely due to the liberal use of flute soloing, but also in certain structural elements unless I'm much mistaken. That there are passages that comes across as something of a bastard child of Jethro Tull and Dream Theater is perhaps and indication of just how extensive the palette Edensong use is, although the more clear cut metal-oriented themes and passages strictly speaking is a minority feature on this CD. Very much present, but not in a dominant manner.

There's a lot of what I'd describe as hard prog present however. Quite a few classic guitar riff and organ combinations, but also various combinations of bass, piano and guitar creating a firm, hard sound that is vibrant and tension filled. That these may alternate with gentler passages of a more pastoral character as well as more dramatic and sweeping ones with more of a clear cut symphonic progressive expression again an indication of variety and versatility I guess. Add in occasional lapses into what I'd describe as a chamber rock oriented style, as well occasional details here and there that possibly have more of an avant tinge to them, and you do end up with an album that can proudly be described as eclectic in scope as well as character.

A special remark is merited for the final third of the impressively flexible instrumental Chronos, as what I'd hazard a guess at being Japanese inspired percussion and instrument details most certainly adds a distinct mood and flavor to those sequences. I would also guess that these details were directly or indirectly provided by drummer Tony, who knows a thing or two about Japanese culture.

"Years in the Garden of Years" is undeniably a progressive rock album, one of those productions placed so much in the center of that universe that it cannot be mistaken for anything else. It's eclectic, filled with variety, and feature enough alterations and changes in tempo and arrangements to keep even a jaded progger happy. The compositions are well worked out too, with excellent mix and production as the icing on the cake. A CD easy to recommend to any progressive rock fan with a taste for the eclectic and more adventurous parts of the progressive rock universe.
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Инджой!
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WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.

--- wfido