Edenbridge celebrate a decade of existence with what could very well be their best album yet. After bouncing round Euro metal labels Edenbridge now find themselves signed to the Austrian company Napalm Records whose roster also features Power Quest, Tyr and the quite frankly bonkers Alestorm. This must be a happy coincidence as the band themselves hail from there as well.

Perhaps the most striking difference from previous Edenbridge outings is the much improved sound quality. Despite having a long term acquaintance with producer extraordinaire and hardest working man on the planet Dennis Ward the band’s sound had never quite matched their grandiose ambitions, therefore credit must go to Threshold’s Karl Groom who mixed the album and Mika Jussila at Finnvox who handled mastering duties for getting things so right this time around. 

A fine example of the great sound is to be found in the rather tasty guitar solo pulled out by band leader Lanvall during Shadowplay. Lanvall has also upped his game in the writing department. Previously it has been all too easy to (perhaps harshly) dismiss Edenbridge as somewhat of a poor man’s Within Temptation or Nightwish. Knowing full well that the dear readers of HardRockHouse voted in their droves in our 2007 poll for those two bands, there should be an audience out there for the Bridge. 

Obviously the money has been spent wisely on MyEarthDream. For instance the Czech Film Orchestra sound great whenever they appear – Paramount, for example and add genuine depth to the whole project. Apparently the album is about, “the topic of our earth and its ability to open itself up to higher energies that are filtered through the human mind.” So there, now you know. 

Vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher sounds much less shrill and more confident this time round as well and is in particularly commanding form on the rather excellent Adamantine which, alongside Whale Rider, give the CD a very strong middle section. Indeed Edelsbacher’s performance on Whale Rider could well represent a career high. MyEarthDream took six months to record but clearly this was time well spent for the band and with MyEarthDream Edenbridge’s elevation from also rans to potential front runners should be complete.

Let us know your views on MyEarthDream

Track Listing

The Force Within
Shadowplay
Remember Me
Paramount
Adamtine
Whale Rider
Undying Devotion
Fallen from Grace
Place of Higher Power
MyEarthDream

Line Up

Sabine Edelsbacher – Vocals
Lanvall – Guitars/Keyboards/
Frank Binding – Bass/
Max Pointer – Drums
Sabastian Lauser - Drums