On disc: Eden's Curse

 
 EdensCurse
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 The Second Coming
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 


 
 Trinity
 
- Lars Bjørn -
 
 


 
 Trinity
 
- Claudia Ehrhardt -
 
 

Trinity

(AFM Records - 2011)



 
 

 

Trinity is the 3rd album of Eden's Curse, the band of Michael Eden. At The Second Coming keyboarder Ferdy Doernberg was playing, by now he's replaced by Alessandro del Vecchio.

The album kicks off with the intro Trinitas Sanctus which leads into the title track Trinity. Eden's Curse is offering an up-tempo rocker with a catchy hook. Michael Eden's vocals are ennobling the songs, but another strong point are the harmony vocal parts where Alessandro del Vecchio and bassist Paul Logue join in. For Saints Of Tomorrow they ease off a bit, the song has a slight 80's metal feeling... At No Holy Man they welcome a special guest, Dream Theater singer James LaBrie! The song combines 80's heavy metal with great hooks. Del Veccio's keyboard reminds me a bit of Saga while guitarist Thorsten Koehne is adding some razor-sharp riffs. No Holy Man is definitely one of the highlights of Trinity! Another one is the ballad Guardian Angel which is next in line. A symphonic ballad which back in the days would have been on heavy rotation. Then they storm off into Can't Fool The Devil, a fast guitar-driven tune with fast double-bass drumming, Hammond sound and a refrain you'll start singing along right away. At the fast Black Widow Helloween shouter Andi Deris is joining Eden's Curse. Black Widow is more aggressive then the other tracks while Jerusalem Sleeps is kicking off with some Oriental sounds, but then becomes a heavy rocker based on a stomping beat and an infectious hookline. The closer is a cover of Dio's Rock'n'Roll Children, a cool homage to one of the best and most influential singers of rock and metal. Even if Eden's Curse can't create the same magic, it's a very good cover!

Actually you won't find a filler on Trinity, just not every song is a killer tune. Fans of melodic metal shouldn't hesitate to get their copy while fans of 80's hard rock should give it a fair chance. Check out No Holy Man, Dare To Be Different, Guardian Angel and Jerusalem Sleeps. Let Eden's Curse win you over!

 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Trinity

(AFM Records - 2011)



 
 

 

With a great selection of songs proves Michael Eden that he sings on a very high level, voice almost reaching the top in this production, their 3rd release so far. Their style is in the grey zone between AOR and hard rock, and most of the songs are based on the divine guitar-driven explosions that also gives power metal fans something to enjoy. So there is a bit of everything in this CD. Generally Eden's Curse works a lot with background vocals to support Michael Eden, and on No Holy Man the tight rhythm is blessed by the guest performance by James LaBrie in a duet with Michael Eden, and also on the mid-tempo rocker Black Widow there is help from singer Andi Deris to give the song even more power. To complete the musical widespread specter we get Can't Fool The Devil, a pop-rock song, and also ballads in the shape of Guardian Angel and Children Of The Tide, these are nice songs, but unfortunately nothing really extraordinary. You almost get a feeling that Michael Eden is holding the brakes in his hands and dares to release them. Saints Of Tomorrow is again soft, but nearly too simple in the building of the song. But then the rescue comes: Trinity, Rivers Of Destiny, Jerusalem Sleeps, Dare To Be Different. These 4 songs lifts Michael Eden to the rightful place where he can set his powerful voice free. Good quality melodic songs in the hard rock end of the scale, especially Dare To Be Different is thrilling. The final song is a cover of Dio's Rock'n'Roll Children to round off the CD, Eden sings ok, but there are still some distance to the original performance by Ronnie James Dio, especially when it comes to the sharpness, but good credits to Michael Eden to include this song.

 
 










Lars Bjørn


  
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The Second Coming

(AFM Records - 2008)



 
 

 

With The Second Coming Michael Eden and his band Eden's Curse deliver their sophomore album. The intro Reign Of Terror leads into Masquerade Ball with a symphonic touch and some sounds you associates with a ball, but then a shot! And they head into Masquerade Ball, an up-tempo melodic rocker with a catchy chorus. The song could have been taken from an Axel Rudi Pell album.... At their debut I criticized that the neo-classical guitar parts are a bit too prominent and it looks like it will be the same here.... Bassist Paul Logue kicks off Angels & Demons and soon the song becomes a heavy, melodic rocker with precise riffing, big choruses and powerful vocals. Keyboarder Ferdy Doernberg got the chance to show his talent in short solo passage. Even heavier is Just Like Judas, but also a guitar-driven rocker. Somehow this tune sounds quite familiar. .. A bit Skid Row-ish.... Balladesque starts Sail On which opens with a guitar passage, but then singer Paul Eden takes over and the track becomes a powerful balladesque tune. Nice hook! With Lost In Wonderland and West Wind Blows they get a bit heavier, more metal... With piano / keyboard kicks off Man Against The World, a ballad with multi layer vocals. But somehow the tune can't touch me... And that's the main problem of Eden's Curse, the songs are good, well played, but not alive... I miss passion. I miss fire. It's really a pity.

Again this promo copy had voice over at most tracks which were really distracting and annoying. Anyway,  musically the fivesome don't present something new, but the songs are well played. I think Michael Eden is a great singer, but a less polished sound would do the songs - and his vocals - good. Some times it seems that the songs have a rough edge which got polished away - and takes off the briskness. The songs are liked tamed animals... I hope next time they can set them free!
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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Eden's Curse

(AFM Records - 2007)



 
 

 

Eden's Curse is a multi-national band and now they are presenting their debut album. The band is singer Michael Eden, former Demon Drive guitarist Thorsten Koehne, keyboarder Ferdy Doernberg, bassist Paul Logue and drummer Pete Newdeck. Even if not every name is ringing a bell, they all are active for years and played in various bands.

The melodic metal outfit kicks off with the intro Book Of Life - you hear thunder, foot falls.. a monk choir and a bell. Then a short narrated part leads you over to Judgement Day. First you get a short acoustic part, but then they go full force ahead. And even before Mr. Eden sets in with his thrilling vocals guitarist Thorsten Koehne shows his talent. But it's the vocals which will blow you away! Musically they go back to the late 80's / early 90's sound and add here some neo-classical metal influenced guitar parts. The song is catchy and so a good choice to start into the album. A bit heavier and darker is Stronger Than Flame. Here they are closer to Skid Row then to Steelheart... just to give you an idea. More symphonic starts The Voice Inside, but then a short acoustic part and the enthralling vocals of Michael Eden. A slow, balladesque tune which carries you away. Later they add some power and it becomes a power ballad. Pete Newdeck's drums lead you into Fly Away, a heavy guitar-driven up-tempo rocker, but Ferdy Doernberg's keyboard takes of the edge a bit. At Heaven Touch Me the guitar solo isn't very supportive for the song, it kinda divides it into 2 parts. A real highlight is Fallen King which slowly speeds up and becomes a catchy rocker.

No complains about the production which was handled by Dennis Ward - and so it's no big surprise. There are still many fans of hard rock / melodic metal and they should welcome a band like Eden's Curse! The guys know how to play, how to write songs and are really entertaining. No cheesy refrains, but melodies which soon will haunt you! The only thing I could criticize is that guitarist Thorsten Koehne is doing a bit too often solo parts which in my opinion disturb the flow. Beside that they deliver a great piece of music. I highly recommend this album to fans of Giant, Hardline, Stage Dolls and Artension - to name just a few.

Check out: Judgement Day, The Voice Inside, After The Love Is Gone and Fallen King.
 
 










Claudia Ehrhardt


  
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