Melodic Gem
Initially Eden’s Curse started off as a project I'd imagine. With a second album and aptly named 'The Second Coming' complete, it begs to ask if they are now a fully fledged band. Eden’s Curse is a band probably with the biggest travelling expenses in the business! Five band members (Michael Eden - vox, Paul Logue - bass, Thorsten Koehne - guitars, Pete Newdeck - drums, Ferdy Doernberg - keys) from four different countries across two continents are represented. And it doesn’t stop there.
With the added bonus of workaholic bassist / singer on his CV, the multi faceted Dennis Ward (PC69/Khymera) is chief producer. Along for the ride are a well known cast of backing singers most bands would envy, nay, crawl across broken glass to enlist - David Readman (PC69), Dougie White (Cornerstone, Malmsteen, Rainbow), Carsten Schultz (Evidence One, Domain, Midnite Club), who are the Curse Choir. And there's more! Adding to the creative wall of sound are the operatic tones of TNT, Starbreaker, and Westworld singer Tony Harnell who appears on every track. Even Operation Mindcrime I&II's Sister Mary, Pamela Moore duets with Michael Eden on one track. Phew!
It had better be good, because these people don’t work for nothing. Thankfully that is the case here.
Eden’s Curse produce songs in the true vein of modern melodic AOR fused with (technical) metal, with a great clean, very polished sound courtesy of Ward. To be honest, all the choruses are very sing-a-long and catchy, the guitar solo's are a widdly air guitarists fantasy. Guitar virtuoso Thorsten Koehne is a definite plus, razor sharp riffs and fast frenetic soloing is a standard throughout, he's a class above for certain
Opening with a Circus style intro before hammering into ' Masquerade Ball', reminding me of the best melodic rock has to offer - fans of TNT, Dokken, Giant, Shadowman, Bonfire, and House of Lords, will lap this up 'till the cows come home.
'Angels & Demons' features Pamela Moore, which reminded be a bit of 'Heavy Pettin's Hamie. There’s good interplay between guitar and keyboards, which is repeated throughout the rest of the album. 'Sail On' is acoustically driven rocker with layered arrangements and again has another catchy bridge and chorus. Damn that voiceover man! I hate him!
'Lost in Wonderland' has an edgier killer riff. Its all melodic music by numbers, but those numbers represent a Monet painting and not grafitti!!
All the songs are very solid indeed with a killer production level and deserve to be listened to by a larger audience. All this band need to do to progress some more is to get out on the road. Catchy songs, killer riffs, great melodic vocals, it’s another high standard being set in a year of some excellent releases. This belongs in that list of essentials in 2008
If it weren't for voiceover man I'd have given it more!