With a band name sounding somewhat like a cross between Hades and a town ripe for conquest on ‘Game of Thrones’, Edenfall has crawled out from the unlovely sounding town of Cheltenham in the U.K. to rain their brand of gothic doom music on the world.
Under Sultry Moons and Velvet Skies, their second and newest release is typically (for this genre) moody, dark and atmospheric. The title alludes to holidays in the exotic spice isles, sipping gin slings and being fanned with large palm leaves. In fact, the sultry moon and velvet skies aren’t about softness and gentleness but about dark clouds, cruel weather, and the dark arts.
Typically, and perhaps a little unoriginally, some of the pieces on the album begin with the sound of cold howling winds, rain falling, and thunder. The elementals on such recordings are almost as important as the lyrics, it would be great to hear other sounds that represent darkness and gloom. Still, there are many aspects of this work to commend.
The ten tracks on offer here employ various tempos and melodies. There is some ear–pulling riffs on almost all of the offerings. Listen to the start of “Wolves” with its engaging and well–balanced percussion, drums, and staccato guitar sounds. The song delicately communicates the message that ‘all is not well with its atonal piano finish.
Rob George (guitar and vocals) has the perfect baritone growl to carry off the vibe of despair. Clare Webster (lead vocals) could well be a great contrast soprano in time. As yet her voice isn’t developed enough for some sounds and she doesn’t quite pull–off the operatic drama of the pieces in all cases but there are times when she captures just the right note, and that bodes well for the future.
Apart from “The Rhinemaiden’s Song”, which is an introductory instrumental, the songs are long.
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They are theatrical in essence and are complex in composition. Some require a deal of focus to stay tuned–in and, in fact, the band is brave to trust in meandering pieces to win fans. So this is an album for those who take the cerebral path to music appreciation. For others who like music to be chorus–centric, they’ll need to look elsewhere for inspiration.
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It will be interesting to follow the progress and evolution of Edenfall because when they hit their straps they’ll certainly have something extra to offer the shadowy world of the gothic doom realm.
Edenfall: Facebook
Release Year: 2014
Label: self-released
Category: Album
Country: England
Reviewed by Sharon Brookes
