Italian band Edenshade have released this four track EP after a three year gap since their album “The Lesson Betrayed”. After a lot of upheaval during 2008, the re-formed band decided to get something out on the streets in advance of an anticipated full release next year.
The first track “Caress” is characterised by a solid melodic Death Metal riff with technical progressive overtones. The upbeat instrumental output made me think of Into Eternity, a view which was reinforced on the final track “Words Can Penetrate”. Meanwhile the vocals have the flat delivery of Nevermore. Although melodic, it’s dark and heavy, and for sure it’s more technical than hooky, making it quite difficult to digest. “Everything I Painted You” has a yet more complex layered structure about it. It’s not bad at all as the guitar twirls on, but I’m not keen on these vocals. “Swallow” follows. It is curious and mercifully very short. It sounds as if it is a gargantuan effort for the suffering singer. I couldn’t see the point of this one minute interlude. Then finally, “Words Cannot Penetrate” goes upbeat and melodic again. It’s something of an instrumental feast with the guitar play developing a series of patterns, imitating the energy and movement of technical Death Metallers Zero Hour.
The problem with this work is that the combination of its style and presumably self-imposed limited time span prevent it from being the finished article. I’m sure the band has more to say than this. The technical intricacy of the music makes it difficult to swallow, which could be overcome were it not hindered by the fact that the band is fitting its complex message into a mere 12˝ minutes. Such sophisticated rhythms need time for absorption and I would question the wisdom of releasing this “taster”. Maybe the band was trying to prove something to themselves by releasing this EP but as a listener I couldn’t get into it and therefore felt dissatisfied.
www.edenshade.com
www.myspace.com/edenshade
www.myspace.com/casketmusic
