Edensong
New York proggers return with first studio album in almost a decade
“This is an album of just letting ideas come in and seeing how they formed naturally,” says James Byron Schoen, one of Edensong’s co-founders, of the band’s third studio album 'Our Road To Dust'.
It’s been nearly 10 years since the band released 2016’s 'Years In The Garden Of Years'. But the lull gave Schoen and his bandmates a chance to step back, reflect and regroup.
'Our Road To Dust' is a diverse, poignant, compelling collection of personal, introspective songs melding prog metal dynamics and immersive melodies with lighter elements such as a folky flute, and vibrant violin courtesy of guest player, Chris Baum.
The title track with its highly infectious chorus best expresses the overall theme. “It’s a song that touches on brotherhood and digs into why we’re making music,” Schoen explains.
“The initial melody just popped into my head, so I recorded into an iPhone voice memo. Having that kind of singalong chorus is not something Edensong has done before.”
He adds: “The previous album took us a long time because we spent it focusing on the music, resulting in a very obsessive process. This time, it was a very different type of delay. Making, writing, and recording the music did not take us that long. However, six Edensong children were born during that time and there was also a pandemic!”
One of the first songs recorded was the single //Hall Of Statues//. Following a recommendation, they called upon Kyros’s Shelby Logan Warne in 2018 to create the video, but their collaboration then grew exponentially.
“She came in and initially worked with us on the video when we were planning to do a crowdfunding campaign to go with its release - and raise some funds for the whole album.
“I got more familiar with Shelby’s music and was blown away by Kyros’s sound. She was then involved in an important way, shaping the sound especially on the title track on which she plays keyboards and mellotron, giving it a very 70s prog vibe; and the more electronic aspects of 'Black Crow'.”
Schoen is a huge Jethro Tull fan, a passion not shared by other key band members. “Surprisingly, they are not such a big influence for Barry Seroff, our flute player, though he does get the Tull connection!”
The band appear on the album as a quartet for the first time. As well as Seroff, there’s also Schoen’s lifelong friend and musical collaborator, bassist TD Towers and another long-term friend Nick DiGregorio on drums.
They launched the album with a local New York show and at a festival in Quebec, Canada.
However, live UK dates may prove a challenge in the current political climate, Schoen admits.
Edensong’s only time over here was in 2018 touring with Dutch band Golden Caves. It included playing the opening Sunday slot at Summer’s End when their show was dominated by a Japanese zither-like koto. Schoen recalls: “It was a lot of fun, a great festival - but it was not our best performance!”
- Alison Reijman
PROG FILE
LINE-UP: James Byron Schoen – vocals, electric/acoustic guitars, Portuguese guitarra, six string banjo, keyboards, TD "BenBen" Towers – vocals, bass guitars
Barry Seroff – flute, bass and alto flutes, Nick DiGregorio – drums, percussion
SOUNDS LIKE: Pain of Salvation’s metal intensity meets Jethro Tull’s folkish fluting interspersed with King Crimson cutting edges and Kansas melodics.
CURRENT RELEASE: 'Our Road To Dust' is now out via The Lasers Edge.
WEBSITE : edensongtheband.com