Detailed Reviews [Edenya - 2020 - "Silence"]

Prolusion. French band EDENYA have a history as a recording band dating back to 2017, when they launched their initial, self-titled EP. Three years later they self released their debut album "Silence".

Analysis. Edenya is among those bands that explore the more accessible parts of the progressive rock universe. They do not categorize themselves into any specific genre convention, but rather as a band that explores a landscape made up of details from a good handful of different types of music. A fact that makes progressive rock something of an obvious genre possibility, at least as seen from a progressive rock oriented perspective. The band is true to their self-description of combining rock, ambient, folk, progressive and symphonic music. Although I'd say that the latter part perhaps isn't quite as obvious as the rest on this occasion. Many of the songs develop in a certain pattern: Opening up as careful ambient creation with gentle guitars, keyboards and vocals as key ingredients, then moving on to a still gentle but a bit firmer and elegant progressive rock style of arrangement, then erupting into a more majestic and dramatic arrangement and then concluding on a gentler note again, often concluding in the same manner that the song initially opened with. The vocalists are obviously important here, and the band features two lead vocalists, namely Elena and Remi. Remi's vocals is perhaps the weakest link here, somewhat accented and with a slightly flat delivery at times. Elena has a distinct voice, using quite a bit of vibrato and often with an emotional mode of delivery. Folk music elements flavor the more careful parts of the bands compositions, mainly by way of the acoustic guitar, but also with a guest violinist adding some distinct touches from this instrument. The latter often with a haunting quality. The punchier and more dramatic sections of the songs are more in the direction of progressive metal, with dark, hard riffs backed by layered keyboards that, indeed, have a symphonic quality and touch. We are also treated to details in this part of the song with a more distinct post rock expression, in one case with the band cycling through three different variations of the style with a majestic, an intense and then a delicate expression of the form. This is a well executed and easy to like album on a number of different levels. There are subtle details present that will take a few listens to discover for many listeners, and some nice and subtle harmonies in the arrangements with a similar nature to them. A haunting and often melancholic atmosphere is noted as a strong identity mark as well.

Conclusion. The vocals are an important and perhaps the most important aspect of this album experience, and how much or not you will enjoy this album will for many come down to how intriguing they are found to be. As this is an accessible album this production obviously won't have the strongest appeal among those whose taste for music is in the edgier and more experimental departments, but for those who like and enjoy accessible progressive rock and tend to enjoy an atmospheric and dream-laden variety of the style, this album by Edenya is certainly worth a listen.

Progmessor: July 2021
The Rating Room