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Edhels — Angel's Promise
(Musea FGBG 4220.AR , 1997, CD)

Angel's Promise Cover art

Who would've thought. Many readers are no doubt familiar with the band's first two albums Oriental Christmas and Still Dream. Probably fewer are familiar with the third album, Astro-Logical, where the band took some significant steps forward in the compositional department, and in fact it is that album which this, their fourth album, bears the most resemblance to. Dramatic shifting sonic panoramas and moody explorative passages built by guitars, synths, bass and drums are the foundation for fluid soloing from both keyboards and guitars. The instrumental tracks (nine of the thirteen titles) twist and turn in a state of perpetual flux, only occasionally turning back to a previously stated theme, which keeps the music interesting over the long haul. When a groove is found and explored, like on the track "Tension," it offers a degree of accessibility that was mostly missing on their third album. The band has lost keyboardist Noel Damon, whose piano passages were the highlight of Still Dream, but gained Jean-Marc Bastianelli, who relies more on synths, and provides a voice for the band for the first time. Jacky Rosati, whose drumming on the first two albums was noticeably pedestrian, has turned in a far better performance here, as well as contributing a few compositions to the effort, though he still lapses into old habits at times. Guitarist Suzzoni contributes a splendid acoustic instrumental in "Life, Life." The four vocal tracks are hit or miss: "Keep the Distance" and "On the Borderland" are two of the better ones, the music supporting Bastianelli's multi-tracked voice well, and never overpowering the effort. One can't say the same for "Guinevre's Regrets," where the spoken voice of guest Malanie Stracey obscures what might be one of the album's better tunes. Another valid complaint is the album's sheer length: at well over 70 minutes, it's hard for this listener to remain focused. Regardless, this is a welcome return to form and shows the band stretching out into some new directions. Looking forward to their performance at ProgScape.

by Peter Thelen, Published 1998-02-01

Angel's Promise is the latest offering from this fine contemporary progressive band. I did not know much about this band prior to hearing this album, but for the most part I was pleasantly surprised with the audition, normally being a tad suspicious of anything remotely carrying the "neo-prog" tag. The jury is still out as to whether or not this is in fact "neo-prog," but I suppose in the end that is beside the point. Regardless of the tag,  Edhels boasts a sound that is strong, assured, varied, and at times very dramatic. Although there are plenty of synthesizers, the lead guitar is clearly the dominant instrument, alternating between quick modal runs and sinuous, thick, melodious tones. The closest comparison I can think of would be Camel, circa Nude or Stationary Traveler (but with more instrumentals than vocal pieces), or possibly David Sylvian and Robert Fripp. There is plenty to enjoy on this CD. It's a long one, and none of the tracks get boring — as long as you're in a relaxed mood. While the compositions themselves are nothing too new or exciting, the skill and thick tone of the guitarist makes this CD enjoyable from start to finish. The vocal pieces on this album don't hit as hard as the instrumentals, but they do provide needed variety, and all of them are delivered in good taste. Recommended to fans of Camel, Pendragon, Marillion, or even darker outfits like Xaal and King Crimson.

by Steve Robey, Published 1998-02-01

Edhels, one of France's more well known symphonic rock ensembles, is back after a several year hiatus. Although there have been some personnel changes, the essential line-up of the band remains the same — keys (with a variety of sequencers), two guitars, and gated drums. For those of you (like me) who have difficulty with the lead footed drum sounds, Edhels' new album isn't going to change any minds — there's a distinct modern type sound going on. Edhels have done what many instrumental bands feel they have to do after a few albums — go for the vocalist (like Minimum Vital) and the results are not up to standard, I'm afraid. "Guinevere's Regrets" with the horrible spoken vocals is a track that sends your fingers over to the skip button, thankfully there's no worse here. The other two tracks with vocals display latter-day Peter Gabriel like pop tendencies, sophisticated and sublime, yet certainly not adventurous. As usual, the high point in any Edhels album is Ceccotti's guitar playing, yet I, for one, would like to hear him play over more interesting backdrops than DX-7 sounding sequencers. All in all, not close to their early days, and while in some of the music there is less of an attempt to be obviously melodic, the results are mixed.

by Mike McLatchey, Published 1998-02-01

Filed under: New releases, Issue 14, 1997 releases

Related artist(s): Edhels, Marc Ceccotti

More info
http://edhels.bandcamp.com/album/angel-s-promise

 

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