Album Review // Eden on Fire // Unresolved
4.5/5 stars
Aside from its literal title, the debut full-length from Erie's Eden On Fire is anything but Unresolved. With over an hour of epic, banner-waving melodies, it's a fully original, complete package (featuring 10 songs proper and two bonus tracks). The quartet has harnessed the sounds of heavy metal and hard rock from the 1970s and '80s and given them a new, personal spin. Often, there are two key facets of the band at work together — the rocking, powerful instrumentation best exemplified by songs like "Love Bomb" and "Set Me Free," and the more symphonic piano sections, heard in the intros to "Broken," "Parasite," and perhaps my personal favorite "Fallen" (whose descending minor melody even follows its lyrics). This theatrical balance is tied together by the forceful presence of the band's founder, singer and keyboardist Amy Gould. Her lyrics paint the picture of a woman who knows herself — one who, while wounded — is standing as strong as ever. The clear expert musicianship of guitarist Rick Knapp, bassist Scott Hagerty, and drummer Michael Calabrese is both dynamic and captivating from start to finish. All this, and it sounds damn good turned up. For die-hard metal fans and newcomers alike, you'll want to keep your eyes on this band, and Unresolved is the perfect way to start.
