Edensong Our Road To Dust PV063
Edensong- Our Road To Dust Progressive Voyages Review PV063Edensong - Our Road to Dust
There is a misconception…. quite common in the prog community, that there are really no excellent progressive rock bands from the United States. After all, the prog community IS indeed largely and squarely centered in Europe, and I’d be doing the truth a disservice if I didn’t readily admit that a very great number of the best prog bands, and in particular my favorites such as The Tangent, Van Der Graaf Generator, Henry Cow and The Flower Kings, do indeed hail from that part of the globe.
But we in the U.S. DO have excellent prog bands, as well.
And Edensong is one of them.
Formed at Wesleyan University in Connecticut in the early 2000’s, the band, while riding a veritable rollercoaster of ups and downs with regard to album releases, band member changes, dissolutions and reformings, has nonetheless remained a word or notion in the mouths and minds of those who love the ocean of sound that is known as progressive rock; maybe not always at the forefront, but surely at least bubbling underneath the surface of those turbid and complex waters.
Beginning life as a symphonic prog group…. and I mean that quite literally; the outfit initially played with a near-full symphonic accompaniment, African-drum ensemble, and a choir…. the band, after a couple of randomly placed releases (all good, but a bit haphazard in the manner and timing of their introduction to the world) have returned in a gale force with a behemoth of a record in 2025’s ‘Our Road to Dust’. The current lineup of James Byron Schoen (guitar and vocals), TD Towers (bass and vocals), Nicholas DiGregorio (drums and vocals), Stefan Paolini (keyboards and vocals) and Barry Seroff (flute master extraordinaire); joined by Chris Baum (Violin) and Shelby Logan Warne (Keys, Mellotron) for this record, have crafted a piece of progressive work that is at times heavy and powerful, at other times pensive; even beautiful, and even oddly dissonant at points. It is a veritable masterclass in symphonic progressive rock composition, and features flute performances throughout that would doubtless make Ian Anderson proud. The album is unique and wondrous, and worth every minute that it graces your ears.
So…. join me, won’t you? Let’s ascend, get lost in the illusion of permanence, fly with the black crow through the hall of statues, and peruse the book of complaints as we follow Edensong, track by track, on their road to dust.
Of Ascents - Our journey begins classically…. literally, with some beautiful classic acoustic guitar…. the gentle sound of which lulls us into a sense of comfort that is short-lived…. because….
The Illusion of Permanence - we are hit suddenly and full-force with a bevy of superb, time-change heavy, almost metal-style riffing and some sinister and outstanding vocal work. A fantastic “nod your head” rock song, this one is; incorporating great lead guitar and bombastic and funk-laden rhythmic work from the bass, drums and rhythm guitar parts, with some unlikely but very apropos flute interludes that really help define why this is a progressive record. Just excellent…. what a way to bust out of the starting gate.
These Old Wounds - heavy and dissonant chords introduce this next track…. dark and foreboding in the extreme. More haunting flute sets a mood quite dreary and pensive, before the song settles into a slower, softer affair, with some great cymbal work interplaying with the vocal harmonies and the winds. The chorus is fairly straightforward, but is really ancillary to the overall dreadful feeling this song emotes. The flute is prominent here, in what I think Jethro Tull might sound like if they wrote much heavier songs. This is a particularly spectacular use of a menagerie of instruments and vocal sounds to create a miasmic vortex of musical exuberance.
Black Crow - harmonic singing sees us into the next song…. a much more subdued and strait-laced effort which leans more toward “vocal emphasis” as opposed to the instrumental focus of the previous two tracks; showcasing Edensong’s ability to harmonize vocally in prodigious fashion (think of a modest version of Moon Safari, vocally, and you’re in the right neighborhood). A nice, folky-style middle section laden with clean guitar and flute interplay is a good break in the flow, and works very well.
Hall of Statues - another soft starter that aims to set an atmosphere and a ruminative mood…. before the drums and bass kick in with a sudden and frenetic energy that builds the song beautifully. Some stellar work on the drums here, with consistently busy tribal tom patterns under the ever-present flute. The frenetic energy continues, but with the guitar and flute joining the auditory blitzkrieg. With the exception of a (very well placed) mid-song drop in tempo and volume to allow a resplendent solo from Seroff, this is mostly a quick moving, up-tempo, high energy gem of a track.
Book of Complaints - we push right into this next high energy rocker, which continues the uptempo feel and once again alternates softer music sections that showcase the vocals with heavy, in-your-face bombast of the highest caliber. The “back and forth” here is simply delightful, and keeps the listener very attuned to the song…. wondering just where it’s headed next. A shorter track, but it’s one that packs a lot into its short time and leaves you wanting more.
of Ascents (reprise) - a brief interlude full of dissonance within the wind instrument ensemble… with the flute at the center-point. A cunningly clever piece for avant-garde/art rock fans (such as I!); lovely in its schism-like manner.
Wykler Bäsct - this is one of the highlights of the record, in my opinion. A tour de force maelstrom-like whirlwind of sound and tempo…. all drawn into a seemingly impossible harmonic convergence. The performances here are just astounding; jarring, eccentric and so much FUN. Flute again here(not a surprise), but also appearing are violin, guitar virtuosity, and drum bombast of the most crushing quality. This is a short-form instrumental MASTERPIECE, my friends…. an unadulterated sonic assault of the highest order.
Our Road to Dust - the title track ends this fantastic record. A slower tempo swing beat (very welcome after the shredder of the previous song)…. but don’t be fooled…. the half-tempo feel doesn’t equate to a slow song…. quite the opposite; this is a heavier, plodding, weighty affair. The flute has been present and featured on the entire record, and that doesn’t stop here. It is once again a central element of the sound landscape that this group paints, and features quite prominently here with an absolutely prepossessing solo-section that carries the song to a slow-down in the middle section. It is a welcome and needed final moment to breathe and reflect, with a striking stanza where the flute and guitar set the musical theme (in unison) for what will be the crescendo to the song’s uplifting, anthemic, soaring conclusion. The ending refrain, repeating as though it were a chant of sorts, is COLOSSAL and TOWERING in depth and breadth…. a sublime way to end this masterful addition to Edensong’s discography.
In a year where the prog community has been particularly blessed with a massive amount of progressive releases, it is easy to overlook the ones that come from bands who aren’t considered the mainstays of the genre. I am here to tell you all…. to neglect to give this record your full time and attention is grave folly, indeed. ‘Our Road to Dust’ is a grandly worthy and notable album to add to your progressive rock collection. It has every element that a devotee of prog rock could want; the instrumentation…. the song structures…. it all screams Neo-Prog performed at its highest pinnacle.
As Edensong ventures forth in their journey, one can only hope that this road to dust leads them to the creation and release of another record sooner rather than later.
Whatever that looks like, and whenever it occurs, I will be joining them on that road for the sonic journey…. dust be damned.
Info here: www.lazersedge.bandcamp.com