Austrian symphonic metal outfit Edenbridge have ignited their new chapter with their 12th studio album, Set the Dark on Fire, scheduled to arrive this Friday (16th) via Steamhammer/SPV. Led by vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher and composer/guitarist/keyboardist Lanvall, Set the Dark on Fire pushes Edenbridge, promising to deliver a darker, more powerful territory as they enter their next phase. To celebrate their latest offering, both Sabine and Lanvall have teamed up with Metal Insider to share a track-by-track breakdown of the album.
The Ghosthip Diaries
Lanvall: This song was also the first one I worked on and therefore set the foundation for the album. The opening riff is very unusual, cause it carries some more complex and hard to play chords in the guitar lines. I especially love the chorus with its more complex and unexpected kick drum pattern underneath and the balance between Sabine’s lead vocals and the choirs and backings. The song metaphorically represent humanity wandering aimlessly on the ghost ship, hence the title “The Ghostship Diaries”.
Sabine: It’s about a widespread arrogance to believe that we cognitively know everything, are above things and therefore feel better than those who are less educated. However, this arrogance leaves us blind when things suddenly go differently than planned. Our minds can easily get lost in the labyrinth and the answers then become surreal. Let it be written in our diaries as a reminder: don’t believe everything you think.
Cosmic Embrace
Sabine: Individual seen, the inner sun in “Cosmic embrace” shows the fire within us and the force through which we work in the world and express ourselves. The song is about finding that inner sun again in order to get going. When everything around us falls apart, it’s wise to turn inward. To immerse ourselves in stillness. To the zero point of the storm or to the center of the labyrinth, as symbolized in the video. Only from there do the right impulses arise. There, the inner sun unites with the outer sun that nourishes us. Through the power of inspiration, we then penetrate the tangle of our own energy or rise like a phoenix from the ashes.
Lanvall: Musically it is the perfect first single with its catchy chorus.
Where The Wild Things Are
Sabine: Thematically, “Where the Wild Things Are” is about the primal feminine, embodied by the character Aleen. At the same time, it’s also about the power of Gaia, Mother Earth as a living being with her inherent wisdom. It describes an archetypically and untamed force that poses a threat to any kind of routine. Because Aleen lives passionately and seductively. She knows no taboos, and her only beliefs are those of the elements with which she feels connected and which express themselves through her. Everything is connected to everything else, yet each of us emerges again and again in the form of uniqueness. Thus, Aleen is a part of every person on Earth who can reconnect with this energy of liveness.
Tears Of The Prophets
Lanvall: “Tears of the Prophets” comes from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and are the so-called spherical rotating bodies created by beings that the Bajoran people call “Prophets”. They only allow a select few a glimpse into the past and future. I found the title to be a good link to the following song “Our Place Among The Stars”, which continues the theme musically in the chorus. I played with those great open chords and an endless reverb and delay. It is only 2 clean guitars and a mellow guitar pad in the background.
Our Place Among The Stars
Lanvall: The song is about the view on our planet from afar, “our” place next to the stars, this wonderful planet with its incredible biodiversity that we are gradually exploiting and destroying.
The song ends with a gospel influenced part. I love gospel and we already had a gospel part in “At First Light” on the previous album. These parts are usually also inspired by the underlying chords, in this case they are all 7 chords, which are usually the basis in gospel.
Set The Dark On Fire
Lanvall: One of our fastest songs ever and our third single and video from the album. I was writing a lot of low tuned riffs for this album on the 7-string guitar. Our standard tuning is in Bb, so even a half step lower and these riffs had a lot of drive and set the foundation for many of the songs. It is only logical that the overall sound tends to go into a heavier direction then.
Sabine: We live in a time where collective shadows are becoming visible, and we welcome this with our album. Only what comes to light can be seen, recognized, and consequently changed by everyone. On our current album, we explore the dark, or rather, what often lies in the dark, meaning what is hidden. We’re not only concerned with what is traditionally seen as “threatening” or “evil,” but also with the unconscious, including our shadow sides, and above all with our abilities and inner resources. It’s important to us to perceive what is truly happening around us. We’re convinced that constructive change can arise when you observe what’s going on around you without becoming too emotionally entangled in things you cannot directly influence. Only in this way does the mind remain clear and our strength is preserved to grow from within and to make the right decisions individually.
Bonded By The Light
Lanvall: I’ve had the idea for “Bonded by the Light” in my drawer for some time and now the time was right to arrange and release it. I only had the chords and the vocal line first but always had this big Bond-like orchestration in mind. I think it turned out great especially due to Sabine’s fantastic vocal performance.
Divine Dawn Reveal
Lanvall: The oriental intro to “Lighthouse”. I have a wide range of ethno instruments, which I have often brought with me when traveling from distant countries. The most difficult instrument to play is the dulcimer (hammered dulcimer). I came to a Bavarian instrument maker more than 10 years ago and received the last instrument he made before he retired. The overtone-rich sound of the 33 triple strings is truly incredible. We know it primarily from traditional folk music, but it can also sound incredibly mystical. It has an almost healing effect when playing, but tuning the 99 strings sometimes drives you crazy…
I use these instruments where I think they give the song added value that cannot be achieved with synthesizers and samples. These instruments have a high level of overtone richness, which adds that certain something extra. I discovered the Swarmandal (an Indian zither) in an ethnic instrument shop and immediately fell in love with it. A few years ago, Sabine bought a monochord, which is also combined with a koto (Japanese zither) and a tampura (Indian long-necked lute).
Lighthouse
Lanvall: A more complex song with a change from 4/4 to 3/4 in the middle carrying the oriental flair from the intro.
Sabine: We looked at the topic symbolically in the sense of: even in wind and weather – it remains firmly anchored and also illuminates the dark sides. Nothing remains hidden from the lighthouse but he just observes. It exists in good times and in bad times and therefore it also stands for our inner strength, which is unimpressed by some of the madness in this world. With this power it is possible to shine even when it becomes foggy around it. For all of us, music itself is a beacon that has often led us through challenging times.
Spark Of The Everflame
Lanvall: The 4 parts are actually one big epic track, which I decided to split for streaming reasons. We had the epic long tracks with us from the start, there was at least one of them on each of our albums. “Spark of the Everflame” is about the recurring cycle of life. We are a “spark” of energy that remains as energy after our supposed end of life and returns to the bigger picture (Everflame). Because energy can never be destroyed. All is one and one is all. Musically, “Spark” is the calling card for the sound that Edenbridge stands for in 2026. Harsh and powerful riffs, big choirs, recurring motifs, a huge orchestral middle section and a bombastic finale.
Order the new Edenbridge album, Set The Dark On Fire, at this location.
