Eden's Curse Camden Underworld 25-05-14

First up was a band I have seen before and again they impressed. Dendera are a 5 piece from Portsmouth who released their debut cd the excellent " The Killing Floor " last year. Playing a blend of NWOBHM , Iron Maiden with a little modern edge. Lead vocalist Ashley Edison has a  huge roar bringing comparison to Rob Halford and Geoff Tate at times. There are plenty of Maiden comparisons with plenty of time changes and some tasty twin lead guitar interplay from Steve Main and Tony Fuller. With songs as classy as "Hatechild ", "The Killing Floor " and superb set closer " Bridges Will Burn " and the one new song played from their next cd that they will record shortly Dendera are a band to watch.

Earlier in the year when Edens Curse announced that Pete Newdeck was to leave the drum stool to focus on his band Tainted Nation I'm not sure many expected him to support the band he left only a few months ago. I have seen them before and wasn't that impressed but on this occasion and in front of a partisan crowd for 40 minutes they put on a show. 

Playing 8 songs from their F.E.A.R.  cd and an inspired cover of Ratt's " Your In Love " their Motorhead heavy yob chorus music beat every one around the head and said look at us.

Here is what they played 

Pete Newdeck isn't the greatest singer in the world but for sheer enthusiasm and he really means it and you get carried along with the momentum. With drummer Mark Cross from Firewind and Helloween on sparkling form and for this show on guitar Neil Hibbs the band were excellent. I've not heard of Hibbs before and he has played with Shy, and he really did bring a quality to the band I'd not seen before. His melodic tone and soloing on the Ratt cover was a real highlight. If they can keep this band together they could be a real force.

Eden's Curse released their debut cd in 2007 and this 7 date week long blast around the country was unbelievably their first headlining tour.  I saw their Firefest show back in October just as their new cd " Symphony Of Sin " was released , and with some sound issues and it being new vocalist Niloka Mijic first gig with the band not as tight as anybody hoped. 

No such worries on the last night of the 7 date tour as the Curse showed us over the course of 100 minutes they are a band to be reckoned with. Playing songs from right across their 4 cd career but with particular focus unsurprisingly on the new cd.



Here is what they played

With a reasonable crowd for a Sunday night which included a guy from Japan that had been on the whole tour and a couple from Canada this gig showed all the trademarks that we love.

Huge metal riffs and squealing solos , pounding drums and bass , choruses to die for , backing vocals from heaven and keyboards duelling  with guitars.

The band who looked a little timid and nervous on the Firefest show with the terrible sound came on set to stun and didn't dip at all throughout the 100 minute set.

Nikola Mijic was a revelation and was a superb frontman asking the crowd to join in at every opportunity . On record he is superb but on this showing he was even better . With a range and tone to die for he comes across as Steve Augeri on steroids . Always melodic and also with a huge roar when required . The band augment him well with some heavenly backing vocals from Paul Logue on bass and Steve Williams on keyboards which was great to hear that they could carry it from cd to the live setting.

New boy on drums John Clelland held it all together and was a real force and you would never believe that the band were only 7 dates old as they were so tight.

Thorsten Koehne on guitar was recently announced on Melodicrock.com as the guitarist of 2013. He was quite superb. He can riff with the best of them and he can solo as fast as anyone on the planet but always melodic and like he was telling a story. To watch him close up was a pleasure.

But it is about the songs. From set opener " Symphony Of Sin " , which we could hear all of tonight with an excellent sound from the start , through to set closer " Angels And Demons " we all sang along , punched the air , headbanged and clapped along to a catalogue of songs that few bands possess.

Second song in " Breaking The Silence " has heads rocking with its great riff and double bass drumming and huge chorus before a trip back one cd with " Trinity " and its huge chorus and backing vocals to the fore.

A real highlight was the 1-2 midset of " Turn The Page " and then " Jerusalem Sleeps " .  The former has become a real fan favourite from the new cd with its melodic guitar and keyboard riff and  melodic start which gives Nikola a real chance to shine, before another huge chorus that had fists punching the air and Thorsten then hitting us with a wonderful solo. The latter is a more epic number with an Eastern feel to the beginning , before a huge riff kicks in and a bouncing rhythm and a chorus with some more superb backing vocals and another great Thorsten solo with some serious shredding and then Steve's keyboard outro to the solo . Didn't ever think I would see that one live. After a quick Thorsten solo " Time To Breathe " wasn't half bad either with its pace and riff leading the way.

" Rock Bottom " saw a return to the stage for Pete Newdeck on vocals as he and Nikola duelled for all they were worth. Before very special guest Doogie White of Rainbow and MSG fame came on to sing James Labrie's parts on " No Holy Man " and then commented " How great it is to see all of Eden's Curse's  songs sang by a proper vocalist at last ". And so say all of us.

The band's new anthem " Unbreakable " ended the set on a high with the songs lyrics showing how the band are still together and with a spirit that will carry on.

" Evil And Devine " with its excellent riff had heads banging before the band was joined on stage by the the young lady who was in the video. Then at the end she was selling T shirts in a full ball gown. Wierd !!

" Angels And Demons " finished the evening on a high before the band did a quick signing session for which I got my " Symphony Of Sin "  cd cover signed by the band.

After the Firefest show I would never have believed that the band could put on such a high quality show. They have the quality of music but now after some roadwork and the time to gel  the band , with this line up , can now go on and conquer the world.