Eden Maine
Encyclopedia
Eden Maine were a metalcore
/avant garde metal
band from Saint Albans, Hertfordshire
, England
, formed in 1999. As of September 2005, they are on an indefinite hiatus.
, and hardcore
. At this time, the guitarists in the band were Faeryn Lee and Neil Green.
Faeryn soon left the band to move back to the US, and was replaced by Simon Davis.
With Simon in the line up, they completed the writing for their debut EP; The Treachery Pact, and prepared to enter the studio. However, it was around this time, after months of growing tension, that Neil Green decided to move on from the band. The remaining members chose to enter the studio as a four piece. They enlisted the services of Kurt Ballou
to handle production duties and entered Southern Studios
in January 2002, while advertising for a new guitarist. It was not long before they found interest from Phil Buch, who completed the band's lineup, joining them in the studio to finish the recording.
Ignition Records. Gaining many positive reviews from UK and international press, the band started to grow in stature. They embarked on a heavy touring schedule, sharing the stage with many well established bands, including Sepultura
, Lostprophets
, Converge
, The Dillinger Escape Plan
and more. The bands touring took them around much of the UK and Europe. During this time they were also courted by several labels, and came very close to signing to Visible Noise
, before pulling out of the deal late in the day, feeling that their music might be compromised by the schedule that would be expected of them from the label. They then worked closely with Belgian based Fuel Records, but never entered into a full agreement with the label. With the band choosing to move away from Ignition (now renamed Engineer) records, they opted to carry on as an unsigned band, until they were presented with an offer completely meeting their satisfaction.
towards a more epic sound incorporating elements of noisecore
, post-metal
and post rock.
Following the recording, UK label Undergroove Records
showed an interest in working with the band on the release. An agreement was reached and the album was released in early 2005.
The new album split opinions amongst Eden Maine's existing fanbase. Many found the direction shift challenging, exciting and original, while others missed the full-throttled attack of the earlier release.
The press, however, were mostly unified in their praise of the album, tipping the band to go on to bigger and better things.
After three months of non-stop touring, the band took a break to regroup. At this time, a North American label approached them with a view to giving To You the First Star a release. This would be coupled with extensive touring of the US and Canada.
This unfortunately led to inner turmoil for the band, due to the financial restraints among some of the members, and the risks involved. The group went through their most difficult period, and were unsure of the next best step to take.
Conversely, at this time they were enjoying a spree of creativity, once again embarking upon a different direction, involving many more of their individual influences.
The band were unable to work through the conflict caused by the financial problems and inability to tour as they would have liked. Members felt that they had different priorities, and different directions in mind. Rather than break up entirely, they took the decision to take an 'indefinite hiatus' to pursue other musical projects. They took the decision that if and when they were to regroup, they would move on completely from their previous material. And so in early 2006 they played their 'final show', performing material from both their EP and album, with the knowledge that this would be the last time these songs were performed.
The band has remained inactive since, with various members going on to be involved in other projects including:
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
/avant garde metal
Avant garde metal
Avant-garde metal, also known as experimental metal, is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterised by the use of innovative, avant-garde elements, large-scale experimentation, and the use of non-standard and unconventional sounds, instruments, song structures, playing styles, and vocal techniques...
band from Saint Albans, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, formed in 1999. As of September 2005, they are on an indefinite hiatus.
Biography
Eden Maine was formed in 1999 by vocalist Adam Symonds and bassist Nick Brown. After going through several lineup changes, drummer Kieran Iles was recruited, and the band started to develop their own sound, drawing elements from metalHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, and hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
. At this time, the guitarists in the band were Faeryn Lee and Neil Green.
Faeryn soon left the band to move back to the US, and was replaced by Simon Davis.
With Simon in the line up, they completed the writing for their debut EP; The Treachery Pact, and prepared to enter the studio. However, it was around this time, after months of growing tension, that Neil Green decided to move on from the band. The remaining members chose to enter the studio as a four piece. They enlisted the services of Kurt Ballou
Kurt Ballou
Kurt Ballou is the guitarist from Massachusetts-based band Converge. Aside from his role in Converge, he is a prolific producer, engineering and producing out of his own Godcity studio.- GodCity studio :...
to handle production duties and entered Southern Studios
Southern Studios
Southern Studios is a recording studio in the Wood Green area of London. It was founded in 1974 by John Loder, and came to be the recording studio of choice for Crass and their record label Crass Records. Southern Studios Ltd. continues to grow its label and provide label management and...
in January 2002, while advertising for a new guitarist. It was not long before they found interest from Phil Buch, who completed the band's lineup, joining them in the studio to finish the recording.
The Treachery Pact
The Treachery Pact EP was released in early 2002 through UK labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Ignition Records. Gaining many positive reviews from UK and international press, the band started to grow in stature. They embarked on a heavy touring schedule, sharing the stage with many well established bands, including Sepultura
Sepultura
Sepultura is a Brazilian heavy metal band from Belo Horizonte, formed in 1984. The band was a major force in the death metal, thrash metal and ultimately groove metal realms during the late 1980s and early 1990s, with their later experiments melding nu metal, hardcore punk and industrial.Sepultura...
, Lostprophets
Lostprophets
Lostprophets is a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997. Founded by vocalist Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze, they were originally a side-project to hardcore punk band Public Disturbance. To date, Lostprophets have released four studio...
, Converge
Converge (band)
Converge is an American band from Salem, Massachusetts. Playing a blend of hardcore punk and metal since 1990, Converge has helped to define many of the elements of the metalcore genre.-Description:...
, The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan is an American mathcore band from Morris Plains, New Jersey. The group originated in 1997 after the disbanding of Arcane, a hardcore punk trio consisting of Ben Weinman, Dimitri Minakakis, and Chris Pennie. The band's current line-up consists of guitarist Ben Weinman,...
and more. The bands touring took them around much of the UK and Europe. During this time they were also courted by several labels, and came very close to signing to Visible Noise
Visible Noise
Visible Noise is a British independent record label that focuses solely on British bands.-History:Founded in 1998 by ex-Cacophonous Records manager Julie Weir, the label was created with the goal of fostering and breaking new UK rock music...
, before pulling out of the deal late in the day, feeling that their music might be compromised by the schedule that would be expected of them from the label. They then worked closely with Belgian based Fuel Records, but never entered into a full agreement with the label. With the band choosing to move away from Ignition (now renamed Engineer) records, they opted to carry on as an unsigned band, until they were presented with an offer completely meeting their satisfaction.
To You the First Star
In Summer 2004 the band entered Foel Studio in Wales as an unsigned band, with producer Andrew Schneider to record their debut full length album To You the First Star. The bands sound had evolved, moving away from metalcoreMetalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
towards a more epic sound incorporating elements of noisecore
Noisecore
Noisecore is a term for three separate music genres:* A subgenre of hardcore techno, similar to power noise or breakcore.* A form of grindcore, also known as noisegrind....
, post-metal
Post-metal
Post-metal is a music genre, a mixture between the genres of post-rock and heavy metal.Hydra Head Records owner and Isis frontman Aaron Turner originally termed the genre "thinking man's metal", demonstrating that his band was trying to move away from common metal conventions...
and post rock.
Following the recording, UK label Undergroove Records
Undergroove Records
Undergroove Records was founded as a British underground metal record label in 1998, the label has since become much more open minded releasing everything from the post-rock of Aereogramme to the trip hop influenced grooves of 27.-Current bands:* 27...
showed an interest in working with the band on the release. An agreement was reached and the album was released in early 2005.
The new album split opinions amongst Eden Maine's existing fanbase. Many found the direction shift challenging, exciting and original, while others missed the full-throttled attack of the earlier release.
The press, however, were mostly unified in their praise of the album, tipping the band to go on to bigger and better things.
Indefinite hiatus
Following the release of To You the First Star, the band embarked upon their most intensive touring schedule to date. This time they toured mainly as a headline act, taking bands such as Reflux and Lack along with them. They reached more countries and cities than ever before, subsequently attaining a strong following in mainland Europe.After three months of non-stop touring, the band took a break to regroup. At this time, a North American label approached them with a view to giving To You the First Star a release. This would be coupled with extensive touring of the US and Canada.
This unfortunately led to inner turmoil for the band, due to the financial restraints among some of the members, and the risks involved. The group went through their most difficult period, and were unsure of the next best step to take.
Conversely, at this time they were enjoying a spree of creativity, once again embarking upon a different direction, involving many more of their individual influences.
The band were unable to work through the conflict caused by the financial problems and inability to tour as they would have liked. Members felt that they had different priorities, and different directions in mind. Rather than break up entirely, they took the decision to take an 'indefinite hiatus' to pursue other musical projects. They took the decision that if and when they were to regroup, they would move on completely from their previous material. And so in early 2006 they played their 'final show', performing material from both their EP and album, with the knowledge that this would be the last time these songs were performed.
The band has remained inactive since, with various members going on to be involved in other projects including:
- The Rifle Volunteer
- *shels*shels*shels are a British / American rock group, formed in 2003. The band have been described as a supergroup of the British underground music scene, as they have, at various times, featured former members of bands including Mahumodo, Devil Sold His Soul, Eden Maine and Fireappple Red.-History:The band...
- Mia Hope - now defunct
- Astrohenge
- So this is Paris - project on hold
- Reservations at Dorcia - now defunct
- Talons
- Latitudes - Adam Symonds provides vocals on 'Agonist'