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FORGIVING EDEN

A Triggering Myth

Jazz Rock/Fusion


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A Triggering Myth Forgiving Eden album cover
4.19 | 44 ratings | 9 reviews | 25% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

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Studio Album, released in 2002

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Forgiving Eden (43:32)

Total Time: 43:32

Line-up / Musicians

- Tim Drumheller / keyboards, programming, production
- Rick Eddy / keyboards, titles, poetry

Guests:
- Scott McGill / guitars
- Vic Stevens / drums, percussion

Releases information

CD The Laser's Edge LE-1036 (2002)

Thanks to ProgLucky for the addition
and to Grendelbox for the last updates
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A TRIGGERING MYTH Forgiving Eden ratings distribution


4.19
(44 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(25%)
25%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(45%)
45%
Good, but non-essential (27%)
27%
Collectors/fans only (2%)
2%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

A TRIGGERING MYTH Forgiving Eden reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by lor68
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars What a surprise!! This wonderful duo has been able to resume 3 decades of Canterburian, romantic progressive and fusion progressive, within a breath-taking suite.It actually deserves a "4 stars and an half" rating at least!!
Review by Clayreon
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Two hypes of the moment have been used on the last album of A TRIGGERING MYTH : the combination of jazz and progressive rock and the use of a single long epic track on the album. Bands like THE FLOWER KINGS tend to make a blend of progressive, jazz and classical music, thus making albums that are perhaps less accessible to the common listener, but surely with high quality standards. And that's ecaxtly what you can expect of the last 'instrumental' cd of A TRIGGERING MYTH, formed around two keyboard players.

Although these guys are perhaps not so well-known around here, 'Forgiving Eden' is already their fifth release since 1989. For their fifth album, this instrumental rock duo of A TRIGGERING MYTH has created a cd as one long instrumental track, divided into several movements (the tracks are identified on a cd player) They are assisted by two members of former Hand Farm, guitarist Scott McGill and drummer Vic Stevens. These guys introduce elements of fusion to the symphonic approach of A TRIGGERING MYTH, as a result the music will certainly appeal to lovers of both progressive rock and fusion. The quality of this recording is really superb.

Switch off all the lights, light some candles, take a beer and listen to the introduction of this album and you will have the perfect atmosphere for this piece of music, you could call it 'ambient jazz'. But immediately after this, 'Embrace reconciliation' will drive up the tempo and will immerse you in a sometimes chaotic fusion, alternating with keyboard fragments in the vein of Keith Emerson and Par Lindh and again switching at the end in ambient fusion. Although you know that only keyboards are used throughout the album, it seems that a lot of other instruments are involved, which makes the music always differentiated. In fact, it is nearly impossible to describe all tracks on the album, you just have to listen.

There are beautiful melodies from the keyboard players while the amazing McGill on guitar and Vic Stevens on drums and percussion are really high skilled musicians and are perfect for the job. This results in a musical experiment going from acoustic to electric, from progressive to jazz, from ambient to heavy stuff. I also really appreciate the presence of the Hammond, sometimes jazzy, sometimes smoothly. Difficult to pinpoint some references for this, but names like BANCO and SOFT MACHINE can be mentioned.

'Forgiving Eden' comes in a nice artwork cover (without booklet), but with unreadable characters. Guys, try to have some compassion with reviewers, they are getting older and their eyes are getting worse!

But A TRIGGERING MYTH has set a new standard with this album. If you are into a mix of progressive rock and fusion, this album is definitely for you.

>>> Review by: Claude (8/10) <<< www.prog-nose.org

Review by Muzikman
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Two men, each of whom are brilliant musicians, form a union of knowledge and respect to make one interesting and dramatic piece of music (as well as a stimulating CD cover). They call themselves A Triggering Myth and their fifth album together titled Forgiving Eden, is a beautiful aural landscape. This CD may trigger more than myth and possibly more than expected. It seems Eden is a commonly used theme in progressive rock; this music has moments that could very well remind you of that utopian existence.

Inside us all is a volcano of emotion just waiting to erupt; I think people like Tim Drumheller and Rick Eddy are a few of the fortunate souls that populate the planet that have a constant unrestrained flow coming from that eruption, and it comes from the core of their being to the surface via their music.

Although my first thought was that this is progressive music, there are further considerations to make while attempting to explain exactly what is going on here. First of all, they have my total respect and admiration for releasing a one song CD, now that takes fortitude and belief in one's ability to create something valid and worthy of an audience. Moreover, the fact that is over forty minutes long says a lot about their spirit of adventure whilst creating.

I heard many different sounds and influences during the course of this musical omnibus. Classical music is the foundation from which everything stems from. A fortress of electronica is the thrust and motivation of this project, and a lot of layering and mixing of keyboards, guitars, and percussion shifting about makes for an interesting assortment of textures and sounds. My conclusion after processing this auditory document of sound and vision is that it is no doubt progressive electronica. Although it is not plain and simple, it can be so very thought provoking and fascinating. I highly recommend this CD for anyone interested in either genre or both, whatever your pleasure is, I am sure you will find great appreciation for this work of musical art.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review by Cesar Inca
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
5 stars "Forgiving Eden" is a monster album, an example of how real is the possibility to create great epic albums in the progressive genre 20-odd years after the end of the 70s. The idea of a 43 minute suite is very challenging concerning structure and composition, and A Triggering Myth has managed to be extremely successful at it: in fact, excepting for Part I, the other divisions do not define the whole musical sequence at all, making each Part's closing passage work simultaneously as a soft preparation for the next Part. "Forgiving Eden" is, most of all, a work of beauty and elegance, with the mystic forces of extravagance getting into play in order to weave that beauty in a different way, experimental yet not obtuse, uneasy yet romantically captivating, cerebral yet emotionally driven. A Triggering Myth has genuinely grown in geometrical proportion from their very first album: "Forgiving Eden" is the manifestation of the maturity of Rick Eddy and Tim Drumheller as both creators and performers, bringing the ATM stance to the top of its pursuit for complexity and dynamics. The fluid combination of Happy the Man, standard symphonic, Canterbury, Gentle Giantish counterpoints and RIO-friendly textures reaches a zenith of exuberance and elegance, displaying an undisputed beauty that never gets really accessible nor vulgar. With the participation of guitarist Scott McGill and drummer Vic Stevens, the final arrangements manage to keep track of the potential energy stated by the basic compositional ideas. McGill provides lots of augmentations for the melodic developments and harmonic meanders, while Stevens sets a versatile foundation for the ever changing moods, tempos and atmospheres. The 3+ minutes of Part 1 are based on a jazzy ambience led by piano, with delicately weird adornments stated by the synth and the guitar. With the sound of a host of reciting voices, the mood gets a bit weirder still before the arrival of Part II, a section that starts on a very energetic mode before landing on an eerie display of orchestral allusions. This aura of soaring sonorities may remind the listener of However. With the 7 minute long Part III, the band gets focused on academic sources, generating what is arguably the most pompous section of this suite. The endless tangling of half-elaborated melodies feels powerful in its demanding structure, natural in its deconstructive logic. Part IV bears a similar mood, although the delicacy is a tad stronger and the bizarre vibe is a tad lesser. Together, Parts III & IV make the most symphonic moments in the suite. The pairing of Parts V & VI make my favorite portion of the album, with the extroverted moments stating a hybrid of Return to Forever and classic Holdsworth, and the slower passages showing strong influences from Happy the Man with an extra dose of mystery. As usual, the melodic motifs and harmonic developments go on meandering with spotless craft. Part VI includes a few quotations from Part I's main motif. Later on, Part VII reprises a few passages from other Parts, while including new soft ones that almost match the polished extravagance comprised in the most ethereal passages of Parts IV, V & IV. When Part VII approaches the end, a playful motif brings memories of Grieg in a progressive context. Part VIII closes the suite, including a reprise of the beautiful piano motif that had appeared at the end of Part IV. In conclusion, "Forgiving Eden" is a total prog pleasure, a masterpiece of our times, full of infinite nuances that seem to emerge from nowhere after each new listen. This album won't reveal all its beauty with the first few listens, but indeed it will reveal its magical appeal, and like it happened to me, it won't be too long before you consider it a must for any good prog rock collection.
Review by Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars A TRIGGERING MYTH was the project of two American keyboardists who released 6 studio albums from 1990 to 2006(I have the last three). It was that last album "The Remedy Of Abstraction" that I first heard not long after it came out and I became a fan. This is complex music with the piano and synths more often than not creating a feast for the ears while on this particular release they brought in a drummer and a guitarist some may know in Scott McGill to help fill out the sound. There is some programming here as well from one of the keyboardists creating atmosphere and different instrumental sounds. The artwork is from Travis Smith just like the cool one on "The Remedy Of Abstraction". This is a 43 minute suite divided into 8 different parts. Lets just say repeated listens are almost a must to unlock some of the brilliance going on here.

It's hard to even mention which parts are my favourite but I made a note about "Part I" about how cool it was to really listen to what's going on here. Piano leading at first then the synths take over then the organ floats in. A mid-paced beauty with so much going on. It settles before 3 minutes as we hear spoken words and a party going on in the background as this continues to the end. McGill struts his stuff on "Part II". Man it's like chaos with so much going on but it's not. It settles after 2 minutes but there's still lots going on. "Part III" is the synth and piano show with tempo shifts and more. "Part IV" is mellow with flute-like sounds. The tempo picks up before 1 1/2 minutes with drums joining in. Those flute-like sounds return later along with a dark mood before it brightens late to end it.

"Part V" is another feast for the ears. Complex with atmosphere as the piano starts to lead early on. Guitar's turn to lead the way as McGill lights it up. It settles with a beautiful melodic sound in atmosphere. Piano only late to end it. I like "Part VI" as it has a symphonic sound here with the pulsating synths as other synths solo. It settles as they start to change it up the rest of the way. Check out the guitar bringing Frampton to mind after 4 minutes. This 10 1/2 minute section is the longest by far. If I had to pick one part I like the best it would have to be "Part VII". Just that heavier sound with those dark piano lines. Drums and synths as well. Subtle changes on this one and repeated themes. I just like the sound of this one. "Part VIII" ends it with more complexity at first but for me it's that calm section 2 minutes in with the atmosphere, synths and piano that does it for me.

This is what we call Progressive Music right here.

Latest members reviews

4 stars I suspect that this is a small work of true art. Unfortunately, I probably haven't listened to this cd enough times yet to fully understand the structure of the overall work, and what exactly it is trying to ultimately accomplish or convey...but it is thoroughly enjoyable! "Forgiving Eden" is a 43- ... (read more)

Report this review (#2440739) | Posted by Squire Jaco | Monday, August 24, 2020 | Review Permanlink

4 stars Wow !!! This album really hit me like a heatwave during a winter day. I have never heard about this band before I by chance picked up this album, quickly forgot about it and then played it (it was labelled as A... and hence first in my alphabetical list of albums). This is the fifth or so ... (read more)

Report this review (#428700) | Posted by toroddfuglesteg | Thursday, April 7, 2011 | Review Permanlink

5 stars I have not heard a progressive release this good since 1975 (the last excellent year for progressive rock). The music is a mix of complex, beautiful keyboard led symphonic music with a large dose of Canterbury fun. This is the first CD that I'v given 5 stars. It's right up there with the best ... (read more)

Report this review (#42224) | Posted by | Tuesday, August 9, 2005 | Review Permanlink

5 stars Wow, what a stunning piece of music. 43 minutes of perfectly executed progressive music that blends the best of symphonic and canterbury elements. And when I say 43 minutes, I'm not talking about a few pieces of music that, combined, time in at 43 minutes. No, not at all. Rather, I'm talking abo ... (read more)

Report this review (#29313) | Posted by | Friday, January 7, 2005 | Review Permanlink

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