South of Eden EP review
by Cathy Moore
There are a lot of things I love about Columbus, Ohio. It is the epicenter of my entertainment life – Columbus Blue Jackets hockey, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, Ohio State Buckeye football, and a vibrant live music scene (outside of the dark days of COVID-19). And now I’m adding Columbus rock band South of Eden (formerly known as Black Coffee) to that list.
I’ve seen this band perform live multiple times over the past couple of years and I have been anxiously awaiting recorded music that I can jam out to anytime I want. That time has come. South of Eden released their first EP The Talk on Friday, August 21, and I can tell you it was well worth the wait.
The EP opens with the title track “The Talk” which is high energy and full of blistering guitars and blazing vocals. Track two, “Solo”, has more of a groovy vibe with a strong beat and soulful sound. “Morning Brew”, track three, is my favorite on the EP. It has more of a slow and quiet rhythm – like waking up on a weekend morning. The vocals are exceptional – both the lead and background harmonies. I can’t stop listening to it.
Track four and the first single from the EP, “Dancing with Fire”, has hyper-charged guitars and thunderous percussion that collide with powerful vocals that create a perfect cacophony of a rock and roll anthem. And that drum solo at the end – brief but brilliant.
On the lead single, vocalist Ehab Omran said, “We knew we wanted our first release to showcase our personalities, both in the music and the visual. “‘Dancing with Fire’ is just that; personality. It’s a song about conflict, and to us that conflict is being a bunch of twenty-two-year-olds attempting to make it as a rock band in unprecedented times. We’re excited to see how people interpret the song into their own lives.”
The video for “Dancing with Fire” follows the band through months on the road including the band’s first label performance. It includes footage from South of Eden HQ in Columbus, OH and shows the band in their natural habitat. It is such a cool video because it shows the fun personality and suave style of the band (check out that lava lamp on their stage set!).
South of Eden is just a crazy cool, unique, supremely talented rock band. “When you hear us, I want you to walk away thinking, ‘That was honest and different’,” Omran says. “We’re just doing what we do. We’re proof you can do anything you want and shouldn’t compromise your dreams.” Message received!
On Friday, August 28 at 8 PM EST, South of Eden will perform their entire The Talk EP live for the first time from Flannagan’s in Columbus. You can stream the performance on the band’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
South of Eden is:
Ehab Omran [lead vocals, acoustic guitar]
Justin Young [lead guitar, vocals]
Tom McCullough [drums]
Nick Frantianne [bass]
Connect with South of Eden:
Official Website: https://www.southofedenband.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southofedenmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/southofedenband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southofedenband/
