Edenya has returned; changed, challenged, and prepared to offer you: The Secret Destination You Are Looking For; which is one of the best progressive rock albums of 2025! I am talking top 5 albums, here probably.
The band will release the album, on August 17th, independently from their home in Montgeron, France.
Edenya is made up of members: Ingrid Denis, on lead and backing vocals; Marco Edenya, on guitars, keyboards, piano and programming; Juliette Carradec, on violin; Jean-Paul Cartigny, on bass guitar; and Sylvie Sj, on drums and jembe.
They have a wonderful back catalog which includes: Edenya (EP) (2017), Silence (2020), and Another Place (2023).
The Secret Destination You Are Looking For is an over 54-minute masterpiece of modern progressive rock. The maturity of evolution from the “Edenya” EP, in 2017, until now, is a multitudinous change. This band is ready for prime time and even the editors at Prog Magazine have noticed it.
So, let’s discuss, this Secret Destination You Are Looking For:
The incredible changes this band endured and overcame are immediately noticeable at the opening of this modern prog classic. “Back From the Endless Seas”, is the kind of song, and album, me, and every album reviewer, knew this band was capable of creating. Marco’s acoustic guitar buoys new lead singer, Ingrid Denis’s vocals spectacularly. Ingred sings, in a summertime voice full of vacation sea mist and sand, “A sunny day. We set the sails. A long, long time ago. Children played. In the bay. Boats were ready to go. Thousands of miles to see. Oceans and lands of mysteries. The wind carried us far away from here. Our ships led us far away from here. Wandering without fear. Uncharted places we have seen. Praying God of the wind. Now the road is free. Wandering without fear. Our families we seek to reach. Coming back to our fields. From the endless seas. Coming back to our fields. From the endless seas. Unseen grounds. We have found. A secret destination. A dreamland. Rocks and sand. Ancient civilization. Thousands of miles to see. Oceans and lands of mysteries. Wandering without fear. Our families we seek to reach. Coming back to our fields. From the endless seas. Over 4 minutes of history, gently stirred with a modern view of today’s cross-ocean travel. I hear the feeling of the pilgrims and the European travelers who left their lands and fields to cross the ocean for opportunity and freedom. (Unfortunately, that dream has drastically changed with the growth of national territorialism, throughout the world). But you can almost hear that innocent wish in Ingrid’s voice, that people of the past, might have felt and longed for, to be willing to take that arduous journey of many miles to fulfill. A stunning achievement for an opening song, which immediately sets you in the right direction the band hoped to create. An “ambitious album that will take you on a journey”.
Set sail and beware!
“The Outing”, opens with soft and moving piano. Then, Ingrid sings, “In thirty square meters. A beer in your hand. TV screen is. Your only friend. The world outside scares you. It’s always the same. No one knows you. Neighborhood ignores you. It’s time to face your fears. And leave your agony. It’s time to show the world. Your personality”. This almost feels like a post – Pandemic song; but we all know there are people who, even though the Pandemic is over, still live like this. Ingrid sings, with Juliette Carradec’s soft violin accompaniment, “Through the window. Watching a couple walking. You tell yourself. This is not for you. You don’t recall. What love means to you. In your dreams. There’s someone waiting for you. It’s time to face your fears. And leave your agony. Close your eyes. And face the reality. Time to go outside. And breathe again”. The band joins in towards the middle and we get great electric guitars, bass and drum support until the end.
“Little Girl”, is another dreamscape full of soft guitar, strings and orchestration. The opening acoustic guitar melody reminds me so much of the opening of Styx’s famous “Suite Madame Blue”, off of “Equinox”; one of my favorite albums and songs from the band. But this song has a female vocalist, Ingrid, and she sings, “Oh little girl. Lying on the meadow. Sun is shining. It is blinding you. Listen to the wind. And birds calling you. You’re closing your eyes. And you are dreaming. This world is not for you to be in. It is kingdom of hypocrisy and fear. A big house, A green garden. Sweet child. A wonderful life… The day. You are imagining. Is far away. From hard reality. This world is not a place to be in. It is kingdom of hypocrisy and fear. They say you can’t change anything. But you, you believe in your dreams. But you, you believe in your dreams. Oh, little girl, little girl”. Maybe in fact, Marco latched on to the idea Styx was trying to warn us of, that America, and now the world, has changed, and we need desperately to return to the kind of world we grew up in; where peace and laws protected us from dictators and violence.
On “Foreign Ground”, Marco and the band begin their odyssey beyond their borders. The band begins a Middle Eastern sound, full of electric guitars, bass and heavier drums. Ingrid sings, “Oh charming country. A plane brought me here. Land of history. Full of mysteries. Now, it lives there inside me. Emotions they’re growing inside me. Hear the call of the muezzin. Do you hear Muslims praying. Another culture to see. And you leave. Walking in a foreign ground. Do you hear this unusual sound? Beginning of a new story. And you leave. Tales of a distant land. Sultans and harem. Many epic stories. Betrayals and tragedies. Now, it lives there inside me. Emotions they’re growing inside me. Hear the call of the muezzin. Do you hear Muslims praying. Another culture to see. And you leave. Walking in a foreign ground. Can you hear this unusual sound? Alone in the hotel. Laying in my bed. I’m dozing and thinking. About this journey. Tiredness and resting. An exciting trip”. The acoustic guitar and dreamscape that surrounds Ingrid when she sings, is absolutely amazing, “Now, I close my eyes. My mind is so far away. So beautiful wonders. Lost in my dreams. Another culture to see. Walking in a foreign ground. Beginning of a new story”, Another of the best songs on this epic album. An over seven-and-a-half-minute song, full of electric guitar riffs and power drums near the end.
The title track, and second longest track on the album, “The Secret Destination You Are Looking For”, is an instrumental wonder, unto itself. It begins with soft acoustic and electric guitar and soft drums. Ingrid sings some beautiful soft vocalizations which will take you off to dreamland. Until the drums begin to command your attention. Then, the soundscape fills with violin, strings, choirs, and amazing orchestrations. Every moment of this instrumental is a layered soundscape you will want to climb your way through, again and again. Simply magical, indeed. Over 9 minutes of theatrical progressive rock that will stun and amaze you. Close your eyes and drift away on the river-like soundscape.
What else could follow that wonderful magic carpet ride we just experienced, but, “Flying Dream”. It opens with cinematic strings, like you would hear on the Silver Screen. Then, soft acoustic guitar and Ingrid singing, “Like a dream, in the night. Standing in front of me. Bright shape appears at my side. He whispers: “Come with me”. His white hand is taking me. Smiling. Spreading his wings. Together we fly. Towards the night. Through the clouds. Above the ground. Fading away. Out of sight. He’s carrying me. Through the cold breeze. Across the wind I am breathing. I’m free. Through the air, he’s guiding me. His perfect eyes looking at me. Serenity takes hold of me. Together we fly. Across the wind. I am breathing. I’m free”. A song so full of hope and dreams, that only the desperately depressed could hate this song. Absolutely spectacular. The violin playing from Juliette, Marco’s acoustic guitar, along with Ingrid’s vocal harmonies, is an absolute wonder to enjoy. Nearly four minutes of music you will wish would never end.
“Princess Of the Light”, may be the album’s heaviest song, and it’s not metal, but the bass, drums, and electric guitar are stronger and more pronounced. Ingrid sings, “Sleep, rest well. In your shell. Sweet little girl. With life ahead. Looking at you. Close to you. Gentle creature. Blooming flower. The world outside, you know, is so wild. One day, you will grow. And find. Those things you should know. In my arms. Innocent eyes. Beautiful face. In my embrace. My sunshine. So divine. You changed my life. My sweet heart. The world outside, you know, is so wild. One day, you will grow. And find. Hold on to your light. Fighting the lies. Stay as you are. Save your dreams. My child. Angel eyes. Princess of the light. Soon, you will find. The truth behind. Those things you should know”. A powerful lullaby- like song that a father might sing to his newborn. Wonderful.
“Like A Falling Leaf”, is another soft tranquil journey of instrumental music including violin, acoustic guitar, bass and orchestration. Mist and fog covered mountains come into view on this over 3-minute song, capsulated with welcoming piano, at the close.
“My Burden”, is the longest song on the album. Ingrid sings, after some warm opening electric guitar, “Looking up to the sky. My eyes staring into space. My mind. In the haze. Confused. Thinking about these men. A broken promise. End of a romance. But I hope. On this hill. I’m waiting for you. Can’t stop. Thinking of you. Fire keeps burning. This dream is not ending. This burden is weighing. My heart. On my heart”. Then, powerful bass sounds and electric guitar riffs fill the air, as a heavier tone takes over the song. Power electric guitar soloing, and pacing drums are pounding. A mighty interlude within this monumental song. Then Ingrid returns, “Haunted by your presence. But you are not here. My eyes on the verge of tears. Sadness. Will you appear one day? Here with you. I felt so pure. Your eyes on me. Reassured me. This pandemic. Unexpected event. We thought it was the end. It broke everything. Everything we built. It can’t end like this”. Every minute of this over 10-minute song is worth your time and concentration. The Pandemic wreaked havoc on many lives across the globe, and this song captures those feelings and the desperate spirit of the times, in those strained violin chords well. What the violins don’t capture, the trudging grunge electric guitar, orchestrations and drums help complete, the picture of desperation.
“Lady Smart”, is the power packed closer on this final epic journey. It opens with flute like keyboards and soft acoustic strings. A moment of time to contemplate all that has preceded. Ingrid sings, “Smart lady. Full of bliss. Smiling. She’s watching her belly. Touching her belly. A seed. Has been sown. Sprouting. Beautiful dream achieved. A dream achieved. Baby sleeping. And feeding. Every day, he’s moving. He is growing”. Strings fill the air, and they bring with them the full extent of all the emotions from this album to the soundscape. Ingrid continues, “She’s feeling. The beauty of life inside her. In her belly. There’s a treasure inside her. She carries. Mystery of life inside. A future mommy. A little thing inside her. Inside her”. A closing departure that echoes the truth that with each new life there is a chance and a hope for life, and for the world to change!
Wow! Edenya! With “The Secret Destination You Are Looking For”, you have stepped up onto a larger stage. This will be one of my favorite albums of 2025. I hope you will give it the time and consideration it deserves. This is a giant and confident leap of musicianship and lyrical development for Edenya. The changes undergone since “Another Place”, in 2023; are like the child in “Lady Smart”. Nurturing and growing. This is a band on the rise. I am so happy I was gifted the opportunity to review “The Secret Destination You Are Looking For”. It truly is a journey I will cherish. Thank You Edenya!
Album Track List:
1.Back From the Endless Seas 04:21
2. The Outing 05:56
3. Little Girl 03:27
4. Foreign Ground 07:38
5. The Secret Destination You Are Looking For 09:30
6. Flying Dream 03:49
7. Princess Of the Light 03:12
8. Like A Falling Leaf 03:04
9. My Burden 10:08
10. Lady 03:48
Lyrics by Marco. Mixed and mastered by Julien Perdereau. All instruments and vocals recorded by Marco at « L’Antre », Montgeron, France; except bass guitar recorded by Jean-Paul Cartigny, and drums recorded by Julien Perdereau. Artwork by Jouch. Produced by Marco. All tracks copyright © 2025.
Band Website and Social Media Links:
https://edenyashop.bigcartel.com
Bandcamp: https://edenya.bandcamp.com
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/edenya
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Edenyaband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edenyaband
Contact: edenyaband@gmail.com
YouTube and Music Video Links:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@edenyaofficial