The Snow White Rose of Paradise

Few bands have the first (and lasting) impression of Empyrean Sky. Mostly due to the fact that Empyrean Sky is not like most I have heard, their art has more value that surpasses even the band members themselves, which is what I believe music should do. No track here is considered to be filler, not even the two instrumentals that can be found throughout this majestic opus.

I consider the vocals to be the star of this release and I, being one that covets the band's vocal performance, have nothing but admiration for this band just by this one aspect. The vocals exhibit a quality that can be described as both angelic and devilish, the darker being, of course, the growl/screams that are extremely prevalent throughout this offering. The light comes in the form of beautiful clean vocals that remind me of NWOBHM or traditional heavy metal in general, though no other bands comes to mind, vocally, when comparing Empyrean Sky. The vocals are also constantly layered, often with both harsh and clean vocals accompanying one another,
though at certain points in the clean vocals do remind me of Geddy Lee from Rush.

The guitars do well to complement the vocals with the occasional acoustic/electric layering accompanying the rising, melodic riffs that remind me of early In Flames or Dark Tranquillity (though maybe not quite as unbridled). Solos do appear from time to time but seem lacking due to the rather epic nature of the music that came before it. The bass can be heard clearly and makes an appearance once or twice (such as in "In To The Depths" and once in "Love Poison" if I'm not mistaken). The drums are programmed but they do not sound the way drum machines usually do (nothing sounds overly mechanized when it preforms).

In conclusion, this is an outstanding release from a band that deserves much more exposure than they have already.

Highlights include the two aforementioned songs "Love Poison" and "In To The Depths" along with "Empyrean Sky".

Empyrean Sky came out of nowhere for me. I'm flipping through the May 2005 issue of Metal Maniacs, when I come across the Firing Squad section. Empyrean Sky is listed with a short review, which had nothing to say but praise for the music. I put them in the back of my mind for a very long time. Big mistake.

Recently, I stumble upon their website, and order their album. A few days later, it arrives in the mail. I pop it into my CD player and start listening. From the opening chords of Love Poison, I was hooked. An amazing blend of adrenaline-pumping death metal with heavy progressive themes and even synthesizer scattered about, this album is... incredible.

The album begins crushingly with Love Poison. This immediately sets the tone for the album, with crushing guitars and a truly badass tone. At around the two minute thirty second mark, it switches into a calmer acoustic, clean vocal section. Worry not, however: the way the song is structured, it works perfectly. One thing that I notice is a distinctly Roman vibe throughout the album: included also in the artwork, it acts as an overlying theme which I enjoy greatly. Anyway, yeah. Love Posion kicks ass. One of my favorites.

The next song is the blazing instrumental (the first of two on the album), Reality Principle. This is the better of the two instrumentals. With a kickass intro, it quickly launches into a riff-fest that any metalhead could enjoy immensely. The use of synths is quite prominent in this song, as is the progressive nature of the band: the intro is once again restated near the end of the song, allowing for the listener to enjoy the music and nuances in between, but also to hear something familiar once again. A true pleasure.

Into the Depths is another brutal piece, which has a similar overall tone to Love Poison. With a beautiful acoustic section about three minutes in, the song takes the band's progressive overtone, without sacrificing any of the band's truly brutal, yet ethereal, nature. Another ass-kicker of a song, this one is great for headbanging during the electric sections.

A gorgeous introduction brings in another personal favorite, Peak of the Fall. With beautiful vocal melodies, harmonies, and subtle nuances in the chords between the guitars and the voice in just the intro alone, you know this is quite the piece. A rhythmic section in the drums then takes the secne, and the song quickly bursts out into the band's now signature blend of progressive death metal. The song takes a journey through many human emotions, with the focus being on love; hence, the Roman overtone. Another piece full of synth and wonderful, non-guitar effects.

Pleasure Principle is, of course, Reality Principle's sister instrumental, and, while not quite as good as its sibling, is still quite a pleasure (hah) to listen to. The coolest thing about these two songs is the number of themes that they have in common. Listening to the instrumentals one right after the other will reveal some nuances, such as at least one theme in common, as well as a thunderclap sound effect in common. But just wait until you hear the next, and final, movement of this ephemeral dance...

Empyrean Sky is truly the album's, nay, the band's crowning achievement. Rain brings in a melancholic acoustic guitar melody, while the song steadily builds into an omnious, rousing restatement of the acoustic theme on the electric. From here, at two minutes, the song builds into a riff-fest like none other: a furious, frantic pace, with underlying synths, as well as, at least I've noticed, an obvious thunderstorm-like theme throughout. The thing that leaves me in awe is how they simulate a powerful bolt of lighting and then a clap of thunder without the direct use of a sample: at 5:40 comes this gigantic hit out of nowhere, and the song then launches into an even faster, more furious version of itself, with new riffs and themes being introduced constantly. A true masterpiece; one of my favorite songs of any genre of all time.

In my mind, this album is worth however much trouble it takes for you to track it down. The musicianship is flawless, the music is original, and the atmosphere is awe-inspiring. My only gripe with the album is that it couldn't have been longer; I know how cliche that is, but it's the honest truth. Find it. Posthaste.

This is the first full-length for the amazing band from Chicago, IL. This is one of the best bands that I've heard in a long time. The Snow White Rose of Paradise is but six songs, but still makes up for a shortened tracklist with lengthy, but not boring, songs.

The album starts out with "Love Poison". This song is... truly amazing. A perfect mix of ungodly heavy metal and beautiful clean vocals. The musicianship is outstanding, and the overall quality is unusually good.

The next song in the album is an awesome instrumental titled, "Reality Principle". This song is outstanding. Although it can seem like it's being dragged out at some points, this is a beautiful song. A great thrasher, and a great musical masterpiece.

The third song in the album is a nearly 10 minute song, entitiled "Into the Depths". The vocals are amazing, and the guitar is mesmerizing. More nearly operatic clean vocals that are extremely interesting, but not overbearing.

The fourth song is the shortest on the album, at a mere 4:41, titled "Peak of the Fall". The songwriting is excellent, as in the rest of the album, and the guitar is layered pristinely. The opening 12 seconds or so give an interesting acoustic and clean vocal sound, before the roaring guitars and chilling vocals kick in. The vocal performance is unearthly, although the clean vocals can sometimes be overbearing. The guitar is heavy as hell, but still contains a progressive edge to it. A pure classic.

The next song is the counterpart of the second, titled "Pleasure Principle". This, like it's brother, is an instrumental. Amazing to listen to, and the musicianship is perfect.

The final track, Empyrean Sky, is the masterpiece of the album. Clocking in at just under 12 minutes, this song does not feel like it has been playing that long. It is perfect in musicianship, the vocals are beyond amazing, the songwriting is exremely poetic, and the sound is heavier than being hit with a brick in the face, yet mellow at the same time. There is some amount of piano reminiscent of older Dimmu, and there is a perfect balance of clean and screaming vocals. A chillingly beautiful classic.

I have no complaints, with the exception that it could have been longer.