Release
date: February 12th 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: DD
Reminiscence
– Tracklisting
1.The Offering
2.Immer
3.Baptizer
4.They Speak Like
Trees
5.Dawn
Members
Peter
Sacco: Guitars/vox
Brenden
Gunn: Bass
Chris
Doyle: Drums
Review
Empress
is a new Sludge/Doom Power Trio who takes influence from bands such
as CONAN, Pelican and early-Baroness. Their debut EP, Reminiscence
has its fair share of loud sludgy moments and post-rock interludes
with the band always evolving their sound on the EP.
Opening
track - The Offering, is a psychedelic little number with Empress
playing a full on Sludge Rock/Doom Metal track. This has an early
Baroness style aggressive melody before the post-hardcore sounds
merge as one with the hardcore growls with lead singer, Peter staying
mightily angry throughout. The music is quite complex and groove
based at times. You wouldn't think from this opening track that the
band would adopt a more Post-Rock/Post-Metal sound.
Second
track - Immer - is the first of two epic tracks with this song
running over eight minutes. This song has Empress play an upbeat
psychedelic post-rock/stoner/sludgy sound with a ferocious vibe that
allows Empress to control the aggression of the music more naturally.
There are subtle hints held within the song in what musical direction
Empress takes on the second half of the song. The bluntness and
aggression we've heard so far is replaced by a more ambient,
uplifting and post-rock atmosphere. The vocals remain harsh but it's
the music that's the most impressive. A daring style of Post-Rock and
gloomy Sludge Rock/Metal sound leave you wanting more.
Third
track - Baptize - opens with punk sounding bass lines before Empress
return with a harsh and heavy doom metal offering. It's a more direct
song with the music perhaps offering the heaviest parts on the EP and
that is despite the short running time of less than three minutes.
Fourth
track - They Speak Like Trees - is the second epic song and perhaps
the best song on the EP. Empress starts to assure themselves more
confidently. The music and vocals have a more world-weary feel with
the Post-Metal/Sludge Metal dynamic working together than against
each other. The band plays a more lucid style of psychedelic music at
times. The whole mood of the song can be very chaotic but Empress
manages to impress with their progressive and experimental style of
Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal sounds.
The
final song - Dawn - is more an ambient post-rock song with Empress
leaving the heavy sounds behind and creating a lush psychedelic
dream-like atmosphere. Reminiscence is a welcome distraction from the
normal Sludge/Post-Metal bands out there. As Empress create
individual songs with their own identities to each other.
The
EP can be brutally loud at times but also superbly reflective and
quiet as heard on the final song. I expect we haven't heard or
witnessed the full range of sounds that Empress actually possesses.
It may take a few more releases such as another EP or full length
album before we begin to see the "real" Empress.
Until
then, Reminiscence remains a beautifully played and violent delight
with enough Sludge/Post-Metal riffs to keep you superbly entertained
for a long time to come.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks to Peter from
the band for the promo. Reminiscence is available to buy on DD from
February 12th 2018.
