Saturday 4 July 2020

EMPRESS - Premonition (Album Review)


Release date: July 24th 2020. Label: Self Released. Format: Cassette/CD/DD

Premonition – Tracklisting

1.A Pale Wanderer
2.Sepulchre
3.Passage
4.Trost
5.Hiraeth
6.Premonition
7.Lion's Blood

Members

Peter Sacco: Guitars/vox
Brenden Gunn: Bass
Chris Doyle: Drums

Review

Premonition is the debut full length album from Canadian Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metallers – EMPRESS – who released their debut EP Reminiscence back in 2018. The band sadly lost bassist Brenden Gunn last year and this album is a fitting tribute to Brenden’s legacy not only for the band but also Brenden’s family and friends.

The album is a more grown-up offering compared to their debut album as they deal with some deeply haunting and emotional themes on the album and it’s quite a dark, rich and varied journey that will surprise people in many ways. The band are perhaps more musically aligned to the earlier sounds of ELDER, Mastodon and Baroness though still standing tall on their own musical endeavours.

Opening song – A Pale Wanderer – offers eight minutes of Post-Doom grooves that branch out into different elements of Sludge Metal, Post-Metal, Psychedelic Rock and Stoner Metal with a YOB-esque influence running deep within the lyrical content. The vocals are some of the best I’ve heard this year with Peter showing a sense of maturity beyond his years with harsh growls, clean vocals and almost ethereal chants that show you EMPRESS are quite a force to be reckoned with. Even so early on with the opening song.

Second song – Sepulchre – was released as single earlier this year and I was lucky enough to premiere the song and showed me how different EMPRESS had become from their acclaimed debut EP. This song is more of a Hard-Edged Progressive Stoner Rock/Metal song with the band showing they know how to write a kick-ass song packed full of violent energy that oozes confidence. The song lasts under 5 minutes but EMPRESS show a real flair of playing a more standard Sludge/Stoner Metal song.

Third song – Passage – is another stylistic change with the band playing a more laid-back style of music with lush psychedelic grooves directing the action before the song changes into a more threatening style of “DOOM” based atmosphere. The progressive guitars are quite familiar in places and I’m reminded of TORCHE but when the harsh vocals kick-in, EMPRESS become EMPRESS again for some epic riffs being played for good measure.

There are 7 songs on offer here and I don’t want to spoil the hidden surprises and emotional depths that EMPRESS have created for the 2nd half of the album and that’s is where perhaps the album truly shines and stands out from the Post-Metal/Sludge/Stoner Metal crowd. As EMPRESS focus more on lyrical content and allowing the whole flow of the album to build up at a natural pace. There are still fantastic heavy riffs spliced throughout the album but it’s the lyrics and vocals that make this album ultimately work.

The standout songs from the 2nd half of the album have to be: Hiraeth, Premonition and Lion’s Blood – as this is where everything comes together and pays off big time for the band. Everything sounds fresh and original which is also helped by top-notch production the album holds from start to finish.

There were a few moments on this album that connected with myself emotionally and I was thinking about close friends and family members that I’ve lost over the last few years. So that was an unexpected thing for myself to go through whilst listening to this album.

Premonition is a deeply satisfying and superbly made album that allows it to be an Album Of The Year contender for myself personally and I wouldn’t be surprised if this happens elsewhere for other folks as well.

Do yourself a favour and check this epic and brilliant album out when you get the chance.

You won’t be sorry...

Words by Steve Howe

Premonition will be available to buy on Cassette/CD/DD from July 24th 2020

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