Review: Empress – Fateweaver

Style: Power-Prog, Symphonic Metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Kamelot, Myrath, Pyramaze
Review by: Mark
Country: US-PA
Release date: August 19, 2022

I have a bad habit of rabidly spear-tackling any releases or artists that list Symphony X as one of their influences, and it’s one that I really need to break. In my years of experience of trying to love someone else as much as I love those NJ prog titans, I’ve come to learn that many consider them to simply be power metal that has been embellished with progressive elements and that their main offerings are nothing more than badass riffs and vocal theatrics. But in my contrarian view, this simply isn’t the case. Divine Wings of Tragedy up to The Odyssey are progressive rock masterpieces that undoubtedly sit comfortably on the same shelf, both in quality and musical style, as 2112 or Close To The Edge. Perhaps I am being pedantic over semantics here if one were to argue “influenced by” compared to “for fans of,” but I, for one, am tired of the mild disappointment that follows every time a band lures me in with promises of sounding like Symphony X only to serve me bargain bin power-prog. Maybe that or I just really need to get out more…

Philadelphia’s Empress are one such group of sirens and, although initially I felt I had been hoodwinked once again, I actually came away from their debut album Fateweaver feeling everything but disappointment. This album is a wonderfully well-executed and authentic piece of power-prog, bearing all the tropes of the genre but served with enough charisma and proficiency to circumvent all my usual grips and force me to completely forget about my silly hang-ups regarding influences.

First and foremost, the production is stellar. This may not be enormously surprising given the great Dan “The Man” Swanö on mixing and mastering duties, but even with that considered this still strikes to me as a particularly stalwart sounding record. The guitars are clean, crunchy, and carry some serious bulk when they need to, the drums are not compressed into oblivion, and all of it is incredibly well-balanced with the abundance of orchestral samples layered over pretty much the entire runtime of the album.

Delving into the composition, the listing of Kamelot as an influence is far more appropriate. Vocalist Barbara Blackthorne certainly has a Roy Khan style to her inflections and note choice and although this can work well with the aesthetic of most of the tracks, sometimes her melodies can feel a little bit improvised and meandering. Your mileage may vary when it comes to her more operatic stylings, but when she channels some heft it is clear she is an excellent singer. “Eventide” is a stand-out track for her performance and, as a result, is one of my favourite off the album.

Shorter tracks on hand here, such as “Legion”, “The Fall of Kingdoms”, and “Black Arcana” are certainly radio-ready in their structure and are more straightforward power/symphonic metal. This was a smart choice by the band as, partly in thanks to the production, these are digestible and infectious tracks that contribute to the whole album feeling tight and succinct. By contrast, the songs that go into proggier territory, such as “Beyond the Sleep” and “Chimera”, skillfully avoid creating any feeling of bloat as although they harbour just enough depth in their complexity, they are written with restraint and finesse. Sections with odd rhythms and multiple changes are smooth, contain interesting riffs, and are coated with a whole host of unique sounding orchestral samples that add dimension to the music.

One caveat is that the back half of the record dips ever so slightly in quality as things start to feel a little bit repetitive. There are times where Empress venture into some calmer passages, such as that on ” The Fall of Kingdoms”, and we’re treated to clean guitar against warm basslines and strong grooves that actually are reminiscent of something from V: The New Mythology. However, there are not nearly enough of them and the second half of this album could have been greatly remedied with more of these types of sections. They offer a respite from the straightforward power-prog and enrich the overall experience with a sense of longevity.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Fateweaver. Is it something you’ve likely heard before? Definitely. But the band’s passion and delectation oozes through each song, and everything is so palatable thanks to the excellent production, smooth and concise songwriting, and variety of sounds we’re taken through. An album certainly worth checking out even for passing fans of the genre.

Recommended tracks: Legion, Monarch, Eventide
You may also like: Everdawn, Moonlight Haze, Stormbound
Final verdict: 7/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page

Label: Independent

Empress is:
– Barbara Blackthorne (vocals)
– Vlad Khavin (guitars)
– Joseph Muir (guitars)
– Nicholas Bonsanto (bass)
– Mark Stainthorpe (drums)