Reviewed - 08/05/04

The Snow White Rose of Paradise
[Wormwood Productions]

To begin with, this is not just the best album I've heard this year. This might be the best album I've heard in five years.

Empyrean Sky have blown me away. Every time I listen to "The Snow White Rose of Paradise," I can't believe what I am hearing. If Blind Guardian decided to play melodic death metal and hired Mikael Åkerferdt and Mathias Blad to supply lead vocals, it might begin to sound like this. Throw in some progressive virtuosity a la Dream Theater, and the slightest touch of Arcturus-esque avant garde black metal, and you're even closer to Empyrean Sky. Oh, and don't forget the Iron Maiden, either.

A description without comparisons to other bands? Imagine twin guitars dancing with one another upon an empty stage. Sometimes, the dance is dark. Sometimes, it is bright. Sometimes, one guitar is acoustic. Sometimes, both are. Others, neither. Always, it is beautiful. Add to this dance a third layer, usually bass guitar. A synthetic orchestra plays in the background. A computer plays the drums. And the voice? Harsh and melodic, clean and dirty, light and dark... first one, then the other, then both. On "Reality Principle," neither. During "Into the Depths," there is a passage consisting of two acoustic guitars and a (real) violin. Possibly a bass guitar as well. The shortest song here is almost seven minutes in length. The longest, almost twelve.

Here's how good "The Snow White Rose of Paradise" is: there is no drummer. Empyrean Sky utilizes a drum machine instead of flesh-and-blood percussionist. I hate it when bands use drum machines, as so much of what makes extreme metal is the fact that the chaos is being controlled by mere human beings (a subjective sentiment, perhaps, but valid nonetheless). But in the case of Empyrean Sky, I don't care. I'm willing to give this album a perfect score even though its lack of human drummer is a major fault in my eyes.

Empyrean Sky is three people: John Welborn (vocals, guitar, programming), Doug McAllister (lead guitar, programming), and Rich Dunkel (rhythm guitar). Three American guitarists created this. I can only assume Welborn covers bass duties. If he is the only one providing vocals, he is a god in that respect as well. Between the three of them, Empyrean Sky boasts both electric and acoustic, death metal and progressive metal, crunch and melody... most of the time, there are at least two guitars merging and diverging at any given moment. There are lots of wonderfully metal solos. Three-part melodies tend to dominate the music. Perhaps it is the tightness of three musicians that helps elevate "The Snow White Rose of Paradise" to the sky... in which case, additional musicians might detract from the solidarity of the musical concept...

Still, to hear this album with an actual drummer… well, I'd possibly have a new favorite metal album of all time. Add a real orchestra as well... there'd be no doubt. As it is, Empyrean Sky's "The Snow White Rose of Paradise" is now in my top five. I can't express how much this album surprised me and inspired me. It's so different, so seamless, so… so awesome. Go buy this album now. Seriously.