Empyreal Sorrow – Praey
Band: Empyreal Sorrow
Album: Praey
Country: Germany
Label: Independent
Release date: 20 November 2020
Format reviewed: High-Quality Digital Promo
Let me introduce you to melodic death metal newcomers Empyreal Sorrow from Germany, bringing their debut album “Praey”, constructed in aggressive death metal/melodic vocals, and atmospheric sound. Empyreal Sorrow also wants to welcome you to the #cultofsorrow land of devastation that they touch on as a theme in this album. They take influence from the Swedish death metal sounds of Edge Of Sanity, Dark Tranquility, At The Gates, and In Flames but then, break it down to recreate their own signature take on melodic death metal. Empyreal Sorrow began in early 2019 and recording for this album concluded in earlier 2020. The album went through many metamorphoses because each band member contributed in their unique way which was all taken into account in the making of it.
The members are: Sebastian Moser (vocals), Markus Winter (guitar), Martin Szeike (vocals), Julian Osterried (drums) and Martin Hofbauer (guitars).
Without further ado let me tell you about their music.
Intro to the first track, “Praey to Sorrow” is very subtle, easing in an atmospheric sound, to a complete shift to riffs that hit. The track is contained in a slower play through giving a sample of what they can do. Following is “Thrown into Fire” showcasing the death metal vocals from the start. Track interludes to a slower melodic section that successfully blends both styles of singing. Getting to “Source of Inhumanity”, “Error Code”, and “Come Down With Me”, all three off these tracks didn’t differentiate much in sound differences. Yet the quality of riffs, vocals, and drums are all showing as very talented.
“Quiet Depression”, track six, come in with a stronger grip in atmospheric quality, touching on the bleak that can be so haunting. To me, this has more of a hook, showing promise of future development. As with “Voice of Violence”, “Killing Silence” and “A Night Without Armor” all of these tracks are sitting very secure in the melodic death genre.
I can say that the band scored a good first impression. Was I blown away with their efforts? Not so much. I do recognize the skill of the album technically, the dynamic and hard-hitting sound that was produced, and think that more is coming in the way of development in their futures.
I give this a 5/10 Metal Marie
5/10 Floating in the sea of mediocrity
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