SKY EMPIRE
SKY EMPIRE – “The Shifting Tectonic Plates of Power – Part One”
By Colonel Angus
This band is one that I had to really dig deep in my mind’s attic to remember as there are so many releases that its getting hard to keep them all straight. Once I figured out where I heard of them and their first and only other record “The Dark Tower” (from my friend who is a total prog-head) then I was able to connect the dots. Since they only had only one other album, I reacquainted myself with that disk and tried to figure out why it didn’t make that big of an impact on me. Well, after a few spins, it is clear again to me that the vocals are what let me down. Musically, the record is exciting and dynamic but the vocals don’t quite fit; at least to my ears. Sadly, Yordan Ivanov is no longer with us (he passed right after “The Dark Tower” was released) which is why the band took an extended hiatus for obvious reasons. I can’t imagine picking up the broken pieces after something so tragic but here we are in 2023 and the band are back with “The Shifting Tectonic Plates of Power – Part One”. The biggest change is the vocals are they are handled by Jeff Scott Soto. Now that SONS OF APOLLO seem to be over, he can now scratch his prog metal itch with SKY EMPIRE.
Musically, not much has changed and that is a good thing. The band definitely wear their influences on their collective sleeves with DREAM THEATER, YES, and SYMPHONY X being the big ones that I can hear but there are elements that they bring to the record that make it their own. Things start off with a prog metal instrumental that clocks in at almost fifteen minutes with a title that s also lengthy and very proggy. “Prolegomenon: The Encomium of Creation” takes no time in launching into heavy guitar riffing and prog majesty. There is plenty of interplay between instruments and each member is given room to shine. What I really like about this track is that even though it is long, there are a number of twists and turns to keep someone like me (a non-muso) interested. Instrumentals are difficult to make engaging but SKY EMPIRE have cracked the code and have made this a song that I will return to often.
The first track with vocals “On the Shores of Hallowed Haven” just flows in from last tune. Right away, we are greeted with Soto’s vocals overlaid on music that has a YES meets RUSH vibe. That same vibe is mixed with a bit of DREAM THEATER to produce “The Emissary”. From the start. It has a majestic feel with some soaring soundscapes and to cap things off, there is a really nice guitar solo from Drazic Lecutier. In fact, he shines throughout with solos that move from emotional to all out note dense shred fests. “Into My Father’s Eyes” follows that same formula as the previous song with a slight uptick in tempo. Next up, we are treated to another longer prog piece that continues with those same influences but I hear a bit of MARILLION here and there, especially in the softer moments of this tune. As with the first track, although it over ten minutes long, there is so much going on to enjoy that the time goes by really fast.
“The Last Days of Planet Fantasy” almost has a stripped down beginning with some shred guitars overlaid but very quickly turns into this heavy prog metal workout. Towards the end of this instrumental, that MARILLION vibe kicks in with the keyboards but as always, the band veer off into other elements that make them unique. The album ends with a long epic that is a witches brew of FATES WARNING and DREAM THEATER sprinkled in with RUSH. I hate to constantly mention other bands but my hope is that if you are a fan of any of those bands I mentioned, you will give “The Shifting Tectonic Plates of Power – Part One” a try.
The band at its core is the same as the one that recorded “The Dark Tower” except for Tony Snow taking on bass duties and (as mentioned previously) vocalist Jeff Scott Soto. The two factors that really make this record for me are a) Soto’s vocals which are great and b) the production. Although I enjoyed the music from their previous effort, I feel that the production on this latest disk is brighter and brings out each instrument. Plus, the addition of Jeff Scott Soto’s vocals has really elevated “The Shifting Tectonic Plates of Power – Part One”. As he has aged, this vocals have become richer and there is a depth that wasn’t present in the early day. As much as I enjoy his early works, I feel he gets better with each release. SKY EMPIRE may not have made much of an impression on me with their first record but this one made my ears perk up and take notice. I’m already looking forward to Part Two of this prog metal epic.