Shade Empire – Sunholy
Release Date: 15th September 2023
Label: Candlelight Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Death Metal, Black Metal, Symphonic Metal.
FFO: Dimmu Borgir, In Flames, Septicflesh.
Review By: Carlos Tirado
It’s been quite a while since we last heard from Shade Empire – so long that I had started to wonder if we’d ever hear from them again. It’s been more than a decade since Omega Arcane graced our ears, and if you still haven’t given it a listen, you should do something worthwhile with your life and check it out. It’s undoubtedly one of the finest Symphonic metal albums ever created. Achieving such heights was no small feat, and while Portrey of the Ill-Minded continued Shade Empire‘s evolution, it couldn’t quite measure up to the monumental Omega Arcane. But enough reminiscing about the past – let’s see where Sunholy stands today.
First and foremost, this isn’t the Shade Empire you’re accustomed to. There has been a significant shift in sound, style, and even genre. There’s far less extreme metal here, replaced by an abundance of symphonic elements that lean almost towards Power Metal. I can’t say I’m entirely on board with these changes; it feels like listening to a different band altogether. Yes, the melodies and songs are catchy, and you’ll likely find yourself singing along. Yes, you can groove to the drumbeat (note that I said “beat,” not “blast”). And yes, Sunholy does bear some resemblance to Nightwish and Epica, albeit with harsher vocals and slightly less cheesiness, but only by a small margin. It’s almost as if Sunholy is the post-Clayman album of the catalog, borrowing a page from In Flames’ playbook.
I’ve thrown around quite a few references in the previous paragraph, so bear with me as I delve into more details. The synths and orchestral arrangements take center stage here, injecting life and beauty into the music, contrasting with the guitar and drums’ harshness. While some of the riffs clearly maintain a blackened and aggressive quality, they always feel somewhat secondary and restrained. This is where the clean vocals come into play; they are omnipresent. Don’t get me wrong; they aren’t bad at all – they have a pop-like quality and are quite catchy. But is that really what you expect from Shade Empire? Nonetheless, I’d like to highlight tracks like Sunholy, Maroon, and All-Consuming Flame that do bring back the old epic sound. Still, they don’t build the same kind of urgency that tracks like Ash Statues or Disembodiment could.
For those who enjoy their metal with just a touch of harshness, this remains an enjoyable album. I’d even venture to say that you could use it to introduce your non-metal friends to heavier music. However, for those well-versed in the genre, it might feel like an attempt to cater to a more mainstream audience. If that’s the case, good for Shade Empire – I’m not here to tell bands not to sell albums and tickets. After all, they’ve already gifted us with one breathtaking work of art, and for that, Shade Empire deserves to live comfortably on the French Riviera. But Sunholy is undeniably unexpected.
(3 / 5)
