The Empire Shall Fall – Vol. 1: Solar Plexus EP

Posted on 15th Dec 11 by Jonathan Keane | 0

Jesse Leach has had a busy 2011, storming through the world once again, touring with former fellow Killswitch Engage man Adam D in Times of Grace, after the release of their first record The Hymn of a Broken Man in January. Now though, Leach has returned with his other band The Empire Shall Fall with their first batch of new material since 2009 debut album, Awaken.

Volume 1: Solar Plexus is the first of three planned concept EPs from band. With this being the first it’s hard to see how the next two EPs will serve proceedings, in the overall plan. Solar Plexus has its moments, ones that shine much brighter than others though.

Wasting no time, The Genesis of These Scars kicks in but unfortunately meanders a little bit and doesn’t give the EP the just introduction it needs. There are also some short interludes peppered between songs proper and it’s not until Narrow, The Path I Walk (Part II) that Solar Plexus really gets rolling and from there it’s nigh on unstoppable.

Released prior, As The City Sleeps is when momentum builds on this EP, replete with angular guitar work and powerful lyrics from Jesse Leach belted out with inimitable passion. The final track, the seven minute belter The First Redemption is a heaving, bombast of grooving riffs and the invigorating vocal performance from Jesse that you would come to expect. By far the standout, it obliterates the tracks prior, more of this kind of thing in volumes two and three certainly wouldn’t go a miss.

As Solar Plexus is the first of three parts, it’s difficult to judge in the grand scheme that The Empire Shall Fall are cooking up. Alone though, it hops from brilliance to the routine. However, it still dazzles with tracks like As The City Sleeps and The First Redemption, so potentially great things lie ahead.

Drop-d Rating: 6.5/10

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Tags: Awaken, Jesse Leach, Killswitch Engage, Solar Plexus, The Empire Shall Fall, Times Of Grace