Review | Empyrean Sanctum – Detachment From Reality

Independent Release

`Detachment From Reality’, the latest opus of Empyrean Sanctum, is a meticulously crafted journey into the realms of progressive metal, showcasing a band at the height of their technical prowess. Blending impressive progressive staccato elements with futuristic scoped lyrical content, guitarist / composer Justin Kellermann and vocalist Albert Rybka also revitalized their compositional creativity. With this record, they elevate their sound to new heights, mixing intricate structures, emotive storytelling, and virtuosic performances into a compelling narrative.

PRECISION AND POWER

From the outset it’s clear that `Detachment from Reality’ is not content to rest within the confines of traditional progressive metal. The album opens with a sprawling ,,Heart of Gold” setting the tone with its complex arrangements, intricate time changes and dynamic shifts. The interplay between soaring guitar leads and atmospheric keyboards creates a cinematic soundscape, while the steep edged dynamics of its rhythm section anchors the composition with precision and power. Empyrean Sanctum’s ability to weave complex time signatures and abrupt tempo changes into an organic flow is masterful.

Tracks like ,,Descent” and ,,Transparancy” highlight the band’s smart take for blending aggression with melody. The former builds from a welling intro into an explosive crescendo of cascading riffs and harmonized solos, nesting melodies injected with enormous hooks and soaring vocals, evoking comparisons to genre titans like Vanden Plas and Haken, with insane musical emission. ,,Transparency” has an impacting riff and lick at the center with keys jabbing into the front. Transcending the jagged urge, it transcends around multiple melodies with Albert displaying his skills belting in shifting tone.

EXPERIMENTAL EDGE

Meanwhile, the title track showcases their experimental edge, incorporating jazzy interludes and unconventional structures that add layers of depth to an already rich tapestry, while maintaining its flooring melodic appeal. Gearing up with tons of turbulence the band redefines their boundaries gripping deeper in heavy driven metal occasionally. Especially ,,Refinement” proves their prowess as such, with the song hammered solid by drummer Hannes Grossmann’s (Alkaloid, Triptykon, etc.) impressive rhythm shifts and driving polyrhythms. The interaction with bass player Alex Weber (Revocation, Exist) is spiraling all over the song, while Kellermann himself lays down his most impressive guitarwork recorded to date. He is all over the board and switches to djenty riff-rage occasionally, as well nailing it solid with his buzzsaw alternating riffs. Towards the end the song suddenly shifts shape, not returning to form.

Vocally, the album is a tour de force. The seamless transition between clean, emotive singing and soaring croon of Rybka adds dramatic tension to tracks like the ticking progressive timebomb ,,Age of Innocence” and following ,,A Genuine Empathy”, which come across like genre twins in its discharge and construction. Lyrically, the album explores themes of existential disconnection of the human condition with reality and personal struggles, mirroring its musical complexity. The words resonate deeply, carried by Rybka’s vocal performances that are as versatile as they are impassioned. Sometimes frail, other moments crooning to resonate the agony and dismay.

A CINEMATIC FINALE

Perhaps the most striking aspect of `Detachment from Reality’ is its progressive construction. Each track feels like a self-contained journey while contributing to the overarching narratives, like ,,Lifeless Death”. Their use of thematic call-backs ties the album together in a way that rewards attentive listening. This is particularly evident in the closing epic, ,,Elation”, where earlier musical ideas are reimagined and expanded upon in a climactic finale leaving a lasting impression. The song combusts with entirely different energy and the guitarwork is phenomenal.

Moments of quiet introspection, marked by delicate passages or ethereal synth layers with withering and melancholic vocals cascading, serve as counterpoints to the thunderous riffs and blistering solos that dominate much of the record. This balance ensures that `Detachment From Reality’ remains engaging from start to finish. Empyrean Sanctum also demonstrates an acute awareness of dynamics throughout the album.

EMPYREAN SANCTUM – THE CONCLUSION

Summarizing, `Detachment From Reality’ is a barnstormer and triumphant record for Empyrean Sanctum, pushing the boundaries of progressive metal with muscular display. Fans of bands like Vanden Plas, Dream Theater, Opeth and Haken alike will certainly find this a taste for the top. It’s a record that demands multiple listens and an open mind to fully appreciate its inert dystopian-tinged conceptual tracks and its immersive sound structures. With an open mind and view you’ll love the way they channel into your system with blunt force. It channels musical, vibrational and visual, while headphones are mandatory to live the full experience. For fans of ambitious, genre defining progressive metal and music with an insane twist, this is an essential listen!

Release date: 18 April 2025