Setting out for new shores!
[ Logo: Jan ‚Örkki‘ Yrlund • Darkgrove ]
Action: IMPERIAL AGE
Album PR: METAL MESSAGE ᴳᴸᴼᴮᴬᴸ • 𝓔𝓼𝓽. 2001
https://www.metalmessage.de/PR_IMPERIAL_AGE_en.php
Genre: Symphonic Metal
Title: New World
FFO: Therion, Nightwish, Rhapsody Of Fire
Format: Album + Live-Blu-ray/DVD
Label: Atlantean Records ltd.
Release: August 27, 2022
Bulletpoints:
- 3rd album of the Symphonic Metal aesthetes
- One of the most courageous releases of the genre
- Overwhelming songs cast by fate in uplifting forms
IMPERIAL AGE are available for interviews via phone, Skype, Zoom & email – get in touch!
https://facebook.com/imperialageofficial
IMPERIAL AGE is one of the most successful international bands of Russian origin, which today has a multinational lineup and is based in Antalya, Turkey.
After turning down several record deals, they work independently and maintain a close relationship with their large worldwide fan base.
„New World“ is the third album by IMPERIAL AGE – following „The Legacy Of Atlantis“ (2018) and „Turn The Sun Off!“ (2012). The new album „New World“ is released via their own London-based label Atlantean Records ltd.
[ Pic: Imperial Age ]
LINE-UP:
Alexander ‚Aor‘ Osipov • Vocals
Jane Odintsova • Vocals
Anna ‚Kiara‘ Moiseeva • Vocals
Kublai Kapsalis • Guitar
Dmitry Belf • Bass
Manuele Di Ascenzo • Drums
IMPERIAL AGE, one of the most successful Metal bands of Russian origin is back against all odds!
Four years after the massive success of „Legacy Of Atlantis“, which sold thousands of copies, reached millions of streams and YouTube views and helped the formation to international fame, the multinational Symphonic/Power Metal sextet is back with its new opus magnum – „New World“.
[ Album 2022 • Artwork: Jan ‚Örkki‘ Yrlund • Darkgrove ]
TRACKS:
01. Windborn 03:40
02. Legend Of The Free 04:17
03. The Way Is the Aim 04:01
04. Shackles Of Gold 04:02
05. The Wheel 04:14
06. To the Edge Of The Known 03:40
07. Distant Shores 04:44
08. Call Of The Towers 18:12
total: 46:50 min.
This new album proved to be magical in every way:
During the crowdfunding campaign, which raised 188 % of the original amount needed, the musicians were hit by a tornado, unprecedented in the area, which chopped down a third of the forest where they were camping and writing songs, and completely destroyed their camp – though the musicians were hugely lucky that they themselves and all their equipment miraculously remained unscathed.
The choir’s preparations were so intense that the choir’s director and conductor, Taras Yasenkov, had to be taken by ambulance to a psychiatric hospital in the middle of the recording sessions, where he suffered a nervous breakdown – he has since fully recovered.
When the album was almost finished, the whole band laid down with Covid, and as if that wasn’t enough – a month later Russia attacked Ukraine and sent all plans to hell – forcing IMPERIAL AGE’s masterminds Alexander ‚Aor‘ Osipov and Jane Odintsova to leave the country in a hurry after the band released an anti-war manifesto – interrupting the whole process of album production and release …
[ Pic: Imperial Age ]
The lyrics of the third long player turned out to be frighteningly prophetic:
They deal with the quest for freedom and independence, the horrors of war, leaving home with no hope of return, and traveling through rough seas to distant shores – all the lyrics were written many months before all these topics became a grim everyday reality for the band.
As with most great things that involve a huge amount of super compressed energy, every step of the production of this album was achieved through a great effort by all involved:
composing the songs over many hours without food or sleep, long nights in the studio until sunrise, recording live orchestral instruments and choirs, countless rehearsals, hours and days of painting artwork, and many, many other things …
… but the musical end result sounds and ultimately feels the other way around:
upbeat, uplifting and powerful. It seemed as if IMPERIAL AGE were at the end, especially when Max Talion (drums) and Paul Maryashin (guitar) left the band.
[ Pic: Imperial Age ]
But against all odds, the band regrouped, resettled and survived – even reaching new heights:
not only did they record what was missing, hire new musicians (Manuele di Ascenzo from Italy on drums and Kublai Kapsalis from Turkey on guitar), move their entire web store to Italy, release three singles and two music videos, land a headlining European tour for September 2022 – but they also donated a portion of the proceeds to needy Ukrainian families, despite being immigrants themselves.
All this – because of and with great support from their immense worldwide army of ultra-loyal fans, who continue to support IMPERIAL AGE with thousands of album purchases, millions of streams and hundreds of donations.
The result – albeit 3 months late – bristles with IMPERIAL AGE’s trademark powerful, uplifting, visionary Metal with orchestra, choir and 3 lead singers – and yet the band has recorded their happiest, heaviest and most adventurous album yet!
[ Pic: Imperial Age ]
Every single song on this album is a hit, and there are simply no ‚B-sides‘ or weak tracks. „Legend Of The Free“ is one of the fastest and most upbeat Power/Folk Metal hits in the group’s latest collection, with strong lyrics about the pursuit of freedom, while the philosophical „The Way Is The Aim“ is a dance song about finding your own way, with Jane Odintsova switching from operatic to rock vocals.
The murderous, lyrically somber anti-war anthem „The Wheel“ is a must for all future live sets with its fast beat, catchy chorus and Aor’s high-pitched vocals, while „Shackles Of Gold“ immediately conjures up the image of pirates of the Caribbean wreaking havoc on Tortuga in the name of freedom.
Now you might think that 8 tracks are not much – but not in this case. The crown jewel of this album is the epic, dark, immensely powerful and colossal Metal symphony „Call Of The Towers“, which despite its whopping 18+ minute playing time manages to hold the listener’s attention by constantly shifting from an explosive Hollywood-style wall of sound, that pushes every instrument and vocalist to their limits, to acoustic tavern ballads, Bachian organ solos, and even 3 minutes of pure Sympho Black Metal with atonal chords, and a deeply somber atmosphere where male, female, and choral vocals constantly alternate.
All songs are sung by the three lead singers Aor, Jane Odintsova and Anna Kiara – plus a full academic choir as well as live orchestral instruments. „New World“ overwhelms the listener with polished and precise songwriting, highest musical level, enormous variety of vocals and instruments – all this paired with the heaviest Metal sound IMPERIAL AGE have delivered so far – and the new work proves once again why IMPERIAL AGE are so successful, although so many circumstances speak against them and they don’t even have a record company behind them!
•
DISCOGRAPHY:
2012 • Turn The Sun Off! • Full-length
2014 • Warrior Race • EP
2018 • The Legacy Of Atlantis • Full-length
2022 • New World • Full-length
2022 • Live New World (Live) • Full-length
MEDIA FEEDBACK:
10 / 10
➤ „… sound like no other band – their music encompassing Power, Symphonic, and Folk Metal elements – overall, a stunning and extremely pleasurable listening experience, IMPERIAL AGE have delivered a gorgeous symphony of superb Symphonic Metal.“
(Metal Gods TV)
5 / 5 – legendary
➤ „A Symphonic Metal album as if from one cast … impressive in every respect … overwhelms with sophisticated and precise songwriting, an enormous vocal variety and instrumental bombast … metal and classical music form an impressive symbiosis here … every song shows thoughtful arrangements and convinces with its individual melodicism.“
(Deep Ground)
4,5 / 5
➤ „… decidedly enjoyable thanks to the enviable combination of the three voices, two female and one male, which deftly range between parts set toward the lyrical and others sung normally … their Symphonic Metal is magniloquent, theatrical and epic, a sort of cross between the atmospheres of Therion and the brilliance of Rhapsody … very high level, in every respect … certainly stands as a candidate to be remembered as one of the best Symphonic Metal releases of the year …“
(All Around Metal)
4,5 / 5
➤ „… one anthem follows the other … with a nice dynamic and very neat choirs … a cinematic flight of fancy that could almost be called Hollywood Metal … Christofer Johnsson of Therion was not wrong, IMPERIAL AGE has a very great potential, and this third album proves it with flying colours … offering us Symphonic Metal at the highest level, which stands out strongly from the standards of the genre!“
(Rock Meeting)
90 / 100
➤ „There is no other band out there quite like IMPERIAL AGE … an epic, massive yet also beautiful fusion of Heavy Metal and bombastic Wagnerian classical music with catchy melodies that just instantly stick in your head, chugging riffs that will send you into a headbanging frenzy and a combination of male, female, Rock, operatic, choral and folky vocals will leave you breathless and in awe of the talent on display in this insanely excellent musical landscape of colossal proportions.“
(Darkzen Dragon)
9 / 10
➤ „… a pressing, powerful, intense, theatrical album: there is the power of the most exhilarating Power Metal, there is the deepest and most creative Therion, there is the most polished and exhilarating power synth Metal, there is an unparalleled theatricality…. something that very few bands, maybe none, dare to offer nowadays … indistinguishable overwhelming musical energy!“
(Metalhead IT)
8,9 / 10
➤ „… heavily influenced by Therion ’s tremendous symphonic pomposity … I’m sure the good ‚Rock ’n‘ Rolf‘ Kasparek would be proud of these guys … a victory … proof that every effort is rewarded …“
(The Dark Melody)
16 / 20
➤ „… the symphonic side is used here in a much more theatrical way than as a simple accompaniment … it’s easy to understand why IMPERIAL AGE caught the attention of Christofer Johnsson as there are so many similarities between them and Therion, both in the vocal performances, typical of opera, and in the tragic and dramatic side of the music … I was pleasantly surprised … could allow the band to rise to the first rank of Symphonic Metal bands …“
(French Metal)
8 / 10
➤ „… melodic-bombastic Symphonic Metal … accurately performed … especially the three voices of the band are convincing: Alexander Osipov (tenor) as well as Jane ‚Corn‘ Odintsova (mezzo-soprano) and Anna ‚KiaRa‘ Moiseeva (soprano). The interplay of the vocal section is quite impressive.“
(Metal DE)
8 / 10
➤ „… offers everything the Symphonic Metal heart desires and in addition extremely strong compositions and arrangements … varied … intense atmosphere … lots of dynamics … bombastic orchestrations … without failures …“
(Obliveon)
8 / 10
➤ „… much better than the two previous albums in terms of musical composition and production output. For those of you who like Power/Heavy Metal symphony music, IMPERIAL AGE offers all of that. By adding an orchestra, a majestic and elegant choir, with three tenors, mezzo-soprano and soprano, the band has a richer variety of music but still has a strong character and taste …“
(Metal Opera)
8 / 10
➤ „… stylistically more close to Therion, where symphonic embellishments, operatic vocal parts and a solemn atmosphere count … this is a big plus … IMPERIAL AGE have their own style and idea, and this is very much appreciated … played with flair and epic atmosphere … there is no lack of hits and interesting melodies … in the Symphonic Metal category this is one of the most important albums of 2022 …“
(Power Metal Warrior)
8 / 10
➤ „… a convincing and enjoyable album in a genre that is less and less represented in Power Metal …“
(Power Metal France)
78 / 100
➤ „… listens nicely and shows a more mature band … the fans will no doubt be pleased with this new record … the fast-paced tracks provide an energetic experience …“
(Metalfan NL)
7,5 / 10
➤ „… the new album is definitely worth listening to … the band has clearly found its place in the genre … those who like this kind of music will definitely find what they are looking for here … strong performance from a great band …“
(Rock Garage)
Recommendation!
➤ „… quite a bit offered for fans of Symphonic Metal … varied … a few surprises … a lot of heart and soul … really big with orchestra … a lot of Metal … especially the fat choirs give the music something epic … partly reminiscent of typical Female Gothic/Symphonic Metal bands like Nightwish, Delain, etc., but also of early Therion works …“
(Amboss)
➤ „… heavy (Metal) operatic sound … a standout force … operatic Wagnerian bombast … theatrical accolades … with an ear for cinematic drama … intelligent vocal melodies … over the top choruses … powerful … a solid portion of thrive and strut … intense appealing melodies … impressive vibe of uniqueness and extravagance … those taking time, will embrace this extraordinary band … IMPERIAL AGE indeed has no equal!“
(Headbangers Lifestyle)
➤ „… great job … sounds really good … crisp … epic … phenomenal … very melodic … certainly stand out with this signature sound … really great … each song has his own identity … awesome symphonic brave sounding Metal … grand … bombastic …“
(Power Metal Ranger)
➤ „… like a Metal opera … if you’re a Symphonic Metal fan, you’ll definitely, definitely going to love this album …“
(Metal Shop Steve)
➤ „… holy shit … leaves me with an awe … I need more … I need all of it … absolutely amazing …“
(Play again?)
➤ „… offers everything you expected and hoped for from Imperial Age … epic, bombastic, polyphonic, super harmonizing parts … solo parts, which put the individual voices in a classy way and really cool duets …“
(Dark-Art)
➤ „… for Symphonic Metal fans this album is a real recommendation, because here you can find everything that makes this genre … catchy music, melodious vocals and a lot of epic background create a comfortable feeling while listening …“
(Metalmamas Neuigkeiten)
➤ „… bright and clear … truly gives an high intensity … so many great scales … music and vocals from singer Alexander ‚Aor‘ Osipov is huge … like the sound of an adventure in a place never seen before … all sectors shoot through the roof … if you are already intrigued by the imaginative journey of Symphonic Metal, add IMPERIAL AGE and I am sure you will fall in love …“
(Noisewriter)
➤ „Celtic and folk are definitely two of the directions IMPERIAL AGE explore, with ‚The Way Is The Aim‘ highlighting both – the vocals big enough to fill an opera house, with the audience stunned by their immense power … the band have so much presence, their style echoing a Metal symphony with an all encompassing sound that hooks you at every twist and turn.“
(Frenzy Fire)
➤ „… their melodies stand out more than those of the demanding Therion … the symphonic arrangement is still strong and feels even more luxurious than on the previous work …“
(Piro Piro Metal)
➤ „… IMPERIAL AGE detracts in no way from their predecessors Nightwish or Epica … great display (they must be impressive in concert), several and varied voices, metallers, epic, lyrical, assists, choirs …. and an orchestration typical of a great band … instrumentally they sound very good, well constructed songs and melodies in many cases that make you sing and enjoy with them … none of the vocals will leave you indifferent … fast, dynamic sounds full of emotion … it’s your turn to enjoy them!“
(Nada Hay Bajo El Sol)
➤ „… very melodic but never dull … in structure reminded me of Therion: a solid metal base on top of which layers of orchestrations, vocal lines and choruses are laid down … depending on the moments they go from epic to dramatic, often achieving a soundtrack mood … the melodies stick with you from the first listen … just where ‚Leviathan‘ had failed: it is an album with a definite direction, with convincing and energetic pieces, without dips from beginning to end …“
(The Murder Inn)
➤ „… epic … reaches the level of mastery we expect from Imperial Age … we have to acknowledge the hard work they had to do to release this album and how well they did it … the band has proven once again why they are one of the best of their style … a highly recommended work for any lover of the genre, and that, after everything they have been through in the last few years, is a triumph …“
(Track To Hell)
[ Seal: Imperial Age ]
