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New World

    
       
       
       
     
             
Imperial Age are a symphonic metal band based in Turkey. The band, formed in 2012, are of Russian origin, hastily relocating to Turkey after Russia attacked Ukraine at the start of 2022. Imperial Age have released two albums - 'Turn The Sun Off!' (2012) and 'The Legacy Of Atlantis' (2018) - a couple of live albums, E.P.'s, and numerous singles, with 'New World' the bands third full length studio album.    
             
Featuring a three lead singer approach and orchestral choir arrangements, Imperial Age sound like no other band - their music encompassing power, symphonic, and folk metal elements. The bands new album is eight songs and forty six minutes of upbeat and elegant heavy metal, all coming to life with the majestic 'Windborn' - and a feeling of the epic and glory styles of metal. Each and every song on offer feature all three singers, interchanging choral and classic operatic influences with the lead male, and female vocals. These arrangements are incredible, providing one helluva listening experience, and setting the band apart from their peers. And after such an elegant opening, Imperial Age increase the pace and tempo with the much rockier 'Legend Of The Free', landing firmly in the symphonic power metal genre. Head nodding and feet tapping will certainly accompany this one, as it powers on with an infectious smile inducing rhythm. What a contrasting opening double - making you wonder in what other directions the band are gonna take you.    
             
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. Simply unique sounding, Imperial Age are a freak of nature - a fucking fantastic freak! Bringing a little of the anthemic style of metal to the fore, 'To The Edge Of The Known' is a bold chugger of foot stomping proportions. And with a chorus that is so uplifting and sing a long-able, an in concert crowd are gonna go wild. What an astounding first half - with my expectations really high for the second! And I'm not disappointed - the pace making an emphatic return with the speedy 'The Wheel'. Assuming the role of the fastest song heard so far, 'The Wheel' is symphonic power metal to match any of the genres greats - Nightwish and Epica included. The mix of three vocalists is superb, adding a complexion to the bands sound that truly makes them stand out. Fabulous.    
             
And with folk metal making its presence felt, 'Shackles Of Gold' also has a little of the pirate metal twang of German metallers Running Wild! And the heaviness too! For 'Shackles Of Gold' certainly flies at you from the heavy/power metal genre, floating effortlessly alongside symphonic metal. It's pleasing to see that the bands geographical relocation hasn't affected their music in any way - maybe the lyrical content - but blimey 'New World' has all the feel of the bands best work to date. Elegant and regal, 'Distant Shores' embodies the glorious sound of symphonic metal, creating an atmosphere of intense pleasure, with every listeners head nodding in astonished appreciation of great music. And talking of great music - the final song is a wow moment of the highest order. Clocking in at over eighteen minutes in length, 'Call Of The Towers' is a metal symphony all by itself! Every style of metal the band know is intertwined throughout 'Call Of The Towers' - and I'm not about to spoil your listening pleasure by describing each one. You're just gonna have to listen for yourselves.    
             
Overall, a stunning and extremely pleasurable listening experience, Imperial Age have delivered a gorgeous symphony of superb symphonic metal.    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metalmessage    
             
Review is also featured at Metal Gods TV    
             
Review is also featured at Metal-Roos    
             
             
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