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Unexpect: Fables of the Sleepless Empire

Let's get it right out in open right off the bat-there aren't many bands like Canada's Unexpect these days. Not too many acts can combine death metal, black metal, progressive rock, jazz-fusion, power metal, gothic metal, avant-garde, classical, and theatrical circus music quite like this thrilling six-piece. Though it's taken them quite a long time to follow-up their last CD In a Flesh Aquarium, the wait was well worth it here on Fables of the Sleepless Empire.

"Unsolved Ideas of a Distorted Guest" kicks things off in grand fashion, as complex musical arrangements combining so many genres collide with gorgeous female vocals and a variety of male extreme styles. Gymnastic, almost jazzy bass lines and soothing violin lead into "Words", which then jumps back and forth between stunning The Gathering/Nighwish styled operatic metal and crushing progressive death metal. I'm reminded of a more extreme version of Kansas on the raging "Orange Vigilantes", as soaring violin and keyboards combat twisting, grinding guitar riffs in complex fashion, before cabaret styled arrangements pop in with lovely female vocals, eventually giving way to even more bombast and complex structures. The epic "Mechanical Phoenix" is filled with brutal death/black metal passages mixed with some insane prog elements (yep, just all over the map folks!) and "The Quantum Symphony" has some Opeth elements to go along with the theatrical/Kansas/gothic metal trip. Things don't let up however, as the somewhat psychedelic & jazzy "Unfed Pendulum" offers up more musical mayhem, and the marriage of brutal death metal with majestic violin virtuosity is like nothing you have ever heard. That is, until you get to the jaw dropping insanity that is "When the Joyful Dead Are Dancing"...just off the charts!

Honestly, there is so much music here, and so much to take in, you'll need multiple spins before you really begin to figure this all out and reap all its rewards. Fables of the Sleepless Empire is a grandiose, complex, brutal, and quite beautiful release from Unexpect, and easily one of 2011's best releases. Featuring some of the most gorgeous female vocals you'll hear this year, stunning musical virtuosity, uber-complex arrangements, and crushingly heavy, this is one of the wildest rides in metal/prog I've taken this year, and you should do yourself a favor and hop on board as well.


Track Listing
1. Unsolved Ideas of a Distorted Guest
2. Words
3. Orange Vigilantes
4. Mechanical Phoenix
5. The Quantum Symphony
6. Unfed Pendulum
7. In the Mind of the Last Whale
8. Silence This Parasite
9. A Fading Stance
10. When the Joyful Dead Are Dancing
11. Until Yet a Few More Deaths Do Us Part

Added: September 6th 2011
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 3186
Language: english

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Unexpect: Fables of the Sleepless Empire
Posted by Jeff B, SoT Staff Writer on 2011-09-06 20:51:26
My Score:

With the legendary In a Flesh Aquarium from 2006, Unexpect proved that they were one of the most unique bands on the extreme metal scene. Finding even one other band that creates a concoction of a death metal, progressive rock, avant-garde, classical, jazz, and theatrical antics with as much finesse as this Canadian outfit is a near-impossible task, and with Fables of the Sleepless Empire the band once again shows their relevance as a force to be reckoned with in the avant-garde metal universe. Fables of the Sleepless Empire is one hell of a weird album, and the extremely difficult compositions can take even the most dedicated listeners quite a few spins to completely grasp. The genre-defying stylistic traits of the album are strange enough, but the seemingly unorganized and frantic compositions can take a long time to unveil themselves. It's all worth it in the end though, and Fables of the Sleepless Empire eventually will come across as one of 2011's shining achievements. If not one of the best albums you'll hear this year, this is surely among one of the most unique.

After the briefly hypnotic intro of "Unsolved Ideas of a Distorted Guest", Unexpect dives head-first into wacky avant-metal craziness, complete with funky basslines, eclectic vocal styles, and frantic arrangements. Fables of the Sleepless Empire continues in a similar fashion throughout its entire 56 minute duration - lots of fast-paced genre hopping, yet it always comes across as coherent and well-done. This may seem like a sporadic and random punch in the face during your first one or two listens, but Fables of the Sleepless Empire slowly unravels its subtle beauty over time, until every song comes across as a well-composed work of art. I'd actually consider that to be Fables of the Sleepless Empire's greatest achievement. Its ability to be frantic, chaotic, and brutal in nature, yet still coherent and beautiful is simply unmatched by anyone else in modern avant-garde metal. The strangely beautiful connotations of a song like "The Quantum Symphony" is exactly what makes Fables of the Sleepless Empire such an indispensably amazing album. Factor in the top-notch musicianship and crystal-clear production, and you have a winner on all fronts.

I'll be completely honest when I say that it's rare to come across an album this weird, technical, and chaotic that actually works. Unexpect's tremendous talent as songwriters makes Fables of the Sleepless Empire work not only as a vehicle for their odd arrangements, but it also lets the album come across as a modern musical masterpiece. Fans of wacky avant-metal should hear this one as soon as possible, and I'd easily consider this one of 2011's standout releases. 4.5 stars are warranted for such a tremendous achievement. This isn't for everybody, to be sure, but those who crave something extremely far-distanced from your average prog metal release should label this as an essential acquisition.



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