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L’Épée, Frédéric: The Empty Room
 Frédéric L’Épée has been around the progressive rock scene for decades now, first as a founding member of the French symphonic prog band Shylock which formed in 1974, then as a member of Philharmonie and finally Yang (I reviewed the albums Machines and The Failure Of Words, both four star releases).
Let’s just say this right from the start, his new album titled The Empty Room is an outstanding disc. The music is fairly difficult to describe and pigeonhole but if I had to I would say this is along the lines of eclectic prog. L’Épée is a maestro on the guitar and his creativity and ingenious playing makes this album really stand above the crowd. On the first track “Badong” L’Épée contributes acoustic and electric guitars, percussion and synthesizers. There is an Eastern tone to his guitar which brings an exotic touch as the synths arrive in waves. Some ripping guitar solos, complex drum parts and slightly chaotic instrumentation really delivers the goods. A superb opening track. The beautifully layered “Inévitable Traversée” is much more gentle and the guitar melodies are really nice as well as the deep rich bass guitar provided by Nico Gomez, his Yang bandmate. “Descending The Slow River” is a slow tune and very moody featuring L’Épée’s flat bells technique on the guitar. The bells (guitar) toll and the sound reverberates creating the mood. L’Épée’s use of guitar loops sounds absolutely awesome throughout the piece. On “Amour Et Dissolution” it’s just L’Épée and his layered guitars. His well-crafted notes are really something to behold as the multiple guitar lines fit together wonderfully. The dramatic heavy guitar and slow build in “Delta” is another album highlight.
The Empty Room needs to be heard by any fan of guitar based music and if you happen to like progressive music, well, this is simply a must purchase. Highly recommended.
Track Listing:
1. Badong (7:00)
2. Inévitable Traversée (4:27)
3. Descending The Slow River (6:28)
4. Amour Et Dissolution (3:32)
5. Delta (8:26)
6. Hymne Aux Ancêtres 1. (3:15)
7. Treasured Wounds (6:48)
8. Mist (4:53)
9. Parle-Moi Encore (6:40)
10. Souvenirs De Traversée (5:45)
11. Hymne Aux Ancêtres 2. (2:05)
12. Wegschippernd (1:04)
Added: October 12th 2019
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score: 
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 970
Language: english
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L’Épée, Frédéric: The Empty Room
Posted by Steven Reid, SoT Staff Writer on 2019-10-12 22:08:28
My Score: 
French guitarist and composer Frédéric L’Épeé gets around. He’s long been a member of progressive rock veterans Shylock and he can also be found in the bands Philharmonie, Yang and Lobotonics, who between them cover everything from acoustic rock to instrumental sprawls. Now, however, we find Frederic L’Épeé in The Empty Room, somewhere that has taken the best part of a decade to construct and which can be viewed as a place for mourning, although not for simply wallowing in our sorrows.
Tying down exactly where this album lies is a challenge in itself, as the configuration of the performances move from lone, solo sojourns to a sextet sitting in a more band like setting. Stylistically too this album refuses to stay in one groove, with an ambient undercurrent flowing smoothly throughout. Sometimes that stream of sound stays resolute in its shimmering almost background status and yet often layers of harmonies and rhythms burst towards a different direction altogether. “Souvenirs De Traversée” for example sounds like it’s about to burst into a Peter Gabriel like lament but the bold melody line that strides into view makes for a more Oriental lilt as the beat sits somewhere between a jazz shuffle and the march of a strutting, striding band.
With the inspiration behind the album being to remember and celebrate lost friends, L’Épeé hopes the intention is for the listener, in olden days style, to take in The Empty Room via one sitting, and therefore treat the music as a continuous flow of sound, idea and thought. As such the approach also feels very much like a journey, where some deep dark resonations create a dank, threatening atmosphere which is lifted and lightened when the need arises. Although don’t be too surprised if things soon revert back into a more introspective setting. This mood change is often explored through rhythmical loops that can try the patience through their repetition but the little pay-offs that appear across the separate but linked pieces on display keep you hooked in and also prevent the disposition from becoming too maudlin. Something the superb guitar work from the man himself also ensures.
The Empty Room is an album of voyage and an album of discovery. As is often the case in this style, you need to meet it halfway to truly begin to unravel the reality it wants to share. The effort, however, is very much worth it and while The Empty Room may not be a collection you can truly engage with in every setting or mood, it does, more often than not, make for undoubtedly enigmatic and reassuring company.
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