Review by JD on January 30, 2010.

Progressive Rock and even Prog Metal in general is not a very popular genre, but it is one that is starting to grow steadily thanks to the dedicated musicians who have the need to stretch the boundaries of music as far as it can go. So knowing that much... Does this band called Prophexy stack up to what is out there?

This Italian band calls itself a ‘Pro-aggressive Rock’, which is a completely foreign term to me. I dive in to teach myself the term and find a band who is very progressive thinking in many ways, yet it catches my attention that they seem a little too progressive. I love musicians who press the envelope more than just a little (Listening to Frank Zappa made me that way)... but these guys seem to do it without any sort of real conviction behind the music... having all the talent right there and ending up feeling very flat and lifeless. Guess I could describe their album as almost being like Pink Floyd minus all of the heart and passion out of the music... it ends up a shell of what the music could have been.

Don’t get me wrong here, they are a great grouping of stellar musicians that came together here... some of the best I can tell, but they seem to have no real sense of heart through out the album. Sure, I would love it if they were heavier and faster in their style... but I do like when a band can rock out without the slamming riffs as well.

Prophexy just seems like a piece of spaghetti that had been way over boiled... no substance despite having all of the right ingredients. Perhaps there are going to be some progressive metallers and rockers who just might like the album as it is... I on the other hand don’t. The band are so very good musicians, but there is more to music than talent. I have learned that it is the great musicians out there who know how to breath life into the music. Sadly, Prophexy does not. Too bad... they are wickedly talented, but no fuel to the fire.

Categorical Rating Breakdown　

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 5
Production: 8
Originality: 6 (lack of emotion loses this mark)
Overall: 6

Rating: 6.8 out of 10

Review by JD on December 13, 2008.

Humm... this Finnish band calls themselves ‘Hybrid Metal’, rather than taking the more pedestrian pigeonholing of a name to describe themselves to the thrashing masses around the world. I have to say, that term does describe them to a tee, as they expand what it is that Metal in all of it’s parts are.

Shade Empire is a perfect example of a band taking as pool of many different influences, and coming out something that is amazingly fresh, yet unmistakably brutal as well. They take everything here... from Symphonic Cradle of Filth to almost a lethally heavy version of Nightwish, old school thrash( in a way) to even adding in Classic Metal as well. They simply gather it all together, and came out with a outright gem of an album that must be heard, to believe.

The band seems to know exactly what the music needed, and never gave too much or too little while just delivering the perfect sort of sonic attack. A perfect stepping stone for (dare I say) to the next level of metal? I say that Shade Empire very well shows the wonderful progression of metal. Just one listen to the song ‘Adam and Eve’ and you will become a Shade Empire backer in no time. The whole album is just that great, and just begs to be heard... and to be felt as well.

Totally brutal as they are also damned intriguing, this band must be heard by the metal masses, and sent forward to conquer out little bluish green planet. Join the Shade Empire... may the first parliament of Hybrid Metal reign over us withe their power... and do it for a very long time.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 10
Originality: 10
Overall: 9

Rating: 9.6 out of 10