Second Empire may only be 2 years old as a band, but they’ve already made an impact in their local metal scene of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And now they hope to win over a global audience with their self-titled debut EP. In only five songs, Second Empire showcases the many faces of symphonic metal, from catchy and dynamic with a power metal edge (“Everlasting”), to a sweeping melancholy ballad (“Sorrow My Savior”), to a haunting rollercoaster ride (“Paradox Nightmare”). The range may in fact be too broad; I felt that the music could use more focus at times. Despite my criticisms, though, I found Second Empire to be a whimsical release that shows three must-have qualities that should help Second Empire in the long run: creativity, talent, and potential.

Click here to read my review of Second Empire’s self-titled debut EP.

Here’s Second Empire’s music video for “The Valley Beneath,” one of the songs from the EP. This track is more of a melodic alternative rocker than symphonic metal, so it’s not indicative of what the other tracks sound like. But it’s got a nice groove, and the guitarists’ backing vocals complement Alex Lindsay Roth’s voice well. To hear more songs from Second Empire, check out the band’s ReverbNation page.

Coming Soon: Tomorrow night I’ll reveal Artists #15 through #11 in my Sonic Cathedral 5-Year Retrospective Countdown!