Empetus

Steve Roach | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 23, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fortuna Records
• ASIN: B0000007TB
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #362,783 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Arrival

2. Seeking

3. Conquest

4. Empowerment

5. Twilight Heat

6. Merge

7. Urge

8. Distance Is Near

9. The Memory

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have, Broad-spectrumed, Mind Booster!, January 28, 2002

By 

M. D. MCGINLEY "Chief Highliner" (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empetus (Audio CD)

EMPETUS. n. 1. A driving force. 2. Incentive. 3. The tendency of a moving body to keep in motion after the force that caused it has stopped. Release in 1986, this is only Roach's fourth album after "Structures From Silence." "Empetus" is thus definitely for daytime listening, as its backbeats are uptempo, quick and syncopated. Track 1, "Arrival," starts off with a flickering wave of synthesized arpeggios and blends seamlessly into Track 2, "Seeking," ending abruptly into the more serious "Conquest" on Track 3, with it's definitely-80's drum rhythms and synthesis. Right from the start you are urged to "pick it UP...get the blood moving...let's go!" Track 4 finds a well-honed grove in "Empowerment," with the classic Roach-style pitch bending that is a flashback to another classic, "Structures from Silence." "Twilight Heat" on track 5 sounded strangely familiar, and for a minute I thought I was listening to Tangerine Dream. The influence of both Patrick Ohearn and David Arkenstone seem to have impermeated track 6, "Merge," with its pleasantly bright staccatos. The twinkly track 7, "Urge," with its well-placed drum fills gives a solid middle-to-end that leads into tracks 8 and 9, "Distance is Near", which usher one last rush before tapering off into the perfectly mellowed "The Memory," which is far too short at only six minutes. With this track we get another look into the future, where you could swear you were listing to the 1988 milestone, "Quiet Music." Steve Roach clearly shows his variety and talent on "Empetus," and for that reason alone this makes an excellent album for the would-be Roach fan. If you already know of his music, well, then you already know of its indispensability. This is among the top-quality works of electronic music, 45 minutes in length, where you won't be disappointed. TOP recommendation.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Up Beat Steve Roach, August 3, 2007

By 

TangerineDreamFiend (MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empetus (Audio CD)

This is not his usual ambient quiet music. It is like the german sequencer music like tangerine dream. It has a few mellow tracks but the majority is upbeat and really really good. I have been collecting tangerine dream, klaus schulze, and steve roache's albums and comparing it to steve's other sequencer music this is the best in my opinion for actually striking emotion and getting you pumped up. My favorite track is distance is near it is short like 2 mins but really gets you pumped.
If you like upbeat sequencer music this is a must!

3.0 out of 5 stars An evolution of style and form., January 8, 2007

By 

Freeman H. Matthews - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Empetus (Audio CD)

This is my second recording by Mr.Roach.The first,"artifacts",was more focused.I rate that one "5" stars. This one,however,is good without ever holding my interest for long.I would rate it "3" stars.I look to obtain much more recent examples of work by Mr.Roach.