Customer Reviews

Empire of Future

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When vocalist D.C. Cooper was unceremoniously dumped from Danish progressive metal band Royal Hunt, I was pretty upset. After hearing D.C.'s great solo album though, I figured Cooper was a powerful enough vocalist and songwriter that he was really better off without Royal Hunt, and could pretty much do whatever he wanted in the metal world. What he chose to do was form the power metal band Silent Force with ex-Sinner guitarist Alex Beyrodt.

Released in 2000, Empire of Future was Silent Force's debut album. I was expecting something along the lines of D.C.'s solo material or work with Royal Hunt, so I was initially a bit disappointed with this album's straightforward power metal approach. After a few listens I developed a better appreciation for the album. There's definitely a Primal Fear/Sinner tone to the album, which isn't a surprise given Beyrodt's roots, as well as the obvious appreciation for Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Cooper's vocals are incredible as expected, and it's easy to see why he came so close to becoming Judas Priest's singer when Rob Halford left the band. Empire of Future is undoubtedly a hard charging metal album, but it's a metal album with melody, as well as some progressive touches. Having Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69) on production duties gives the album an additional edge.

If you're already a D.C. Cooper fan, then you definitely need to check out his work with Silent Force. This album should also appeal to fans of power metal in general, and German power metal in particular. It should also appeal to fans of progressive metal (I'm thinking Angra and Vanden Plas here, not necessarily Pain of Salvation or Spiral Architect) and melodic hard rock (like Pretty Maids and Pink Cream 69).

PS - I had the good fortune of seeing Silent Force at what I believe was their only US performance (at ProgPower USA III in 2002) and I can happily tell you that they are every bit as impressive live as they are on disc.

Silent Force is a new band featuring D.C.Cooper (Royal Hunt) and Alex Beyrodt (Sinner). Although I've not listened to either of these bands before I will vouch for the fact that this is an genuinely dazzling metal album.

These progressive metal songs all feature a strong thematic element and combined with the outstanding vocals remind me of bands like Shadow Gallery, Queensryche and Stratovarius.

The rest of the muscianship is also of outstanding quality with some excellent strong and moody guitar riffs. The songs are generally up-tempo (but not fast) and are heavily melodic with some very catchy choruses. Song lengths are generally in the five to six minute mark.

As albums go this is near faultless. As a debut it's truly outstanding. This should be one the albums of 2000, so go buy it now before the buzz starts !!!

Better late than never I always say...I just started to listen to Silent Force with the last few weeks, Every cd is great, even though this was their debut as a band they sound like the've been around forever. This a is Melodic Progressive, Power Metal at it's best. DC Cooper has an incredible voice. Personally I think it gets better on the more recent cd's but still it's very good here on the debut. This reminds me of old Queensryche when they were at their peak. Angra comes to mind also.
The production is done by Dennis Ward who has worked with alot of europeon acts. The production is high quality. Very much worth having in your collection!

Man, I did a review for Silent Force's 2nd album 'Infatuator' & even though I spoke very highly of that album, I would go even a step HIGHER for this one! This CD is definitely HEAVY/IN YOUR FACE/RAW power metal! If you are already a fan of DC Cooper from Royal Hunt, he not only sounds great as a power metal singer, but the music is a lot heavier than Royal's too. Definitely check this CD out if you can...it's well worth every penny.

DC Cooper singing for Royal Hunt was the best vocals I've ever heard.

Now he has a new project, and he's writing the songs too. And its' nothing like Royal Hunt. More metal than rock, lots of double bass drums and chugging metallica-ish guitars. But the harmonies are still there, and DC's voice is as cool as ever. I knocked off a star because I still don't think he's using his voice's range to full potential, but other than that I really like this CD, and fans of stuff as diverse as Metallica, Judas Priest, Queensryche and Iron Maiden should enjoy this CD a LOT.

D.C.Cooper has done it again!This time under the moniker 'Silent Force',and featuring a German back-up band,their album is a hard-hitting one,a masterpiece of speed and melodic metal with progressive and majestic overtones,and no-nonsense lyrics.Easily one of the most original,powerful,and inspired metal albums of the year.

Following Sonata arctica, and Heavenly, comes the greatest new band! First album and they are already within my top 10 power metal bands. The group has excellent vocals (also great backing vcls.) amazing drums rythm that fills your stereo eith intensity and your mind with excitement, many new bands can fill dissapointed with the fact that this group finds mastery with their first album, giving us the chance to set apart our old records to find salvation with the new metal generation (see other mentioned groups). What else are you expecting me to say, their record is now a MUST HAVE. You cant trust me?, well they are opening concerts to Stratovarius! Trust the best melodic metal band in the world. Let us all find our NEW HOPE in the Empire of the Future thanks to that force wich was had been silent for too long!