I’ll get straight to the point: this is one of the BEST albums of the year so far. FADING ECHOES present us with their debut, “Shadow of Another”, an excellent prog metal release and an awesome album in terms of expressiveness and melody. It shows how responsibly the band approached its first official recording in order to connect with the audience in the best way possible.
United by a shared love of progressive metal and a desire to explore uncharted musical territories, FADING ECHOES were formed in 2019 as a collaboration of three excellent musicians, featuring Dimitris Stratikis on vocals and bass, Vassilis Sarou (STORMBRINGER) on piano and keyboards, and Petros Printezis (AFTERIMAGE, SERPENT LORD) on electric guitars.
The current line-up was strengthened by the addition of musicians Dimitris Politis (guitars) and Nikos Velentzas (aka Nick Vell) on drums, both of whom, upon the completion of their first album, decided to stay and support the venture.
The band’s vision is quite ambitious; in their own words, “they embarked on a musical journey, eager to make their mark on the progressive metal scene”. Well, with a debut like this, there’s no doubt they are ready to pursue their dream!
The theme and style of “Shadow of Another” are melancholic and gloomy, aiming to evoke strong emotions in the listener. The strengths of the album lie in its compositions, orchestration, and lyrics. The band has approached songwriting in a very specific way, developing their music like stories you read in a book. And indeed, they are stories – deep, sentimental, magnificently structured and well-developed narratives about internal battles, alternating feelings, and the struggle for hope and redemption.
And as I wrote the last word of the previous paragraph, I couldn’t help but think of US prog super-band REDEMPTION; in fact, FADING ECHOES draw inspiration from a wide range of progressive metal genres, creating a sound that transcends conventional boundaries in the most delicate way. One can hear influences by ANATHEMA, SAVATAGE, EVERGREY, KAMELOT, KATATONIA, OPETH, CONCEPTION, and SOEN. These influences combine to create a distinctive sound that blends technical prowess with emotional depth, resulting in an absolutely delightful result.
First of all, it was a very bold – but completely successful! – choice to start the album with a pentalogy, as the first five songs make up “The Stages of Grief” suite, including “Denial”, “Anger”, “Bargaining”, “Depression”, and “Acceptance”. Track after track, the psychological narrative perfectly aligns with the musical expression. The choices in rhythm, tone, and harmony are perfectly made, and the finale featuring Zak Stevens (SAVATAGE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) on additional vocals, brings an epic ending to the first half of the album.
And, just as expected, the second half that follows is equally impressive!
The entire album offers a unique and immersive musical experience, inviting listeners to delve into the dark progressive soundscapes created by the compositions.
Songs like “Rumination” featuring an amazing guitar solo and the brilliant use of santur by Giannis Gkavardinas, or “The Final Act” with the impassioned cello intro played by Vasilis Lemonias along with the additional keyboards by Andrew Complainer, can only strike you as exceptional.
In the spring of 2024, the group signed a contract with Wormhole Death for the physical distribution of the album, gaining access to the company’s extensive distribution network and the opportunity to reach a much wider audience.
“Shadow of Another” was released on July 20th both digitally and on CD.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
You will soon be able to order the CD here.
