EMPRESS
REMFRY DEDMAN
Premonition
SELF-RELEASED
Psych rock wanderings, along a well-trodden path
Canadian trio Empress formed after two members went to see progressive doom quartet Elder. They’re an immediate comparison point, alongside Pallbearer, Sleep and Anciients. Premonition doesn’t venture too far outside of its immediate influences, but when it does, as on Trost’s initial barrage of blastbeats, the band sound unsure of themselves. That said, the delay-drenched guitar tones of the title track provide a subtle hint as to what the band could be capable of if they spread their wings just a tad further. Hopefully a wider scope of influence will come in time, but for now, if you’re a fan of groovy, riff-orientated expansive space rock, you could do a lot worse than check out Premonition.