Expanding Horizons
On Ether Metal, synth-proggers Esoterica have come of age with a collection of perfectly constructed cinematic songs with a sci-fi slant. Toby and Luke Keast take Prog on a journey from their early days as a bunch of A Perfect Circle sound-a-likes to selling out the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire with an explosive sound that’s all their own.
Words: Cheri Faulkner
Esoterica’s never-ending story riffs on sci-fi and fantasy themes.
Images: Paul Harries
“Everything begins on acoustic guitar or piano. It has to mean something, whether that’s anger, sadness, or just something that sparks.”
Toby Keast
It’s a damp September evening in west London and Esoterica are about to find out whether 20 years of patient worldbuilding can come to life onstage. Their vision includes an impressive 16piece orchestra, the astounding Choir Noir, a vast screen on which to display synchronised visuals, custom confetti, “awardwinning lighting and shit” and even robots. When the British band tread the boards at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, they’re performing more than just a headline show; they’re aiming to step through the portal they’ve been crafting in their songs for two decades.
“It’s the most exciting thing we’ve ever done by a million miles,” says singer Toby Keast. “We’ve finally figured out who we are.”