Walking into the appropriately titled Les Étoiles, the small Parisian theater that was host to last night's Galactic Empire show, one could be forgiven for thinking they'd been transported to a galaxy far, far away: pressed against the stage and around the bar was motley crew of Jedi, Sith, Droids, Stormtroopers and humanoid creatures which made the venue resemble a certain cantina on the Mos Eisley spaceport of Tatooine. Which is to say the place was a giant Nerd Fest, and it was glorious.
But if the cosplay was indeed most impressive, the reason for this gathering of freaks (and I mean that in the most positive way) was the music. If you like John Williams, Star Wars (or Star Wars-adjacent) music, highly technical Djent-like Prog-Metal, then you owe it to yourself to check out this band. Yes, the light sabers, the costumes, the accoutrements, the pageantry and the general production are a lot of fun, but what matters is that the music. absolutely. slaps. Of course, the famous themes are some of the best pieces of symphonic music ever created, up there with Beethoven, Brahms or Mozart (no, I'm not being hyperbolic)... But their adaptation into crushing Metal tunes makes perfect sense. It feels like they were made to be played with this much unlimited power...
"The Imperial March" felt like a seismic charge detonating in your chest. "The Force Theme" wrapped around you like a warm embrace, lifting you off your feet. As they unleashed "Duel of the Fates," it was like witnessing an epic lightsaber battle unfold before our eyes. The melodies clashed and danced, mirroring the struggle between the light and dark sides of the Force. It was a musical duel for the ages, and we were all caught in its mesmerizing tractor beam.
