Review Summary: Uniting Sci-Fi devotees and metal fans alike.
When you consider that there is a metal band solely based on The Simpsons character Ned Flanders, it doesn't seem so wacky that a band such as Galactic Empire would be devoted to performing beefed-up metal odes to the Star Wars soundtrack. Then again, metal is perhaps the one musical genre whereby bands are allowed to indulge in their own particular career fantasies, even if the end result isn't something they were initially hoping for. Well, Galactic Empire certainly seem hellbent on continuing their voyage into the outer reaches of their chosen theme, especially given that Star Wars has such a widespread innovation in its wake.
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Episode II is basically just progressive metal iced over some Star Wars themes. That's about as blunt a description of the album as I can give, but at least it's fun and inviting at the same time. "March of the Resistance", "Scherzo for X Wings" and "Into the Trap" seem silly at first, yes, but eventually open up into a nerdgasmic flurry of adventurous riff work and some squeaky clean solo work which, depending on your taste in metal, will be a horrible or satisfying experience. There are moments of greatness however. "Hyperspace" almost reaches Devin Townsend levels of inspiration as the guitar work focusses more on menacing shred and speedy brilliance than it does odes to a Sci-Fi soundtrack. "The Departure of Boba Fett" has a real doomy venture and demonstrates its darker side immediately, even if what we're hearing here is still relatively controlled by how the original soundtrack was orchestrated. Yet for the amount of sheer fun to be had listening to this, even the questionable and plodding mid-section of supposed interludes can only get so monotone before the listener will likely skip to something worth commending, such as "The Departure of Boba Fett". Elsewhere, it feels like the album is very much hit and miss, even when you know the band's sole intention.
Episode II doesn't ever hide away from its goals, but it does keep Galactic Empire going and for some reason even gathers a little momentum for the prog metal fanbase to either bicker or chinwag about. A sophomore effort probably wasn't needed by Galactic Empire, but they definitely maintain their existence and let's face it, some of the musicianship here already rivals metal's least interesting acts. So at least this band have that in the bag.
