Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Empyria

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Years active
  
1991-present

Active from
  
1991

Record label
  
Noise Records

Website
  
www.empyria.ca

Origin
  
Vancouver, Canada

Empyria httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

Labels
  
Nightmare Records, Scrape Records, Noise Records

Associated acts
  
Thor, Life, Ten2Nine, Severed Serenity

Members
  
Mike KischnickPhil LeiteScott GambleJohn BuckSteve Bifford

Past members
  
Paul FalconSimon AdamKen FiromskiTroy Taillon

Albums
  
Behind Closed Doors, The Legacy, The Long Road Home

Genres
  
Progressive metal, Power metal

Profiles

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Empyria is a progressive power metal band, formed in 1991 by Mike Kischnick, Paul Falcon, and Simon Adam in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Contents

History

The first album (8-song cassette), Ornamental Ironworks, was released in 1993, featuring a progressive rock influence. Behind Closed Doors, which featured a more progressive metal sound and was their first actual label release, was released in 1996 on the Noise Records (Germany) record label.

In 1997, original singer/bassist Falcon left the band and was replaced by Phil Leite (vocals) and Ken Firomski (bass). The third album, Changing Currents, was released in 1998 independently and distributed by Nightmare Records (U.S.A.).

A progressive metal compilation album, The Awakening, was released in 1998 by KMI Ent., which featured Empyria's title track Changing Currents.

In 2000, The Legacy was released by Nightmare Records (USA). It featured for the first time all four parts of Empyria's The Lighter Sides of Darkness as a continuous 25-minute epic, plus a cover of The Police's "Synchronicity II".

The next album, Sense Of Mind, from 2002, continued the vein of the previous album in general, adding more melody to the songs.

A compilation album, Westcoast Canadian Metal Feast, was released in 2001, just prior to Empyria's Sense Of Mind album and featured the title track.

In 2003, Empyria took a long hiatus due to Kischnick's involvement in 5 albums and 2 tours with Canadian Metal band Thor and various other projects.

The three remaining members — Leite, Adam, and Firomski - continued to work on various music projects, shows/bands.

In 2009, Empyria released The Long Road Home through Nightmare Records, with the return of Falcon (bass), Phil Leite (vocals), Kischnick (guitars/synth) and new drummer Scott Gamble. The album saw a return to their progressive rock & metal influences.

A New Single "The Sheltering ( 2011 A.D.)" was released July 1 (CANADA DAY) 2011 with former bassist Ken Firomski. The band played and continues to play Live shows with bands like Sabaton, Firewind, Warrel Dane, and Nickleback.

Empyria side project "New Horizon IV" released new single/video "Days Of Remembrance" on Nov. 11 / 2013.

EMPYRIA released a "NEW" single "Beyond The Doors" & B-side "Green Manalishi" March 28, 2014. This is the first release featuring all current Empyria members.

Studio albums

  • Ornamental Ironworks (1993 (8-song cassette))
  • Behind Closed Doors (1996)
  • Changing Currents (1998)
  • The Legacy (2000)
  • Sense Of Mind (2002, DVD format Limited Edition)
  • The Long Road Home (2009)
  • The Sheltering (2011 A.D.) (2011, FREE Single)
  • Beyond The Doors (2014, Single w/ B-Side)

    • Compilation albums

  • Powerquest (compilation) - The Awakening (1998)
  • Westcoast Canadian Metal Feast (compilation) - Scrape Records (2001)
  • BW&BK Knuckletracks XXVI (compilation) - BW&BK (2001)
  • Nightmare Records Sampler (compilation) - Nightmare Records (2010)
  • Armstrong Metalfest Sampler (compilation) - Armstrong Metalfest (2012)

    • Current members

  • Mike Kischnick: guitars/synth (1991–present)
  • Phil Leite: vocals (1997–present)
  • John Buck: bass (2011–present)
  • Scott Gamble: drums (2008–present)
  • Steve Bifford: guitars (2010–present)

    • Former members

  • Paul Falcon: bass (1991–97; 2008–2010)
  • Simon Adam: drums (1991–2008)
  • Ken Firomski: bass (1997–2008)
  • Troy Taillon: drums (1993 & 1995)

    • Special guests

  • Troy Taillon: drums ("Forever" 2002)
  • Rob Matharu (Mongoose): guitar (solos on the songs "Heaven's Cry" and "Sense Of Mind" (2002)
  • Neville Bowman: keyboard (solo on "The Endless Circle" (2009)
  • Pat Brown (Ten2Nine): vocals (background vocals on "No Other Way" (2009)

    • Songs

    The LegacyThe Legacy · 2000
    The Endless CircleThe Long Road Home · 2009
    Beyond the Doors2014

    References

    Empyria Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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