When bands who don’t traditionally sing in English release English-language material, there is always a risk involved, especially vocally. Singers may sound wildly different in another language or simply not feel as comfortable not singing in their native tongue. Also, the interaction between the music and the vocals may not work as well. There have been many instances of this. ‘Empire’, the English-language version of Mexican progressive metal band Agora’s 2020 album ‘Imperio’, is not one of these instances however. The adventurous, but surprisingly accessible sound on ‘Empire’ works just as well in English and hopefully opens some international doors for the band.

It certainly helps that Agora’s music always had international appeal. Especially now that their sound is signficantly heavier than on their earlier albums. Some of the riffs Manuel Vázquez and Sergio Aguilar pull out of their guitars would not sound out of place on a modern melodic death metal album or maybe something by Nevermore. Quite a development from the elegant melodies of their debut album ‘Segundo Pasado’, but still clearly the same band. The characteristic soaring voice of Eduardo Contreras is an important factor in that, which fortunately still stands after the transition to English, as do the incredible choruses.

This is also where Agora sets itself apart from the rest of the progressive metal scene. Every single band member is extremely skilled and creative at their instruments, but the goal is never to show off virtuosity. Bassist Daniel Villarreal, for instance, makes some very interesting sound choices to color parts a certain way, but just as happily holds down the bottom end with enthusiastic power hitter Eduardo Carrillo. Each band member also realizes when the time has come to give Contreras’ voice a little more space. The result is a colleciton of ambitious, yet incredibly memorable metal songs that defy subgenre tags.

Literally every song on ‘Empire’ is worth hearing, but there are a few stand-out moments. The intense of chorus of ‘I’m Just Venom’ is probably what sold me on the album, especially in the way it contrasts with the rest of the song. ‘Honor in Dying’ has an almost Alice in Chains-esque vocal harmony in its verses, a delightfully dramatic chorus and a gorgeous guitar symphony in its middle section. ‘Infinity’ is a dynamic monster of a song varying between surprisingly tranquil sections and some of the heaviest riffs on the album. Closing track ‘Virtual Reality’ is heavy, yet beautifully orchestrated and rhythmically dense, while ‘Empire’ is the perfect taster in its relative accessibility.

Agora honestly is one of the best progressive heavy metal bands in the world. Hopefully an English-language album like ‘Empire’ will help the rest of the world realize that as well. Few bands on the prog end of the metal spectrum are such good songwriters, they have a fantastic singer and their musical chops will keep listeners on the edges of their seats. Every album they do sounds different than what came before and I am curious to see where the future will take them. For now, an album as uncharacteristically heavy as ‘Empire’ will definitely help bridge the gap.

Recommended tracks: ‘I’m Just Venom’, ‘Empire’, ‘Virtual Reality’