Shade Empire - Omega Arcane (2013)

Finland is known in the metal world for its melodic metal sensibilities, producing such heavyweights as Insomnium, Swallow the Sun, and Amorphis. While each band has is amazing in its own right, none of them have the sheer ambition and audacity to produce something this epic. And I do mean epic. Shade Empire take all the best elements of their influences including Dimmu Borgir, Septic Flesh, Emperor, Behemoth, Opeth, and Fleshgod Apocalypse, and throw them in a blender with a dash of doom and a heap of steroids. What results is a dark masterpiece of extreme metal with some truly awe-inspiring classical orchestration, gargantuan riffs, jaw-dropping drumming, moving solos, and gorgeous acoustic parts. Some of the parts are absolutely mind-bending in their grandiosity and depth. How this band even wrote these insane songs, I haven't the foggiest idea. What I can say is that this is one of the best albums I've heard this year and that you should hold on to your jaw when you're listening to this.
10/10