Galactic Empire - Special Edition (2023) [Official Digital Download]

Galactic Empire might be the most live fun fans of the "Star Wars" saga have ever experienced! Behind this five-piece metal combo from the USA are profiled musicians and producers of heavy metal and metalcore, who have created a new band out of their own love of "Star Wars". In meticulous detail work, the band disassembled the original recordings by John Barry and reassembled them piece by piece as whipping metal instrumentals. What started as a little fun is now picking up more and more speed internationally: March saw the release of "Galactic Empire", the quintet's debut album, on which all the iconic pieces and melodies of the "Star Wars" saga are interpreted in a new, rousing way. Equipped with elaborate costumes as well as an extremely virtuoso playing technique, Galactic Empire should make the heart of every "Star Wars" fan beat faster.

What does a high-profile producer of US heavy metal do who is a little bored and an excellent drummer to boot? He puts on a costume of the "Star Wars" character Boba Fett, drums live to the recordings of the London Symphony Orchestra - and finally puts the whole thing on YouTube as a video. The man behind the mask is Grant McFarland (This or the Apocalypse, also owner of Atrium Audio Studio), who subsequently pushed the idea of a "Star Wars" metal band with his Atrium Audio partner, bass-playing producer Carson James Slovak (August Burns Red, Skeletonwitch, Texas In July, Everclear). With great attention to detail, the two subsequently dismantled all the world-famous "Star Wars" melodies in order to reassemble them as extremely driving metal instrumental songs.

Just in time for the launch of the so far last, seventh part of the "Star Wars" saga, a video of a five-piece metal combo interpreting the original "Star Wars" theme with machine-gun-like speed appeared on YouTube in early 2016. The clip was met with so much enthusiasm on both sides of the Atlantic that this little bit of fun turned into a more serious affair. The band opened a crowdfunding page with the following note: "The puny people of your little forest planet 'Earth' have expressed a desire to see the mighty Galactic Empire perform their music in a live setting. We would be most pleased to accommodate this request." Just a few months later, they had raised over $60,000, which enabled them to record their debut album.

Tracklist
01. 20th Century Fox Fanfare
02. Star Wars and Revenge of the Sith
03. The Imperial Suite
04. Dark Side Assault
05. The Mandalorian
06. Obi Wan Kenobi
07. Bad Batch Theme
08. The Book Of Boba Fett
09. Attack Position
10. The Battle of Hoth
11. Victory Celebration