EMETROPIA hailing from Linköping, Sweden were formed in 2017. They are a symphonic Metal band and after releasing one EP, "Equinox" is their first full-length album. It was produced by Liam Strand and Olle Renius, mixed and mastered by Michele Guaitoli. The album is an independent release and it has a length of almost 53 minutes.

After the release of the debut EP "Procession Of The Kings" in 2018, which received a lot of attention, EMETROPIA took a long time to follow up with a full-length album. "Equinox" can be seen as a completion of the story that begun in 2018, all the tracks of "Procession Of The Kings" were rearranged and found their place on "Equinox", labelled as "Re-Imagined". The album starts with one of those tracks "Seasonal Warfare". Compared to the EP version, "Seasonal Warfare" sounds more balanced towards the orchestral arrangements. While the guitars of the original version were raw and dominant, they fit better into the whole framework of "Seasonal Warfare". The song is a heavy opener with powerful guitar riffing in combination with the strings at mid-tempo. "Seasonal Warfare" is a typical symphonic Metal song with catchy melodies in particular of the chorus parts, orchestral arrangements largely based on string sections, and female operatic vocals, which keeps the track together.

"A Summerbreeze" is another "Re-Imagined" song. It has a powerful and pacey start with tight guitar riffing and the strings provide the melodic frame. The melodies sound darker compared to the opener and there are several abrupt breaks in rhythm, away from the fast and driving rhythm towards a slower and more melodic driven rhythm. It also includes a few male growls in the background. "A Summerbreeze" has a lot of different textures, which makes the song very interesting to listen to. "That Faithful Night" has a bombastic start by the orchestra and intensified by the choir. After the start, it transitions into a fast track driven by guitar riffing and the drums. The orchestral arrangements are not overly dominant, they are once again well balanced with the Metal instruments. The vocals go with the melodies and Lisa Wallenberg has to sing a lot during "That Faithful Night". A well-composed short lead guitar solo contributes very well to the track.

"Lord Of The Blizzards" is another one from the EP and it is driven by the guitars. The guitar riffing has occasionally a few IRON MAIDEN vibes including the galloping rhythm, and the extended lead guitar solo has a few neoclassical themes. Those become dominant during the second half of the track, which finishes with a powerful choir. "The First Leave Falls" starts slow with a piano, a few strings, and the vocals. It starts ballad-esque and transitions into a heavy track at a measured tempo. The melodies are epic during the chorus sections. The break midway through the song starts quiet with the piano theme from the beginning, but transitions soon into a highly paced part driven by the drumming and an excellent lead guitar solo. "The First Leave Falls" is the official lyric video and the YouTube link is given below.

"Fall's First Storm" reminded me a bit on DELAIN at times, especially the guitar riffing. The song is very heavy with the riffing and the drumming, which includes a few double-bass parts. A reoccurring feature are the twists in rhythms and distortions in melodies. "The Old Gods" has a few Power Metal vibes with the tempo and the melodies in particular during the chorus parts. "The Old Gods" has a simple structure without any changes in rhythm and in so far, the quiet final with the piano and flute was a bit surprising to me. "Procession Of The Kings" is another track of the "Re-Imagined" series and fits very well into the melodic framework of the album. The track is fast and has the right level of aggression, but well combined with the symphonic elements. Highlight of the album is "His Final Endeavor", an eleven minute journey of epic melodies, changes in tempo, excellent lead guitar work, tight guitar riffing, bombastic choir and orchestral elements, and the overarching vocals of Lisa Wallenberg, who keeps it all beautifully together.

EMETROPIA deliver a good debut album. "Equinox" has all the elements of that what symphonic Metal fans love: catchiness, epic melodies, heavy guitars, and well-composed orchestral arrangements. EMETROPIA provide a very well-balanced symbiosis between Metal instruments, orchestra, and vocals. This is the main strength of the album. Most of the songs are very heavy and driven by the guitars. The melodies of EMETROPIA are not always catchy and straightforward, the band understands it very well to include some twists at the right moments. The album is well produced. "Equinox" is a very good starting point and fans of symphonic Metal have something to look forward to with future releases of EMETROPIA.