Another World by Southern Empire, a 2023 album.
“Another World” is the third studio album by the Australian progressive rock band Southern Empire.
As well described in the article devoted to their debut album, “Southern Empire”, the band rises from the ashes of another major Australian progressive group, Unitopia.
In 2014, in Adelaide, keyboardist, composer and producer Sean Timms launched this new musical project right after the breakup of his long-running band. Timms’ goal was clear: to create a more powerful, energetic and hard-hitting sound, while keeping engaging melodies, memorable choruses and symphonic structures.
The biggest new element on Another World is the arrival of new singer Shaun Holton, ex-Projected Twin and also known for taking part in The Voice Australia in 2021. Holton replaces Danny Lopresto, the group’s longtime vocalist, in a change that happened on friendly terms.
Another World is a concept album that explores global challenges, human strength and change. Sean Timms, the band’s leader and keyboardist, said the record reflects on and examines everything the world and humanity have lived through and overcome, such as the pandemic, isolation and international tensions.
The title, Another World (“Another world”), suggests both a sense of estrangement from the past and the need to adapt to a new reality.
The first track, “Reaching Out”, represents the act of “reaching out” and seeking contact in times of great uncertainty, becoming the emotional message of the whole album.
In the long suite “White Shadows” (over 19 minutes), the band tackles darker, more introspective aspects. The song explores human contradictions, the weight of the past and the difficulty of finding truth behind appearances.
Tracks like “Face the Dawn” and “Moving Through Tomorrow” speak directly about time passing. They portray the psychological shift from present struggles to hope for the future, urging us to endure and look beyond the darkness.
The album also uses space and sci-fi metaphors to underline the feeling of being in an “alien world”, different from the one we know.
It’s a modern, symphonic and decidedly energetic progressive rock album, striking a perfect balance between technical virtuosity and accessible melodies. Compared to earlier works, the album highlights prog-metal influences and rhythmic punch.
Led by guitarist Cam Blokland, the album features tough, razor-sharp riffs. Tracks like “Reaching Out” and “Face the Dawn” are marked by constant time changes and complex instrumental interplay that recalls bands like Dream Theater or Haken.
Jez Martin’s bass and Brody Green’s drums lean heavily on groove, keeping the sound powerful and aggressive even in the most intricate passages.
Despite the structural complexity, Southern Empire keep a strong melodic stamp. The choruses are big, catchy and singable, with vocal choices that echo melodic hard rock and ’80s arena rock, in the vein of Kansas or Bon Jovi.
Multi-layered backing vocals are a constant throughout the record, enhanced by drummer Brody Green’s ultra-high counter-lines.
Thanks to a rich guest list, the album doesn’t stick to the classic rock setup. The addition of tenor and soprano sax (Adam Page and Marek Arnold) and flute and violin (Steve Unruh, formerly with Unitopia) adds warmth, jazz-fusion shades and classic pastoral folk-prog passages.
Sean Timms’ orchestral keyboards create symphonic beds and weave smooth synth solos, alternating them with the use of lap steel guitar.
The album ranges from straight 4-minute tracks to truly monumental compositions. “White Shadows”, which tops 19 minutes, is the perfect example of “pure prog”: extended instrumental sections, dramatic mood shifts and constant genre switches, moving from acoustic calm to a metal storm.
Shaun Holton’s arrival as lead vocalist shifts the band’s stylistic axis. His theatrical, powerful delivery, charged with strong dramatic intensity, is ideal for carrying both the more aggressive moments and the symphonic openings.
“White Shadows” is without a doubt the album’s centerpiece, the highest point of its writing.
With its nearly twenty minutes, “White Shadows” perfectly embodies modern progressive rock. Despite its length, the track flows smoothly and grippingly, never getting boring. It’s an emotional journey full of contrasts. It opens with a mysterious, suspended atmosphere, then bursts into complex instrumental sections, driven by sharp guitar riffs and swirling synth solos. The suite is incredibly versatile. Inside it, prog-metal passages alternate with unexpected jazz-fusion improvisations, enriched by Marek Arnold’s saxophone parts and Steve Unruh’s violin. Shaun Holton’s vocal performance is theatrical and powerful, making this track one of the best in Southern Empire’s discography.
Beyond “White Shadows”, the album offers other notable pieces.
“Face the Dawn”, another great track, is cinematic and built on a measured riff by Cam Blokland, backed by Sean Timms’ richly nuanced keyboards. It’s the song Shaun Holton used for his audition, immediately showcasing his talent.
“Reaching Out”, the opening track, is another highlight, but for different reasons. It shows the band’s ability to excel even in shorter songs, blending complex rhythms with a catchy chorus and vocal harmonies that even recall the Beatles, capped by a John Petrucci-style final solo.
“When You Return” is a unique track, with a spectacular funk-jazz groove, thanks to Jez Martin’s bass and Brody Green’s percussion, alternating with spacey, psychedelic middle sections, plus narrated inserts by Lisa Wetton.
Another World is one of the best progressive rock albums of 2023, and the record that confirmed Southern Empire as one of the most solid and dynamic bands in today’s prog scene. It’s a powerful album—accessible yet technically impressive—essential listening for anyone who loves ’70s classic prog blended with modern prog-metal sounds and AOR melodies. Great Album!
My Version
Label: Giant Electric Pea – GEPV7019
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Gatefold, Orange
Country: UK
Released: 4 Sep 2023
Tracklist
A1 Reaching Out 4:17
A2 Face The Dawn 12:43
B1 Hold On To Me 6:29
B2 When You Return 6:12
C1 Moving Through Tomorrow 10:23
C2 Butterfly 4:22
D1 White Shadows 19:24
Lineup
Shaun Holton: Lead vocals, backing vocals
Sean Timms: Keyboards, programming, lap steel guitar, backing vocals
Cam Blokland: Guitars, backing vocals
Jez Martin: Bass
Brody Green: Drums, percussion, backing vocals
With
Danny Lopresto: Guitar, backing vocals
Steve Unruh: Violin, flute
Marek Arnold: Soprano saxophone
Adam Page: Tenor saxophone
Lisa Wetton: Percussion, narrated vocals
Amanda Timms: Flute
