Review PRINCE OF FAILURE “Prince of Failure”

Daniel Tompkins is the voice of TesseracT, and Prince of Failure is the singer’s new creative outlet. Tompkins collaborated with Paul Ortiz (Chimp Spanner) to create a 12-track album that evolved over the past few years. It isn’t the result of a single moment. This emotionally intense debut release features music that emphasizes the emotional state.

The lyrics address the psychological weight of living and masking. The songs reflect this intense content well. Inner strife is perfectly represented by songs like “Phantom.” It is about fighting inner dark forces as well as destructive external ones. The song expresses tension through its range of sounds. There are contrasting moments of calm and bursts of despair.

With “The Glass Veil,” the duo decided to start with an intro. This synth-driven, partly eerie beginning reflects the album’s atmosphere well. The intro slowly and seamlessly turns into “Dream Stealer.” This song showcases the band’s progressive direction, incorporating metalcore elements. The alternation of fragile reflections and massive outbursts creates the album’s tension arc. The introspective clean vocals, reminiscent of “Fragile Crown,” combined with the remarkable melodies and the haunting heaviness of the title track, form the foundation of an album that encapsulates the emotional rollercoaster of the human soul.

One interesting song on the album is called “Horizon.” The addition of Krystin Hope’s female vocals creates a harmonious blend. The two voices, along with the dense blend of electronica and mighty riff power, give the idea that the inner demons are fighting each other.

Prince of Failure is an interesting project by a singer who belongs to the top league of modern progressive metal. Music is about emotion, and this debut album has plenty of it. “Prince of Failure” is anything but a failure. It’s an album that pushes the clouds in front of the summer sunshine, casting your soul in the shadows of life.