Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Fermata Caesura – Empty Promises (2022)

From chance conversations on social media to applications for online ads, many emerging bands are created via the internet – Fermata Caesura is one of these musical masterpieces. After posting a Craigslist ad for musicians to form a new group, little did Eli August (guitar) know that he started something that would result in a perfect sonic gem. Combining the natural talent of Lisa Mazza Hamilton (vocals), Cody Davis (upright bass) and Thillman Benham (cello), Fermata Caesura merges the elegance of chamber music with the rawness of rock. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Empty Promises’.



Following their full-length album Ever Colder, ‘Empty Promises’ is an intimate fusion of folk, rock and passionate chamber music. Interestingly enough, while Fermata Caesura’s new track has a soothing sensation to the melody, it simultaneously holds a melancholic, painful and desperate quality in its tone. Hamilton’s vulnerable vocals tightly grip your heart with her delicate execution, while the strings bring a tenderness to the tune. The thing is, the cello and upright bass have tenderness, but are the elements that enhance the haunting nature of ‘Empty Promises’. It just shows, classical music is as hard-hitting as any classic rock song…if not more so.

With tinges of Nick Cave and Fleetwood Mac in the song, ‘Empty Promises’ is dark, poignant, profound and bleak, but this is exactly what Fermata Caesura wish to achieve with their music. A means of “capturing the vast and open sounds of the wilderness with every note and combining those brush strokes with the kinetic energy of a modern life…”, Fermata Caesura’s sound is purely Fermata Caesura and completely inimitable.

For more from Fermata Caesura check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator

Get your free email updates
We respect your privacy.