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Ahead of the release of his highly anticipated third solo album Empyrean on 11th September, acclaimed Canadian cellist and composer Raphael Weinroth-Browne has unveiled a breathtaking reimagining of Sleep Token‘s hauntingly beautiful track, ‘Fall For Me’. Transforming the song through the expressive voice of the cello, Weinroth-Browne captures the fragile balance of sorrow and beauty at the heart of the original, offering a deeply moving interpretation that stands as both tribute and reinvention.

Listen to ‘Fall For Me’ here:  https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/raphaelweinrothbrowne/fall-for-me

Comments Raphael: “‘Fall For Me’ is a hidden gem in Sleep Token’s catalogue – its gorgeous melodies and rich choral harmonies lend themselves perfectly to the cello. In reimagining this song, I tried to convey the same juxtaposition of sadness and beauty that makes the original so poignant. 

“UK-based artist Alex Tillbrook, whose designs for Sleep Token‘s last two albums have become an integral part of the band’s visual branding, created the stunning artwork which beautifully weaves together themes from the original lyrics to ‘Fall For Me’. 

“The music video was shot at the epic Eagles’ Nest Lookout in rural Ontario by Ben Kissner of Monscene Studios. My face was completely devoured by mosquitos and black flies by the end of the shoot, but I believe it was worth it for the final result!”

The origins of forthcoming new album Empyrean itself are as cinematic as the music it contains. In 2024, Weinroth-Browne was commissioned by James Wilton Dance to compose an 80-minute score inspired by the music and legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach. What emerged became BACH Reimagined: a touring multidisciplinary work exploring immortality, artistic transcendence and the pursuit of the sublime through creation.

Rather than simply reinterpret Bach, Weinroth-Browne entered into dialogue with him across centuries. The resulting compositions fuse the purity and mathematical elegance of Baroque counterpoint with distorted textures, electronic ambience and towering rhythmic weight. Tracks such as ‘Speed of Light’ and ‘Dissolution‘ plunge Bach-inspired motifs into vast storms of noise and metallic tension, while the meditative ‘Sanctum‘ evokes Sufi mysticism and devotional stillness.

“At its core,” Weinroth-Browne explains, “Empyrean is about the search for the sublime. As artists, we spend our lives trying to create something that transcends the everyday, if only for a split second, as if to glimpse eternity through a keyhole.”

Captured at Union Sound Company in Toronto immediately following the sessions for 2025’s critically acclaimed Lifeblood, Empyrean finds Weinroth-Browne operating at the peak of his creative powers. The album was recorded and engineered by Darren McGill (Rush, The Dirty Nil), mixed by Adam Noble (Leprous, Katatonia) and mastered by Robin Schmidt (Leprous), resulting in a sound both immense and intimate, every bow stroke preserved with almost tactile immediacy. Artwork comes from London-based printmaker and collage artist Cally Conway, discovered by Weinroth-Browne in Brighton during the BACH tour.

The release follows a period of significant acclaim. His 2020 debut Worlds Within was hailed as “masterful” and “a stunning example of less being more,” while 2025’s Lifeblood expanded his sound into something even more cinematic and visceral, described as “a triumph of vision and virtuosity” and “the most ambitious album of Weinroth-Browne’s career.”

That same fearless boundary-pushing has made Weinroth-Browne an essential figure within modern progressive music. His cello work can be heard on hundreds of studio albums, including Woods of Ypres’ Juno Award-winning W5: Grey Skies & Electric Light and across many major film and TV soundtracks. Viral interpretations of Opeth, Katatonia and Steven Wilson have drawn direct praise from the artists themselves, further cementing his reputation as a boundaryless interpreter and composer.

Since joining Norwegian prog visionaries Leprous in 2016, he has performed over 200 shows worldwide and contributed to three of their studio albums, helping redefine the role of cello in progressive heavy music. Beyond Leprous, he has shared stages with Evanescence, Apocalyptica and Devin Townsend.

As a solo artist, Weinroth-Browne has become an ambassador for what the cello can be in the 21st century. He has made waves at prestigious festivals such as the Cello Biennale Amsterdam and the International Cello Festival of Canada and has opened for artists ranging from Polish neoclassical pianist Hania Rani to Nordic folk ensemble SKÁLD and Danish prog metal masters VOLA.With a packed performance schedule this year, including European tours alongside Earthside and Einar Solberg on the horizon and Empyrean set for release later this year, Raphael Weinroth-Browne continues to push the cello far beyond expectation, toward something infinite, luminous and profoundly otherworldly.

Empyrean Tracklist: 

1. Speed of Light
2. Remnant
3. Evocation
4. Murmuration
5. Integration
6. Dissolution
7. Sanctum
8. Reflection
9. Empyrean 

Catch Raphael Weinroth-Browne live on the following dates:

August 23 – Ottawa Tennis Club, Ottawa, Canada (solo)
September 18 – The Garage, London, UK (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 19 – Café de la Danse, Paris, France (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 20 – Le Rex, Toulouse, France (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 21 – La Rhapsodie, Biarritz, France (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 22 – Mouco, Porto, Portugal (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 23 – República da Música, Lisbon, Portugal (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 25 – Be Prog! My Friend, Barcelona, Spain (with Einar Solberg)
September 26 – L’Ampérage, Grenoble, France (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 27 – Euroblast Festival, Cologne, Germany (with Einar Solberg)
September 29 – Hype Park, Kraków, Poland (solo and with Einar Solberg)
September 30 – Lido, Berlin, Germany (solo and with Einar Solberg)
October 1 – Gebläsehalle, Neunkirchen, Germany (solo and with Einar Solberg)
October 2 – Werkk Kulturlokal, Baden, Switzerland (solo and with Einar Solberg)
October 4 – ProgPower Europe, Baarlo, Netherlands (with Einar Solberg)

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