It comes as no surprise that Empyre, one of the hardest working bands of recent years, with their insanely catchy and captivating yet mature music, have quickly built up a loyal following.
The band, understanding the importance and the potential impact of this hard work, have named their second album and its title track (which opens the album) after their ethos. "Relentless, at least in title, reflects Empyre and our level of dedication and ambition. Whilst the album as a whole is not pure hard rock, we felt the best way to introduce it would be with a striking and formidable title track, letting Relentless set the tone in terms of intensity." From the outset, Empyre set out to demonstrate their undeniable quality both in song writing and delivery. Henrik Steenholdt is an exceptionally gifted vocalist and handles each song with a powerful yet perfectly controlled elegance. On the surface, the title track deals with the reality of being in the music business and the fact that only the strongest survive but also serves as an allegory for perseverance and aiming high in life. And I won’t compromise / I will take control / You’ll be left behind, I’ll stand alone. It is an immediate track that welcomes the listener to Emypre’s world with an ardent fervency.
Second track, Waking Light, steps things up even further and it is not difficult to imagine a song of this nature easily filling bigger halls and arenas such is the colossal, expansive sound. Fill the silence with me / Build and empire / And we’ll surely grow to see the waking light tells us about how the band want to grow and draw more to their cause. During the dynamic chorus, Elliot Bale’s drums descend like an intense, driving thunder which pull the listener along with him - something that is a common feature of the album. His interplay with bassist Grant Hockley throughout the ten tracks that make up Relentless reflects the depth of understanding between them.
Parasites warns against the devastating influence a toxic relationship can have, (Fragile egos with no remorse, Vain in nature so self-absorbed / I won’t give my time to shallow vultures) and displays Empyre’s willingness to tackle uncomfortable and challenging subjects throughout the album. Silent Screaming, for example, deals with the potentially overwhelming sorrow and grief that might consume any of us when they lose someone close to them. However, the album is never less than mesmerising and effortlessly holds the listener’s attention throughout.
While it would be easy to label Empyre as merely a hard rock band, there are elements of their music which draw comparisons with artists as wide as Dire Straits, Sting, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam (Steenholdt has a touch of Eddie Vedder about him), Muse, Wings of Heaven era Magnum and in the case of Cry Wolf, the staccato, penetrating vitality of Disturbed. It is a potently charismatic combination. Many of Empyre’s songs have the feel of longer, epic almost symphonic or cinematic pieces – Cry Wolf being a prime example. Quiet, melancholic orchestration opens the track and a minute in, a driving riff and cutting lyric take hold. This is a pointed, barbed message to those who try to deceive us. Selfish / Not selfless / Vindictive / Your wounds have scarred / Beneath the smile / And sorrow feeds on wasted time.
Hit and Run opens with a gorgeous, lush synth and effervescent guitar sound. Lyrically it is a track that contrasts with much of what has come before and together with the more hopeful music, it is sure to become a perfect driving song during those sunlit summer months. It is probably the catchiest song on the album (no mean feat), a fascinating amalgamation of Lucky Town era Springsteen and some AOR textures reminiscent of Journey at their finest, Did Coles displaying his talent for vivid and affecting guitar textures during the closing solo.
Forget Me, the most sorrowful track on the album, is a wistful, elegiac lament that builds layer after layer of emotion as it steadily crescendos throughout until a quieter, plaintive instrumental a few minutes in gives us time for a moment of reflection of the introspective lyrics. Life, the notion’s flawed / A futile cause / Abandoned need / No, it won’t take long / Now I’m gone, forget me implores Steendholdt, a man capable of both harsher, harder edge vocals, while handling the gentler, tender moments with ease.
Quiet Commotion, the longest track on the album, wrings every ounce of poignance from the track without ever becoming forced or overly saccharine. While every member shines at different points throughout the album, this might be the strongest offering here that showcases what a powerhouse Empyre are as a cohesive unit. Lyrically outstanding, emotive and grandiose in nature, it shows the confidence they have developed to really push their boundaries.
While their debut, Self Aware, is a very solid album indeed, Empyre have stepped up several levels with this offering. At 48 minutes long, it is the perfect length for such an album, allowing certain tracks the room to breathe and develop organically but without feeling bloated. There are moments on Relentless that would sit happily on a 80s or 90s hard rock or even grunge album but that does not for one moment mean it is a nostalgic throwback. It is every bit a contemporary fuelled hard rock album. Once Relentless finds its way on to your playlist, it might take some shifting. Springsteen once said that Born To Run was his "shot at the title." Relentless is Empyre's.
Catch Empyre in a smaller venue while you can, they might not be back this way again.
Relentless is available now on Kscope Records. Watch the video for Hit and Run below.
.
Comments