Relentless
Empyre are a band who I have got to know quite well over the last few years. They have done multiple interviews with us and various acoustic sessions. Empyre have a sound unlike anyone else out there and despite their best efforts to ‘Kill the Vibe’ (I have an Empyre T-shirt that says that) the band’s live shows are incredible!
This weekend, they release their second album ‘Relentless’ and even though we are only in March, it might just be a contender for ‘album of the year’! Henrik Steenholdt, along with guitarist Did Coles, bass player Grant Hockley and drummer Elliot Bale have coined a massive sound over the last few years, and Relentless is no exception!
Opening with the title track, the first thing you hear is Henrik’s vocal before the guitar kicks in. No intro, no fuss, just straight to the point. The main riff is a bit Metallica esque and the whole production sounds massive. I love it. Straight away, from the first listen, I knew this was going to be a great album and this opening track would be at home being played in any arena, it’s that huge!
The whole album continues with the same magnitude. Second song ‘Waking Light’ builds to a huge chorus and then pulls back slightly before hitting us with another magnificent crescendo, with Henrik asking us to ‘build an empire’ with him! This is a call to arms to rock fans all over the world and we must answer that call!
‘Parasites’ opens with an almost cinematic soundtrack feel, complete with choral chants before plunging us into the middle of a heavy metal riff! Henrik’s vocals are extraordinary, I’ve seen the band play this one live a few times, but to hear it from the source, is a real treat.
Mid way through, we are greeted by ‘Hit and Run’, a soft rock, radio friendly track and another of the pre released singles. Much slower and a ‘lighters in the air’ moment at any future Empyre gig. It’s optimistic and uplifting chorus will be sure to get stuck in your head (did I just say ‘optimistic’ in an Empyre review? I think I did!!) This is a definite gear change and I love it!
Following ’Hit and Run’ the acoustic guitar intro to ‘Forget Me’ kicks in. Another rock ballad with an amazing variety in dynamics, this takes you right down, before lifting you back up again; perhaps giving the listener a bit of a break sonically, before the next song on the album and my personal favourite.
‘Silence Screaming’ is amazing. With a riff that just grabs you and hits you square between the eyes, this is the darkest song of the album by far! I love the chorus! The build up towards the end is truly epic with Elliot’s thunderous drumming and then right at the end, everything drops out, leaving us just with an acoustic and Henrik’s vocal. Stunning!
There isn’t a single bad song on this album. Sadly, the band have failed to achieve the 2.5 out of 10 that I had promised because this is, quite simply an epic record. The final song ‘Your Whole Life Slows’ is interesting, opening with a great bass line, it’s a little proggy/spacey and like ‘Hit and Run’ marked the central point, this is something completely different to complete the album. Orchestral, grand but perhaps not the huge epic finish that I was hoping for. Much more subtle and sophisticated.
In conclusion, this is one of my favourite albums, not just of this year, but that I’ve heard in a long time. There isn’t another band out there like Empyre, they are truly unique and I can’t wait to hear more of these songs live in the next few months. A truly brilliant listening experience.
Released By: KSkope Music
Release Date: 31st March 2023
