December Album of the Month
Following a mini review earlier this year, 2023 finished with us calling this modern-day opus as Album of the Year. ‘Relentless’ is the remarkable second studio album from one of British’s most accomplished rising rock bands – Empyre.
Empyre is a band we have been proud to support since day one. We’ve been blessed to have premiered many Empyre songs over the years and the interview archive we have built up has followed the band’s story through a sequence of new milestones that have charted the rise of this fine band.
‘Relentless’ is a masterclass in exquisite arrangement, impressive technical craft and a restless eye for excellence – values that define the band’s brand and recorded sound. ‘Relentless’ builds on the band’s well-received debut album, yet 2023’s new release presents a broader canvas and makes the debut seem dated and somewhat limited by comparison. In truth, a comparison between the two studio albums underlines how far Empyre has come in recent years in terms of craft, confidence and ambition.
The short-list for Album of the Year comprised of the monthly album reviews and the Easter showcase mini-reviews. All the albums were fine and each offered something special, but somehow ‘Relentless’ has grown with time – and some albums need time to breathe and grow. It’s an album you can keep going back to and each time find something new. ‘Relentless’ has of the most blistering openers to any album in 2023, ‘Hit and Run’ is an exquisite mid-tempo radio single and ‘Forget Me’ is a modern day opus that, in true Empyre style, builds and builds. Empyre’s music doesn’t go in a straight line and that’s something to be applauded.
To some, ‘Relentless’ will be viewed as one of the milestone albums of recent years in any genre. It is the sound of a Modern Rock band for a new age. It’s more than banging drums and familiar classic riffs. It’s music to concentrate to, to listen to properly – it’s rock possibly to enjoy more with a glass of red wine than a bottle of beer. Cleverly conceived, skillfully played and well produced – and with the power to grow over time. A modern rock classic with legacy. Album of the Year 2023.
