Empire State Bastard - Moi? (Review)

Stream the song whilst you read!

Empire State Bastard continue to prove why they are the most exciting metal act of the year! In case you're unaware, the group consists of Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro), Mike Vennart (Oceansize), Dave Lombardo (Slayer) and Naomi Macleod (Bitch Falcon). A true supergroup. They play an experimental brand of metal that can flicker from sounding like A Perfect Circle and Biffy Clyro to sounding like Slayer and Korn.

Moi? is the 4th song to be released by the outfit which broke on to the scene in March of this year. It teases it's way in with a tense drum and bass groove while Simon's soothing voice dances on top. "It's always someone else's false" is repeated during the build before the doomy guitars and drums break in and loom over you like a ominous dark cloud. The song then undergoes a twisting journey through the worlds of stoner, punk, indie, thrash and hardcore before ending up where it began, with a trademark Biffy-esque vocal line to close out. They aren't a band who have eased their way in with a catchy single before branching out in to different sounds. Oh no, this, their 4th single is their most 'poppy' sounding yet, however, it still sounds unmistakingly true to the demonic sonic identity in which they have crafted. Empire State Bastard is my favourite project to come out of the last few years and I sit here eagerly awaiting the upcoming album 'Rivers Of Heresy' which is set for release on September 1st via Roadrunner Records.

Rating: 5/5