I’ve been waiting for some guys with this sound. Dead Empire has the vibe of the truly unique. For the eponymously titled single I have reviewed here, the Mount Maunganui prog rockers have captured a wonderful energy of fury, punching at the world with a combination of guitar attack, snarling yet soaring vocals and an energy that will drag you along.

This track will go down well live. When it was engineered, the sound crew paid homage to the raw fire it must have conveyed – because they managed to keep it there while fine tuning it to a very good mastering level. A vocal which sits in the mix, not overpowering it (which this particular vocalist could have ended up doing if they’d used a less savvy engineer), putting my mind’s eye to a mental image of Offspring wishing they could have captured that teensy bit more, like these guys have. A guitar and bottom end reminiscent of early Metallica, of all things, and an underlying sense of theatre – a GOOD thing – a la Iron Maiden.

You will find I often draw on comparisons with other bands. I don’t do this to call the bands I review some kind of tribute or rip-off, but to simply give you some common term of reference for which you can appreciate my comments. Dead Empire is a band right out of my school of music. I love this type of track. Go find their socials, and follow them because they will blow your mind if you get to see them live, if this number is a barometer of their abilities.