mxdwn PREMIERE: Satellite Citi Shine a Light on Mental Health in New Video for “Empath”

Husband and wife hard-rock duo Satellite Citi are known for their hard-hitting riffs, but their new song “Empath” shows the band’s ability to shift gears into a more introspective sound. Today we’re premiering a new video from the Los Angeles band for the track, which aims to help end the stigma around mental health.

“Empath” is simple and stripped-down, with just Shaunt Sulahian’s acoustic guitar and the vocals of Anna Gevorkian – who also serves as the band’s drummer. The song’s lyrical theme is centered around the five stages of grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

“We thought it was important to create a symbolic visual representation in our video, as the world is slowly crawling out of one of the darkest periods in modern history and there’s a responsibility that individuals have to be proactive and seek help when they are in a bad mental state,” said the band. “We want to join the fight to end the stigma surrounding various mental illnesses that affect so many people.”

The band was launched in 2015 with their debut single “Rock Bottom,” which coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Like “Rock Bottom,” the band’s new single “Antibody” also touches on the topic of the genocide.

The original version of “Empath” will be included on the band’s upcoming album Fear Tactics, which will be released in the fall of 2021. The record was produced by Brad Wood, who has worked with artists as diverse as Touche Amore and Liz Phair. It will also include the previously-released single “Antibody,” which features a guest appearance by Brandon Yeagley of Crobot. Fear Tactics follow’s the group’s first EP, Negative Space, which was released in 2018. In addition to their upcoming LP, the band is also working on an original sci-fi graphic novel called Spacewalker, which they’re writing with former DC editor Jim Higgins. In 2022 they’ll release a concept EP to coincide with the graphic novel. Expect to hear a lot from this dynamic, up-and-coming Los Angeles duo over the next few years.