The official visualizer for the song “The Looming” from Empire State Bastard, the extreme metal band founded by Simon Nell (Biffy Clyro) and Mike Vennart (Biffy Clyro live guitarist and solo artist, ex-Oceansize), can be seen below. The track is taken from Empire State Bastard’s debut album “Rivers Of Heresy”, which will arrive on September 1 via Roadrunner. The LP will also feature Empire State Bastard’s debut single “Harvest”, which was released this past March ahead of the band’s sold out U.K. headline tour.
Empire State Bastard also features Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Testament, Mr. Bungle) on drums, with Naomi Macleod (Bitch Falcon) on bass.
As Vennart candidly admits, “I set about making the most fucking poisonous vile music I possibly could, just unabridged hatred in musical form.”
Nell adds, “Lyrically, it’s as misanthropic and nihilistic as I’ve ever written.”
“The Looming” begins with the impossibility of growing old “in a graveyard”. Religious tones are set up with the mentioning of Jesus. “The devastations looming like Jesus”; possibly a reference to the book of revelations. Cut to an instrumental looming over exploding bright visuals. Nell sings “I’ve stood on the backstreet of this wonderful town. Separate futures in this wonderful town. When I get older none of this will be around”; an allusion to the process of growing up. Cut to an instrumental followed by shouts of “Lets take it over. Something to live for. They can’t control you. Fuck what they told you.” A message that tells the listener to think for themselves. After an instrumental that goes on for a minute, Nell says “I’ll never grow old in a graveyard” again repeatedly. He ends with the question “what’s it going to take to believe us?”
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