EMPIRE 21 – Empire 21 (2014)
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Presenting their self-titled debut CD, EMPIRE 21 is a new Swedish act featuring some native heavyweights in the hard rock and metal venue, including CJ Grimmark (Rob Rock, Narnia, Fullforce, et al) on guitar and Tobias Enbert (Darkwater, Harmony) on drums. However, the one to watch in the band maybe is Ricard Hulteke, a natural melodic vocalist with smooth voice and terrific range.
Empire 21 sound also fits into that blur between melodic hard rock and classic metal, all with a very modern, updated approach. The thickness of the riffs and the deep bottom end of the rhythm section may give some cause to a metal label. But their sound is hardly harsh or intrusive as current trends go.
Instead, melody, harmony, and groove are all active and ambitious across this album, from vocal to guitar arrangements, admidst the hard ‘n heavy wrapper.
CJ Grimmark is a great, remarkable guitarist and he shines over the record, yet, as said, singer Ricard Hulteke is a real find. His vocal range is excellent going from smooth passages (at times brings to mind Thomas Vikström) but also reach down for some course grit and gravel not unlike Mark Boals and Jamie Rowe.
Opener “When Your Falling” finds Hulteke standing out either way, as he lends equal parts luster and backbone to a song that while not the albums catchiest proves a good representation of the powerful Empire 21 sound with its raw edged heaviness.
Maintaining the guitar driven slant but in a more commercial package is “I Can’t” (my favorite), interweaving placid verses with a catchy chorus approaching the anthem-like format. A solid and well written track that harnesses the essential components of a great rock song, punchy chorus, catchy hooks and storming guitar solos.
“Traveler” has a slightly differently, more bluesy feel to it in which Empire 21 manage almost effortlessly, to infuse the bluesy hard rock essence into their sound without comprising any of their standards.
“Empire 21” (the track) is a mammoth of a song, hard n’ heavy, while “All Is Lost” return to the catchiness and accessible grooves.
“100 Nights” highlights a more pronounced keyboard flair (the exquisite work of Svensson deserves note) while not backing from the engaging hook emphasis, and “This Is My Story” is a joining of a weightier and bottom heavy mid-paced edge with a nice hook.
As you see, Empire 21 combines traditional hard rock sounds with classic hard ‘n heavy, always very melodic and pretty catchy all the way.
Solid songs, a great, fresh singer and an experienced guitarist / composer in Carl-Johan Grimmark makes Empire 21 a band to seriously consider as a headliner in the near future.
Basically, then, Empire 21 debut is an interesting and entertaining one, putting melodic metal / hard in a contemporary context that should appeal to fans of the both old and new schools.
Strongly Recommended.
01 – When You’re Falling
02 – I Can’t
03 – All Is Lost
04 – Traveler
05 – Empire 21
06 – 100 Nights
07 – Heard It All
08 – This Is My Story
09 – Calling
10 – Would You
11 – No Matter The Winds Of Change
Ricard Hulteke – Vocals
Carl-Johan Grimmark – Guitars
Andreas Ålöv – Bass
John Svensson – Keyboards
Tobias Enbert – Drums
BUY IT !
www.empire21.se/product/signed-empire-21-debut-album/
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