Album number six from the veteran rap-metal Los Angelinos commences with a glitchy nerve-fraying intro that suggests
Bring Me the Horizon
by way of the American Horror Story theme. Vocalist/bassist
Johnny 3 Tears
described
New Empire, Vol. 1
as "our attempt at reimagining
Hollywood Undead
, not just a new sound for this release, but a new sound for the band altogether." Produced with factory floor precision by
Matt Good
(
Asking Alexandria
,
Sleeping with Sirens
), the nine-track set doesn't really reinvent the band, but it does lean harder into the heavy metal and electronicore aspects of their sound, resulting in something that feels a little less dated than previous outings; they've also dispensed with their signature hockey masks. Standout cuts like "Already Dead," "Empire," and opening salvo "Time Bomb" feel rooted enough in the group's back catalog to please longtime fans, but they're delivered with the gusto of a fledgling entity looking to shed some skin and blood to make an impression. That vitality is omnipresent throughout the album's brutally efficient 32-minute runtime; a tightly packed sonic assault festooned with djent-y breakdowns, bold electronics, seedy West Coast rap verses, and huge radio-ready choruses. It's not the boldest line of demarcation between the group's past and present -- it's far too soon to be rebranding themselves as Hollywood Reborn -- but
New Empire
is aptly named, and more importantly, a pretty damn solid record. ~ James Christopher Monger