Hollywood Undead has you covered for Valentine’s Day, releasing their next album that day. New Empire, Vol. 1 is a “fresh canvas” for the band, offering fresh material that’s set to deliver the unexpected to H.U. fans. “We approached it as if it was the first time we sat in a room to write music together…we asked ‘what do we have inside of us we haven’t tapped into or spoken about?’” Johnny 3 Tears says of the writing process of New Empire. “Fuck everything we’ve done. Let’s pretend we’ve never made a record before and do something different…I don’t want our fans to ever get comfortable with us. I want our fans to expect something different. I want them to broaden their horizons with us”
“Time bomb” opens the album with an intensity that sets the tone for what’s in store with the rest of the album. With the heavy guitar and drums, it pumps up the listener, while the lyrics address the vanity and emptiness of modern society with “I just want to live before I die, over and over in my mind. I’m a fucking time bomb.” It’s the perfect song to get angry and empowered with.
“Already Dead” was released earlier this year. Check out the music video below
“Empire” and “Killin It” were my two favorites of the album. I loved their heavy Hip Hop vibe and the repetitive choruses that made them easy to sing along to right away. The more I listened to the lyrics, the more I got out of each song.
“Nightmare” ends the album with a song that stays with you after listening. It packs a lot of pain in the heavy verses, and the melodic chorus leaves you with a haunting message: “When I close my eyes and I try to sleep, the weight of the world falls down on me. It’s part of my nightmare. Spend my whole life chasing after my dreams, but every dream turns out to be part of my nightmare.”
The whole album is an easy listen with great rhythms, choruses, and melodies. Once you listen deeper to the lyrics, each track burrows into your mind and makes you think more about the song and walk away with a message. As an artist, Hollywood Undead has definitely accomplished what they’ve set out to do. This album is fresh, different than what I expected, and has a deep connection to humanity.
This February, get your copy, and then be on the lookout for Vol. 2 and a tour shortly after!
Tracklist:
- Time Bomb
- Heart of a Champion
- Already Dead
- Empire
- Killin It
- Enemy
- Upside Down
- Second Chances
- Nightmare
