Empier

New Jersey’s Empier rose from the ashes of Randall Flagg that is now comprised of guitarist Ryan Fleming, drummer Mike Kadnar, full time pirate-bassist Nikita Ponochovnyy and new member Andrew LaRoche. With the recent departure of their original vocalist, Adam Browning, who left to focus on family, the search for a new singer found Andrew, of former Talionis fame. The group is now taking the vocals into a more aggressive direction, with more focus on screaming and songwriting.

Empier incorporates post hardcore and post metal rock-ideas that concentrate on composition rather than gratuitous riffs and does not bow down to genre expectations or barriers. Their influences range from coveted, lesser known bands like North, Rosetta and Trenches to well known groups like Akimbo, Botch, Buried Inside, Norma Jean, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Ryan’s guitar motifs are about stress, resignation, repression, personal and emotional conflict that concludes with a sense of empowerment from expressing its demise. Mike studies drum and music theory that lends his style towards complexity, adding intricate and forthright precision to the emotional foundation of the music. Nikita has a classical cello background that creates resonance and a morose stability with the bass. Andrew Laroche comes from a classical vocal background, that gives structure and control in the lyrical and screaming style he creates.

Empier was recently endorsed by Dark Horse Percussion and Captain No Beard. They is currently writing and preparing to go into the studio for a full length CD. Stay tuned for studio updates and sneak peaks!

PRESS:

"In an era of post-prefixes and anything-core, with sub-sub-genres bordering on ridiculous and mostly meaningless specificity, New Jersey's Empier seeks to conjoin the hyphenates. Elements of metal's many derivatives - from proggy sludge to abrupt, calculated technicality; from spaced-out post-rock to fierce black metal - find their way into Empier's songs. With so many influences to squeeze in, the songs are, unsurprisingly, lengthy. They are, however, surprisingly coherent." B. Reed - Columbia Free Times

"Empier is not just about sheer brutality ... they literally take you on a journey with mental imagery and cerebral sound-scapes." - Transcending Music Studios