After teasing a snippet of their debut single “Harvest” last week, Empire State Bastard have now unleashed the full track. The outfit features singer Simon Neil and touring guitarist Mike Vennart of the Scottish band Biffy Clyro, along with legendary thrash-metal drummer Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Mr. Bungle, Testament).
“Harvest” is a wonderfully chaotic track that ranges from extreme grindcore screams to Pixies-inspired spoken-word verses. It’s a helluva debut single, hopefully giving us a taste of what’s to come on a potential full-length album, with the band having inked a deal with Roadrunner Records.
With Biffy Clyro one of the most popular rock bands in the UK, Empire State Bastard have already sold out a run of upcoming shows in Glasgow (March 26th), Manchester (March 27th), and London (March 28th). They’re also set to play France’s massive Hellfest in June. Their touring lineup is rounded out by bassist Naomi Macleod (Bitch Falcon).
Empire State Bastard have been a decade in the making, with Neil and Vennart conceiving and working on the project during downtime on Biffy Clyro’s tours. The pair have cited Melvins, Slayer, and Mike Patton as influences on the band.
Check out Empire State Bastard’s “Harvest” below, followed by the single artwork created by BBC 1 Radio host Daniel P. Carter.
“Harvest” Single Artwork:
