The second studio EP from Empty Friend, recorded with Producer Tom Hill at Bookhouse Studios, London.
Reviews for Falter:
"A sharp new anthem from one of London's most promising stoner-rock groups, Empty Friend's 'Falter' is a grunge filled wonder." Broken 8 Records
‘The music here may have the mood of the seventies plus some nineties, but sounds as fresh as hell. How is this even possible? Well, it is because the true spirit of good music never dies. Once in a while musicians capture it perfectly. Empty Friend did it.’ Metal Addicts
‘Expect colossal percussion, crushing guitars, charged vocals, and a massive chorus. Imagine Soundgarden teaming up with Black Sabbath for a deafening jam producing a horsepower sound muscular enough to kick the ass out of that vicious coronavirus.’ – Turn Up The Volume
‘They pay homage to their influences, without sounding like a replica, which is always a great thing. I also enjoyed the lyrics on this album; it was just the right amount of angst and strife toward society without sounding too edgy or whiny. That's most certainly doing Grunge music right. Sure, the prime of Grunge Rock was the 90s, but these guys managed to channel the best elements of that era and blend it with the groovy yet gritty portions of Stoner Rock (a-la QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) into something truly interesting in the congested world of Rock music.’ – Metal Temple [7.5/10]
'From the first few bars of ‘You Are Not the Sun’ you can hear how heavily influenced they are by grunge, stoner and hard rock, although they are a lot faster paced than you might be expecting. The intro to ‘Neon’ is definitely sludgy and mellowed out but it builds in intensity and shows off some blues influence in the solos. Interestingly, the album ends on the title track but this does mean they finish strong with emotionally charged cries of “yeah” and plenty of overdriven guitars. In places throughout the album the vocals give a hint of Myles Kennedy, particularly when the instrumental builds and longer, stronger notes are called for.' - Powerplay Magazine
‘(Falter)... Stomping like a Golem, it’s a beast of a song that sounds like Black Sabbath and Soundgarden jamming with Clutch after some gnarly angel dust. The guitar riff is a wonderfully weighty thing that attaches itself to the listener like an anchor on a drowning man... The future sound of London? You betcha! … Armed with a killer sound - everything is in place for Empty Friend to step up to the next level. Their future’s in their own hands."’ – Pulse Alternative Magazine
‘Alt rockers Empty Friend are back with a stunning fuzz-rock groove called ‘Falter’ from their forthcoming EP. These should definitely be your new best friends and ones to watch out for!’ Steve Harrison, Total Rock Radio
“Grunge is alive and well and living in London - that’s the new single ‘Falter’ by London band Empty Friend... go check them out!” Badass Martin's Rockout Radio Show, Hard Rock Hell
‘Falter is grunge. Not the dirgey grunge of Nirvana and Mudhoney, more 70’s Soundgarden metal grunge. It is a pleasing fusion of hard rock and cosmic sludge presented on a track that’s heavy and loud but tuneful and captivating. With (as one would expect from stoner rock) highly charged political lyrics, Falter seduces you into taking a journey becoming all but oblivious to the immediate surrounds.’ Turbo Nun Entertainment Group
‘Opening heavily with a thick layer of fuzz-like guitars, this track refuses to be ignored. Growing intensely as the track evolves, the diverse sound of the band drives from the start straight to the finish. Armed with a political inspired message, the stoner sound draws inspiration from what sounds like Rage Against the Machine and Queens of the Stone Age. Grit-filled and hard hitting, the diverse range of the vocals increase the track’s power. A fascinating number from a polished band.’ MoggBlog
'‘Falter’ summons up the same sneer and bite of acts such as Kasabian or Bad Breeding, with an endless supply of cut-throat riffs fighting it out to burst your eardrums before bassist Dave Norman blows your gut with his low hitting bass hooks.' ‘What’s Good This Week’, Velvet Independant
‘Absolutely fantastic! Definite Chris Cornell feeling, great riffs. Great vibes.’ – On The Fly, GNET Radio Guernsey.
‘A phenomenal jam, all the building blocks that you could want are there. Be sure to check them out.’ A Fistful of Faceful
‘"London hard rockers Empty Friend released their new EP 'Falter'. Every single track on this EP is so meaningful and shows how solid this band is. Great asset to the scene!" ‘ -Heavy Enough Hour with Teri T Morris
‘It’s easy to hear why Empty Friend have been able to capture the imagination of so many people already with this new EP. The title track ends things with as much groove as humanly possible. Somehow taking their EP to even higher heights and confirming Falter as something well worth checking out.’ [8/10] Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life!
‘[Falter] is another cracking tune’! – Fatman’s Rock Show
“Empty Friend exudes incredible energy. It’s visceral, it’s raw, and each of their tracks offers a candid lyrical introspective which may just help you to shift your own mind’s narrative.” Amelia Vandergast, A&R Factory
"A very, very, very good band, with a real powerhouse of a single ... check these guys out and you won't be disappointed !!" Terence Birnie, Radioactive Rock Show
"Pure, unadulterated, heavy rock. It is bloody awesome. What a brilliant track… Early Soundgarden and 70s Sabbath.’ Dr Johns Unsigned Rock Surgery
"A protest song of sorts... “Falter” is one of the best I’ve heard yet. It’s a brilliant track both musically and lyrically, and Empty Friend are surely a band to keep an eye on." Eclecticmusiclover
"Bold, brash and in your face ‘Falter’ begins like all good rock should. Not pulling any punches it immediately reveals itself as a riff heavy, punchy affair....Armed with a killer sound - everything is in place for Empty Friend to step up to the next level. Their future’s in their own hands." Pulse-Alternative Magazine
"‘Falter’ summons up the same sneer and bite of acts such as Kasabian or Bad Breeding, with an endless supply of cut-throat riffs fighting it out to burst your eardrums before bassist Dave Norman blows your gut with his low hitting bass hooks." Velvet Independant
“Falter’ has dark, heavy, and imposing riffs which shake the floor below your feet. There are two personal highlights this gem of a track for me; great layers which provide level changes that radiate energy, and Dave’s vocals performance that has a haunting tone similar to that of Corey Taylor’s sound in the band Stone Sour.” Off The Hook Music Reviews [4 out of 5]
"This thunderous motherrocker of a jackhammer fulminates viciously like a voracious beast looking for prey. Expect steamy, ear-splitting and towering riffage backed by a ruthlessly walloping rhythm section and howling Ozzy Osbourne vocals making Queens Of The Stone Age sounding like a pop band. Smashing slam!" Turn Up The Volume ‘Pick of the Day’
“...You can hear glimpses of Alice In Chains and Soundgarden in the mix, but with extra swagger.” The Uncarved Block
credits
released February 7, 2020
David Kirk, Ryan O'Hare, Karl Morgan, David Norman
London-based rock band Empty Friend formed in 2015, taking their name from an album track by L.A. alt-rockers Failure. The
band mixes driving guitar riffs and wailing vocals, drawing on elements of hard rock, grunge, stoner with a hint of metal to deliver a battery of heavy, yet melodic tunes....more
These guys are like brothers to us and we have nothing but respect for them. They are such a talented band and deserve a lot more credit for their excellent music and work on the London scene. Empty Friend
We were main support to this amazing Dutch band back in 2019 and they absolutely SMASHED their set on the last night of their UK and Euro tour. Such lovely people with classic grunge / garage sounds. Empty Friend
Former bandmates and buddies Evil Edna, rocking out their wild London-rockabilly tunes. Raucous live show. (Our pick - Pennies In My Eyes). Empty Friend
Whoa. Imagine having slugs coming out of your mouth like that. Slug slime probably has some healing medicinal properties. What would it do if it accumulated in the throat. Hail The Mother. Honor The Mother. Respect The Mother. ♥️💜💝 Michael
Combining crooned murder ballads with raw, angsty hard rock hooks, Melbourne's The Ugly Kings are a wrecking crew well worth watching. Bandcamp New & Notable Sep 15, 2021