New Releases

The Empty Page return with second album ‘Imploding’

By Dom Tyer
The Empty Page Manchester alt punks

Rail against Tinder predators and scary furious ‘nice’ guys on its first single ‘Cock of the Fifth Year’.

Manchester alt-punks have returned after an extended hiatus with a new single, ‘Cock of the Fifth Year’, and forthcoming second album ‘Imploding’.

Since the 2016 release of their debut album ‘Unfolding’ the band have seen the departure of founding member and original drummer Jim Cattell due to ill health, had some life stuff to deal with and then there was the small matter of the pandemic.

Now they’re back with the first taste of their new material. New single ‘Cock of the Fifth Year’ – out February 19 – is a heavy slab of fuzzed up punk that pulls no punches with its ‘lock up your sons’ refrain taking aim at LinkedIn narcissists, Tinder predators and scary furious ‘nice’ guy.

Frontwoman Kel Page explained: “Cock of the fifth year is what we called the biggest jock types when I was in high school. Cocky, brash loud and overly confident. Puffed up and swaggering and often quite intimidating.

“Unfortunately, there are still a lot of blokes like that I encounter when walking around my home city of Manchester. Swaggering, mouthy bell-ends who can be pretty intimidating when you’re a woman just trying to get from A to B.”

The song is about how being a big deal in high school is the peak of some people’s lives, which – as Page said – “seems a weird flex now”.

The new The Empty Page album ‘Imploding’ will be out on 10 May via the band’s own Vociferous Records label and saw Page and guitarist Giz hook up with drummer John Simm (who also serves as percussionist for Stockport indie band Blossoms).

It was recorded with producer Morton Kong and saw band take full advantage of the creative space. “We hit massive bells with hammers, dicked around with walkie-talkies, created elaborate bass feedback set ups,” is how Page jokingly put it.

“People often describe our sound as anxious, urgent, angular,” she said. “I think it’s all of those things because that’s what the inside of my brain looks like. But I think it’s lush and beautiful at times too. I hope people can hear the whole gamut of emotions in this record. It’s political, personal, passionate and, I hope, important.”

To mark the release of ‘Imploding’ The Empty Page play The Night Owl in London on May 10 and Manchester’s Yes Basement on May 16.

Dry Ice

Cock of the Fifth Year

Life is a Wave

Medication Nation

I’m a White Hot Blade (Witches are Wicked)

Gorge (Oh Well)

Level Sedentary

Big Nasty Palpitations

Leaf Thin

What Happens Now?

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