Australian rockers, New Empire have debuted their new single, “Say It Like You Mean It,” taken from their forthcoming album, In A Breath!
Since their formation in their beachside hometown of Cronulla, New Empire have set hearts on fire and brought audiences to life with their explosive brand of stadium-ready indie rock. Comprised of schoolmates Jeremy Fowler, Kyle Lane and Kale Kneale, and new permanent addition, Nate Cairns, the electric four piece elevate themselves amongst their peers, penning anthems bursting with a refreshing sense of emotiveness and social conscious. Idling comfortably between the emphatic anthems of The Killers and the uninhibited honesty of rock greats like Snow Patrol, New Empirecaptures the voice of a modern generation that is impossible to ignore.
In A Breath follows their 2011 release, Symmetry, which garnered attention on a global scale, receiving praise from the likes of To Write Love On Her Arms, Baeble, MTV Buzzworthy, AOL, Kill Your Stereo, Bop and Tigerbeat, ArtistDirect, Pure Volume and Channel V, not to mention a summer spent on The Vans Warped Tour. The album resonated with fans in Australia, debuting in the Top 40 ARIA charts, as well as a Top 20 ARIA placement for single, “One Heart/A Million Voices,” and earned the band support slots with the likes of Owl City, Neon Trees, Good Charlotte and Simple Plan.
Check out our interview with New Empire band member Nate Carins by Christine Nieves
Tell us about the early stages of New Empire. How was the band formed? Did you guys know each other prior?
We’ve all loved to play music for a long, long time. Specifically though, Kale and Jeremy had played in a band throughout highschool together. They, along with Kale’s cousin (on bass), started to jam songs out on a regular basis. They then met Pete and thus the four-piece was created. Since then, there have been some movements where Kyle came into the band on bass, and then moved to guitar at the same time I (Nate) came to play the bass.
What is a typical day in the life of New Empire like?
Well we all live near the beach, so a typical day for us (if not working at our other jobs) usually involves heading down to the beach, grabbing some lunch/coffee and just chilling out.
What are some of the band’s top musical influences? Any staple music artists or bands on your iPod playlists?
I definitely think bands these days like Coldplay, One Republic, Kings of Leon all have influences on us in terms of our overall sound. But then we like to throw in a few oldies like Fleetwood Mac, Toto etc. all have contributed in some form or another. Staple music artists would definatley be Michael Jackson and Toto.
What are some of your interests outside of music and do they somehow influence your writing or performing in anyway?
We like sports, like Basketball, Football, Rugby League etc. I dont think they have much of an influence on how we write or perform, unless Jez decides to write a song about sinking a clutch 3-Pointer with 0.6 seconds on clock haha. But that aside, we all have our own creative hobbies that definitely play a part in how we see the final product (whether being a show, song, merch design etc)
Your new album ‘In a Breath’ is being released in January. What can fans expect from the upcoming album?
I think fans can expect a fresh sound from us. Whilst still staying true to who we are, we really wanted to make this album something new and exciting. So there will be your big anthemic songs, as well as some intimate songs, but we’ve also thrown in a few experimental tracks as well (our latest single, Say It Like You Mean It, being one of them with its synth driven lines)
What song from the album means the most to you and why?
I think for all of us, the title track ‘In A Breath’ is one that we really hold close. It reflects on the thought that life is but a fleeting breath, and that we should definatley cherish the moments we spend with loved ones, or the experiences we have, and not take them for granted.
Your latest single Say It Like You Mean It has received such a positive response in the U.S, why do you think this song has attracted so many new listeners?
Like I was saying before, it’s something fresh (not only for us, but I think in terms of what’s being played on the radio these days as well. It’s ‘edgy’ but also easy to listen to, and I think because of that we’ve been able to broaden our listener demographic.
You just finished up the ‘Say It Like You Mean It Tour’ in Australia recently. How was that experience?
It was great! We love any opportunity to get on the road and not only play shows, but visit our fans and meet them. We’re so blessed to have the best fans in the world, so touring is very enjoyable for us.We even had a fan fly from Japan to see our Sydney show.
You’ve toured in the U.S. before, what are some of the biggest differences between touring in Australia and in the U.S.?
I think one of the main differences is the amount of places there is to play in the US. Obviously having more states than Australia, the US offers so many different venues and places to play. In Australia, theres not as many venues so it can make planning a tour a little difficult. Other than that though, Australians and Americans love their music so regardless of venue or country, it’s always going to be a good night.
Any plans to return for a U.S. tour? If so what cities would you love to perform in?
Definitely! We love the US, so we are planning to get over there as soon as humanly possible. Well any city that would have us, we’d love to perform in haha. I think New York is a soft spot for all of us. Maybe because it resembles home a bit? Maybe not. haha.
Buy the Brand New Single ‘Say It Like You Mean It’ on iTunes!