top of page
Search

Total buzzkill - 'Empty Words' single review

  • Writer: Zara Fraser
    Zara Fraser
  • Apr 9
  • 2 min read

‘Empty Words’ is the latest single from Total Buzzkill’s upcoming (and first ever) album, ‘The Start of Something Beautiful’. As I listened to this song for the first time, I wrote down the word ‘emotional’. It was only after this first listen that I read through the artists’ description of the song to see that vocalist and song writer, Harley Steele, had stated “If the emotion isn’t in a song like this, it doesn’t work. Music ultimately is an expression of emotion, and this song really needed those elements.” After a single listen, the band had achieved this sentiment. After a second listen, I was hooked.



ree


Within the first few seconds you’re exposed to a mix of strong guitar and drum beats played alongside soft, reverberating synth notes. Our vocalist eases into the track with a calming tone as he pulls at our heart strings, singing “I need something to numb the pain”. The screams that all metal heads yearn for come soon after, but the band utilise masterful vocal composition to ensure the lyrics are clear for their listeners. As someone who listens to a lot of metal music I’ve been asked numerous times “do you even know what they’re saying?” and at times, no, I really don’t, but in this track we see the layering of clean vocals over screams, which means the words aren’t lost in the noise. The message is conveyed with two forms of emotion – the soft sound of longing for forgiveness in contrast to the raw screams of pain and agony.



ree
"I've been hanging over the edge again"

The topic of the track, as described by the band themselves, is “about doing wrong by a loved one, family or friend, but still wanting them to love you, even though you ultimately fucked them over. It’s a cry for wanting sympathy and forgiveness, but also acknowledging that you don’t deserve it.” Verse 2 takes us through this raw, grief-filled track to our second chorus where Harley screams “before I rip my heart out from my chest”. This song will make you feel things.


As we enter the bridge we hear simple synth notes, taking us through soft waves like the calm before the storm. The peaceful synth leads smoothly into clean vocals and then a single note drops before a striking electric guitar riff comes in. Violins and synths are incorporated into the track, further contrasting softness against thunderous guitar and drum barrage.



ree


Empty words is the longest track on the album, which includes already released songs ‘Wolves’, ‘Underdogs’ and ‘False Hopes’. The album was mixed and mastered by Nickolas Far of the band ‘Stepson’. The track has elements similar to Bring Me The Horizon and The Amity Affliction, especially in the last few lines. Overall, the track takes you down two emotional paths. You feel the softness and the calm in grief and then you’ll flip into the chaotic, cathartic rage release.


This one will be on repeat for a while.






bottom of page