The Empire Police – ‘Fine Lines’ (2018)

Formed in June of 2015, The Empire Police is a Preston-based indie rock quartet consisting of Jordao Bassa (lead vocals and guitar), Tom Hale (lead guitar), Fynley Dobson (drums) and George Jacques (bass).  According to the band, they formed from Jordao knowing Fyn throughout high school, while meeting up with  George and Tom in college.  The group say that during their initial stages they had written and recorded some solo material that Jordao wanted them to perform it and that was how they came together to begin playing as a band.

As for the origins of the band name, they stated in an interview with The Other Side Reviews that the name actually came from their friend Dan.  Jordao and Tom were drinking and brainstorming some band names and Dan said, what about The Empire Police?  It stuck.  The band has quickly become an accomplished live act with a growing, energetic fanbase that is synonymous with their high-energy music.  Their main influences include Johnny Marr, The Cribs, The Strokes and The Smiths.

In their single ‘Fine Lines’, Oscar Levant’s quote, “there’s a fine line between genius and insanity”, opens up the track with a feverish beat after a riff-driven intro.  As a songwriter, it seems to buck the norm by having the chorus of the track as the opening.  This makes the whole sound of the track unique as it doesn’t abide by the typical way in which a song should be formed changing both the pace and the beat throughout, along with the ambience making the music very interesting to listen to.

The lyrics for ‘Fine Lines’ seem simplistic in nature, yet offer a profound glimpse into the world of how most people tend to relate to one another driven by the need to be a picture-perfect example of society’s standards.  It examines a world that’s built on lies and vanity leaving little room for love or compassion.  When asked about the meaning behind their single, the band replied that for them, it is a song about someone who’s obsessed about the trivial, pointless things in life and can’t seem to see past them.  With heavy rock guitar riffs, high-energy percussion and powerfully dark vocals, ‘Fine Lines’ has the makings of a fantastic rock anthem for the awakening youth, with a mosh pit or two thrown in for good measure.

For more awesomeness from The Empire Police, visit their Twitter or Facebook.
Images courtesy of The Empire Police

This review is a guestblog by Chad Pearen from Chad Pearen: A Day In The Life Of…