Northern Ireland’s Empires To Ruins deliver their most politically charged work yet with Point Of View, the explosive final chapter in their post-pandemic trilogy. The longtime friends-turned-bandmates channel two decades of musical chemistry into three minutes and forty-two seconds of razor-sharp alt-metal equal parts mosh-pit fuel and socio-political commentary.
The track immediately establishes its urgent tone with jagged guitar work and pummeling drums, perfectly mirroring the COVID-era anxiety that inspired its lyrics. Glenn’s vocals oscillate masterfully between clenched-teeth verses recounting lockdown isolation and a soaring, Foos-worthy chorus that transforms paranoia into anthemic catharsis. The rhythm section shines throughout as Stewarty’s basslines growl with restrained fury while Kyle’s drumming alternates between military precision and hardcore abandon. What makes Point Of View truly special are its daring structural choices. The bridge’s jarring moments of silence hit like a record scratch, perfectly emphasizing the track’s anti-authoritarian message. Recorded at Northern Ireland’s legendary Manor Park Studios, coalesce into something greater than the sum of their influences.
As the culmination of their recent singles, Peacekeepers and Losing Faith, Point Of View demonstrates Empires To Ruins’ evolution – their 00s post-hardcore roots now refined into a sound that’s both nostalgically comforting and vitally contemporary. The track’s greatest achievement might be making dystopian dread feel downright danceable.
