Sometimes the best way to achieve success as a musician is to struggle. It sounds counterproductive but these hardships often create the meaning and motivation needed to push an artist harder than before. Our recent find Empra is a result of that.
The band hailing from Melbourne, Australia aims to put out a sound of universal love. In fact the name Empra is an anagram of an ancient Sanskrit word “Prema” which means “Universal Love”. Lead singer and guitarist Sanny Veloo went through some very dark times with the passing of a close friend, being banned in Singapore, and needing a metal joint in his elbow after an accident. His coping mechanism was to write music and rock out. With the help of Matt Agius (Bass, backing vocals) and Georgia Flipo (Drums, harmonies) he is doing just that. The Empra sound of classic 90’s alt-rock mixed with a modern rock attitude has built up an army of fans and some major recognition in the scene.
The band recently released a Limited Edition USA EP to get their sound into more ears. The opener “Doesn’t Make Much Sense” is an in your face attack that grabs your attention from the beginning. The sing along choruses will hook anyone that is looking for music for a good time. There is some true emotion shared on “Only Love” with lyrics that seem personal and close to the heart. The up and down energy of the song is slightly intoxicating (in a good way). High energy returns on “I Won’t Give Up” which brought to mind a Foo Fighters rock track. For the closer “Sabrina” they got Grammy winner Gotye to lay down some keys for them. This heartwarming love song is the ballad of the record that will melt many girls hearts. The band is currently in the studio finishing a followup release. Empra’s new single is due to be released in 2015 with a national tour planned for Australia & showcases in the USA at Culture Collide and CMJ shortly after. Keep up with them here: http://www.empraonline.com/