[Louisville, KY] — For Immediate Release
With over two decades as a band, Empyrean Asunder has evolved musically from black and industrial metal to industrial rock, and now to dance music with a dark industrial, EBSM twist. Their latest single, “I Confess” marks this new era, bringing sinister beats with a bass-heavy, Gesaffelstein feel to the forefront. Also including “Everyone Wants To Be You,” a club-ready anthem bolstered by the powerful delivery of vocalist Victoria Graves, this single packs a serious punch for goth/industrial clubs.
Crafted with infectious earworm melodies that careen through the airwaves, soft and delicate moments are met with cathartic screams. Impassioned personal lyrics and a pulse that reverberates ever-forward with producer Jerry Barksdale’s massive synth work make these both standout tracks worthy of repeated spins.
Female-fronted Anti-Industrial Rock band Empyrean Asunder ushers in a new era of decay. They are the auditory manifestation of the chaos inherent within society. Fusing the musical residue of industrial, electro, metal and punk with violently theatrical and visually intense performances to create a harsh and vivid experience that echoes, with staggering conviction, the ills of humanity.
Empyrean Asunder is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Jerry Barksdale, a prolific artist active in several extreme music projects, including The Promise Of Plague (black/death metal), Then We Died (grindcore), and Grief Cathedral (funeral doom/sludge) to name a few.
Established as an experimental outlet, Barksdale frequently collaborates with various musicians to redefine the project’s identity with every release.
The project is characterized by an intentional lack of a static genre, instead transitioning through distinct musical “eras” that document a shifting artistic interest:
Black Metal Era:
Early material, such as the Wrought In Dreams (1999), focused on raw avant-garde black/doom metal.
Industrial Metal & Industrial Rock Era:
The project evolved into a style described as “Anti-Industrial Rock,” blending metal and punk with harsh industrial elements. Notable releases from this period include the 2005 album The Human Virus, Love At Your Own Risk (2006), They Call Her The Cure (2008), Hate (2013), and Serpent (2014).
Electro-Industrial/Techno Era (Present):
Recent explorations have pushed the project further into electronic territory, incorporating EBM, darkwave, and techno influences. This era is highlighted by the 2026 release of “I Confess”.
Empyrean Asunder is:
Keyboards, Electronics – Jerry Barksdale
Vocals – Victoria Graves
The band’s catalog is available on all major streaming platforms and Bandcamp.
LINKS :
Facebook
Bandcamp
Spotify