As Empyre frontman
Henrik Steenholdt admits, his native Northamptonshire doesn’t have many local heroes, especially when it comes to music. The band’s pitch as the Midlands county’s great rock hope began in 2016, when Steenholdt, guitarist Did Coles, bassist Grant Hockley and drummer Elliot Bale forged a shadowy sound touched by the anthems of Pearl Jam and Alter Bridge. Now, with the orchestral flourishes of second album Empyre are entering their imperial phase.