Interviews About Albums: Atlas : Empire - Everything Is Temporary (2023)

In this new interview, we sat down with the UK Progressive Rock/Alternative Rock band Atlas : Empire to ask some questions about their upcoming album "Everything Is Temporary". 

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

SG: We are incredibly proud & excited to be releasing our sophomore album, "Everything Is Temporary", via Wormholedeath Records in March 2023.

The majority of this album was written throughout 2020 & 2021 - a lot of it remotely, due to both COVID restrictions & our drummer living 4 hours away, in Liverpool.

We recorded drums & bass in Feb/March 2022 at Dystopia Studios in Glasgow, with producer Luigi Pasquini. We then flew out to Ferrara, Italy in April 2022 to record everything else with producer Riccardo Daga at Titans Lab Recoring Studio. Ricky also mixed & mastered the album.

Stylistically, we wanted to retain the core components of our sound, but to write stronger & more concise songs than on our last album - this has resulted in a more focused record, not too far removed from 90's Alt.Rock/US Indie, albeit with those Post-Rock/Prog elements that people will be familiar with.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

The title "Everything Is Temporary" came into existence pretty early on, definitely pre-pandemic. Jamie (Sturt) and I knew that, lyrically, we wanted to focus on more personal topics, less concept-based this time round. One of my early demos was titled "Everything Is Temporary" and as the other songs came together, combined with everything that's been going on in the world over the last few years, we felt it was a perfect title. As a statement, it's very much open to interpretation - these songs explore some of the many contexts that "Everything Is Temporary" be taken in.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP?

As with all Atlas : Empire releases, Jamie & I wrote almost all of the music & all the lyrics. Our former bassist was contributing ideas to early writing sessions, in 2019 & 2020, but after his departure in 2021 we re-wrote the songs he'd been involved in. Jamie & I also shared bass duties on the album. This album is our first with new drummer, James Lorenzo, and he absolutely killed it with both his parts & performance. We've been friends with James since 2014 and it's been incredible to finally make music together.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

Now, that's a really tough one and the answer might change day to day, but I'd pick the title track - it's 4 minutes of big riffs, layered vocal harmonies, uplifting chord progressions, intricate & pounding drum patterns. Whilst it doesn't cover all the musical bases we touch on throughout the album - it hits all the key elements we're wanting to convey.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD?If there is what it is?

The last few years have been an incredibly challenging time for humanity. That cannot be overstated. For our band, we were unable to play live, tour, or even get together to write/rehearse. Our recording sessions were delayed several times and we lost a member. But from all of that, we've written the best music of our career.

We'd like "Everything Is Temporary" to signify the positives that can be born from struggle & hardship.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share?

One of the last songs we wrote for the album is called "Resurrector" and it's 100% about surviving through rough times. The chorus lyrics encapsulate that feeling...

If we can make it through today

We'll wake up in a brighter world

And we will walk into the light

If we can just survive together through these darkest times

We will learn how to come back to life

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially?

Musically, our influences & inspirations are all over the place, as always.

Personally, I'd been listening to bands including Microwave, Failure, Smashing Pumpkins, Valleyheart, Slow Crush & Movements a lot prior to writing this album.

Jamie & I are both huge Phoebe Bridgers fans (we covered her song 'Georgia' last year) and also loved Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' album. For real.

Outwith musical influences, we both drew on experiences with loss, change & growth in relationships for lyrical content.

8. Something to add?

We released the first single from the album on December 9th. It's called "Future Ghosts" and we're incredibly happy with the response we've had thus far. Check it out on your preferred streaming service & watch the video here - https://youtu.be/_-5xvbzptFg

Thanks a lot for your time & remember "Everything Is Temporary" by Atlas: Empire releases on 31/03/2023, via Wormholedeath Records.