Music Review: Eye Empire’s “Impact”

What makes Eye Empire stand out? Aside from being one of the most hard-working and talented bands in the music industry, it is their intense passion for the music and their fans — embodied in their mantra “Love, Respect, Support” — that truly sets this rock band apart from the rest. Earlier this year, Eye Empire released its first album, titled Impact, a double disc featuring 19 new songs, plus three acoustic versions, and two live recordings for a total of 24 tracks.

This album has an appeal that transcends generations, with songs ranging from angst-filled anthems (“Idiot” and “Bull in a China Shop”) to reflective ballads (“Moment” and “Last One Home”). Sevendust fans will appreciate frontman Lajon Witherspoon lending his vocal talent to “Victim of the System” and drummer Morgan Rose’s contribution to “I Pray.” Rock anthems “Ignite (Moment of Impact),” and “More Than Fate” will inspire you to get up and move, while the hauntingly beautiful melodies of “Hopeless” and “Obvious” will move you. The acoustic version of “Feels Like I’m Falling” showcases the raw emotion behind the music, and the two live tracks recreate a real concert experience.

The members of Eye Empire are no strangers to the rock music scene; in fact, you will probably recognize them from their past bands. Eye Empire is: Lead vocalist Donald Carpenter, formerly of Submersed; guitarist B.C. Kochmit, formerly of Switched; bassist Corey Lowery, formerly of Dark New Day; and drummer Ryan Bennett, formerly of Texas Hippie Coalition.

Cultivating the motto of “Love, Respect, Support,” Eye Empire is highly interactive with fans through Facebook and Twitter, sharing weekly videos collectively titled Eye Empire TV, which offer an entertaining look into the band’s life on the road. To truly connect with this band, you must experience a live show. “Leaving it all on stage” might be a rock band cliché, but it is the most accurate way to describe Eye Empire’s live performances. After each show, band members can be found graciously chatting with fans, signing autographs, posing for pictures, and genuinely appreciating their support.

After spending over a year on tour to promote the release of Impact, the band proved that their incredible effort did not go unnoticed. Earlier this month, Eye Empire announced that they have joined the booking roster of Artist Group International (AGI). AGI is responsible for the tours of several major bands, including Metallica, Stone Temple Pilots, Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Def Leppard. On the heels of this epic achievement, 2013 promises to be an exciting year for Eye Empire and their fans.

The Empire is growing, so if you haven’t already, now is the time to join them!

Impact is currently sold in stores and available for download online. Find out more about Eye Empire at www.eyeempire.com. Follow the band on Twitter:  twitter.com/EyeEmpire (@EyeEmpire) and connect with them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eyeempire.