The epic soundtrack for the rise from dust and fire
With "Empire", Czarina takes me to a world bursting with epic synths, powerful drums and cinematic soundscapes. The track delivers what I had hoped for, or rather what the song title promises: a monumental intro that just begs to be followed by more. The bass drums are heavy and punchy, accompanied by strings and pianos that give the song an almost cinematic expanse. The production feels dense and consistent throughout, with multi-layered vocal tracks creating a dense atmosphere in which you can literally sink.
Lyrically, "Empire" highlights the theme of reconstruction, of a phoenix moment: "Let's build our Empire of metal and fire" – a verse that burns itself into the memory and captures the core message of the song. Czarina paints the picture of an empire rising from the dust and fragments, almost of an alchemical nature. This lyrical focus enhances the cinematic nature of the song, almost reminding me of a soundtrack for a dark, proud hero's journey.
Nevertheless, the further "Empire" progresses, the more I unfortunately lose interest. In the last third, I would have liked to see an additional twist or variation that would have grabbed my attention again and brought new energy. Likewise, I am ambivalent this time about the vocal effects – Czarina has always liked to play with them, but here they seem a bit too strong for me at times. This occasionally robs the vocals of clarity and emotionality, which I find a bit of a shame, as the song would have had plenty of lyrical potential for more depth.
This song is part of our Spotify playlist ‘New Synth Pop Songs 2024‘. The playlist is updated continuously. Follow this playlist now and don’t miss any of the latest synth pop hits in 2024.
Listen to "Czarina – Empire" on Spotify
Listen to "Czarina – Empire" on Bandcamp
Lyrics of "Czarina – Empire"
I’ve gathered all the fragments
That have fallen on the ground
Delicate dust that was
Once divine and beaming with life
Sparkling in the twilight
Waiting to ignite
Phoenix rising in the night
Fire bursting inside
Can you see me now
On our way up
On our way up
Do you feel me now
On our way up
On our way up
Let’s build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
I’m clutching all the pieces
That have fallen into my hands
Finding all the gods
Enshrined in places never to be found
Hidden messages and whispers in the sand
Retracing all the steps
Like jewels lost on the ground
Can you see me now
On our way up
On our way up
Do you feel me now
On our way up
On our way up
Let’s build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
On our way up
On our way up
On our way up
On our way up
Can you see me now
On our way up
On our way up
Do you feel me now
On our way up
On our way up
Let’s build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Can you see me now
On our way up
On our way up
Do you feel me now
On our way up
On our way up
Let’s build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
Build our Empire
Build our Empire
Of metal and fire
On our way up
On our way up
On our way up
