Smokin’ fat riffs with EMPTY BLACK
Written by Scott Belzer | June 19th, 2024
One of my favorite things about Atlanta is the wide breadth of heavy music available. If there’s a genre, subgenre, niche genre or any combination thereof, chances are there’s a band you can get into and see live at one of many illustrious and not-so-illustrious venues. One genre Atlanta can’t seem to get enough of, though, is stoner doom.
And I get it. I can’t get enough either. When it comes to fat straightforward riffs—the kind that make you bang your head all the way to the floor, scrape your knuckles on the ground and hinge from the hips—there’s no better genre. Slow and inviting, these riffs fill a room with notes and frequencies that grab hold of your entire body. The vibrations don’t just emanate from your head, but your gut. Hit me with that brown note, baby!
Atlanta’s own EMPTY BLACK understand this approach more than most. Their fuzz-filled anthems take listeners on a journeys across space and time without the distraction of vocals. Each instrumental puts the listener smack-dab-in-the-middle of a desert at midnight, letting you gaze upon the stars without leaving the comfort of your own home. Or, you know, your car. Wherever you listen!
And to help US understand THEIR understanding (confusing, yes), we sat down with drummer Robert Pedroza for the rundown on this vibe-riding project.
- Tell me about Empty Black. When did this project begin? And how?
I found these guys on a Facebook musicians group in 2018…? 2019…? I think. I was chattin’ with Eric for like a year before I actually ever jammed with them. We tried to get together but it kept getting put off due to my weird life and work. The post on Facebook said “Need a drummer for a stoner/doom project ala Sleep, Bongripper, Electric Wizard.”
I moved here to Atlanta from Los Angeles in 2017, and this was the first connection I had in town with this similar taste. I’m mainly a guitarist, but I learned drums cus it looked like fun (not to mention I’d been getting in trouble since elementary school for desk drumming).
I played drums for an indie pop group in LA up until I moved away.. so I had the itch to play drums again. But HARDER.
Enter Eric and Robbie.
- No vocals, eh (complimentary)? Is there a grand philosophy behind that, or are you guys just too locked into the riffs to really consider it.
Yeah, ya know, when I started playing drums with these guys (Eric and Robbie), all their songs were instrumental riffs. I don’t know if we ever made the conscious decision to keep it that way, but that’s how it played out. As we started to play shows and release music, people would always ask us, “No vocals? Why not? Are you looking? Can I do it?” The more I was asked these questions, the more I realized that people weren’t even listening to our riffs. So, I started telling everyone, “STFU and BANG YOUR FUCKIN HEAD.”
I mean, do you ask for lyrics when you listen to jazz? Do you look for a caption when you look at visual art? Also, it doesn’t matter what language you speak, the riff is universal… so, the absence of a spoken message kinda became our message. We encourage the listener to connect to the simplicity of our Neanderthalian riffs and tell us how it makes YOU feel. What do you see when you close your eyes and listen to our music? Be here now, or whatever.
- Speaking of grand philosophy—what’s Empty Black’s grand ethos? What message do you want to send to the masses?
I think I kinda hit that on the last question. BE PRESENT. SHUT UP and LISTEN. I’m a fuckin nerd so I love learning the science about the relation of certain frequencies and BPM’s to the human body. We have a built-in metronome. The first voice you hear in the womb is your mothers. The heart beats at different speeds based on your emotional and physical state. That’s WILD. So yeah… heavy riffs, heavy drums, you get it.
- I’ve seen y’all incorporate a lot of visual elements to your show. Any reason to roll with that aesthetic, or just vibin’?
We do like to incorporate our atmospheric soundscapes and lighting shows for our performances. We try to implement visuals in place of a vocalist for an immersive experience. Shoutout to all my stagehand and film lighting homies, we couldn’t do it without y’all! I’ve been known to dress up from time to time. Sexy Black metal cowboy, sexy pirate, sexy pumpkin… whatever. Damn. That reminds me… I gotta find my fishnets.
- Empty Black’s immense 2021 EP ties together your first two singles (“Bong Fire,” and “Hog Tied,”) and offers two newer songs (“Raspberry,” and “Ripper,”). What was the process like recording and rerecording those tracks? Where did you record? Who did you partner with, producer-wise?
We recorded that 4-song EP spring of 2019 with Lewis Lovely at his Rockliff Studio. Lewis is our brother, he trained me in live sound and took me on my first cross country tour. It was awesome to see him work his magic with mic placement and “studio magic”. We produced and arranged it ourselves with help from Lewis on the ambient noise tracks. We wanted to create an atmosphere of a future planet, void of human life, hence the cover art (which was done by @exekutionwarhead)
So we added soundscapes between songs with weird frequencies and chatter to give the feeling of floating through space. Eric makes those tracks on his computer using some outdated ass program… but I think they came out sick!
- Stoked to see you guys listed on that epic compilation last year from Weedian—Trip to Georgia. Any story there? What’s the response been like from fans and other bands? Did you at least get a gig or two out of it?
So, Robbie is the band dad. He’s the one who answers emails and makes shit happen. Eric and I are goddamn degenerates. Weedian approached us for a submission and we said FUCK YEAH. Bada bing bada boom. We sent them the newly recorded version of our song “RIPPER”, one of my favorites.
- Atlanta’s kind of exploding when it comes to doom, stoner and sludge—thinking about bands like Leafblower, Big Oaf, Dead Vibes Ensemble, Gnomonaut, Insomniac, Dead Register and all those other bands on that same compilation (so many others). What do you attribute to that? Why is Atlanta craving slow, heavy riffage right now?
All those bands rule. Those are all our homies… and that’s part of why you see this pop in the scene… cus of the people out here actually taking the time to make music and share it with their friends and community. The other part is the rest of the community that supports it. Coming to shows, buying Merch, gassing up your homies. Life sucks, and sometimes I wanna die, but I love making music with my friends, and that’s what it’s all about.
I think heavy riffs have always been in style… even if you’re not a fan of the sub-genres, anyone can appreciate a fuckin heavy caveman riff. It speaks to the most basic part of your brain, ya know? It’s like, “How many augmented fifths and arpeggios can you fit in a solo?” LOL SHUT UP, NERD. AMP GO BURRRRRR”
- Any advice to newer bands trying to add their own sounds and join the fray?
SHUT AND JAM. STOP ARGUING WITH EACHOTHER AND PLAY YOUR GODDAMN INSTRUMENTS. AND HANG OUT TOGETHER TO BUILD A BOND. You’ll start to learn eachothers styles and habits and it’ll make you a better listener, a better collaborator. If you don’t intend to collaborate and you want some hired guns for your project, be clear with your intentions from the jump.
- Much appreciated, guys! To close us out, hit me with a food that most people wouldn’t associate with munchies but they really, really should (tell us what to eat while high).
Shiiiiiiiiet….. if I’m on the go, I like to get my favorite two chips (usually like limón lays and hot Cheetos), then throw some bits of beef jerky in there… extra points if you got some string cheese to add to the mix.
If I’m at home, I’ll make a goddamn ramen concoction with carne asada and veggies and whatever else I got in the fridge. Then chase it with some Tums and La Croix mixed with Emergen-C, ‘cause you gon’ need it.
-Scott Belzer
Empty Black perform with Dunce Hat in support of Leather Lung at Boggs Social in Atlanta on Sunday, July 14th. Tickets are on sale here.