We’ve teamed up with Empire State Bastard, the extreme metal supergroup featuring Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil, for a limited-edition bundle featuring an exclusive hand-signed lyric sheet and a patch – and only 300 are available.
This exclusive Empire State Bastard x Metal Hammer bundle comes with a lyric sheet for the song Harvest signed by frontman Simon Neil and guitarist Mike Vennart, plus a logo patch.
The magazine itself also features a special magazine cover shot at Glasgow’s Cathouse, where Empire State Bastard played their first show.
Inside, Simon Neil and co-conspirator Mike Vennart (Biffy Clyro session guitarist, ex-Oceansize) explain the story behind the band, which also features drumming legend Dave Lombardo and bassist Naomi Macleod of Dublin post-punk-influenced trio Bitch Falcon.
“I had this song Cold War by [US proto-grindcore band] Siege in my head, that’s just a punishing, fucking abrasive noise,” says Mike. “I made a note on my phone that said, ‘Make an album. Make all the songs sound like Cold War by Siege. Just make a punishing, fast, horrible album.'”
Debut Empire State Bastard album Rivers Of Heresy is a mash-up of grindcore, hardcore, drone metal, art metal, doomy post-punk and more.
“Any metal album can be made on a fucking laptop,” says Simon Neil. “But the best heavy music, the best extreme metal, has feel, it has soul. Life’s too short to listen to that fucking CGI metal shit.”
There are only 300 of these Empire State Bastard x Metal Hammer bundles available worldwide – and they’re only available online. Grab yours here and have it delivered straight to your door.
