Poppy - Empty Hands

It feels impossible to doubt the metal pedigree of Poppy right now. Having first emerged in a haze of mystery and false guises (cyborg robot, anyone?), her evolution as an artist over the past decade has been nothing short of exhilarating; now, with her seventh album ‘Empty Hands’, she continues to cement her place as one of heavy music’s most intriguing modern voices.

Much like her previous release - 2024’s ‘Negative Spaces’ - ‘Empty Hands’ sees her again collaborate with former Bring Me The Horizon member, and rock producer du jour, Jordan Fish, in what continues to be both an inspired pairing and immensely productive partnership. With a proven track record for pushing heavy music to the brink of commercial mainstream pop (all while still managing to retain its integrity), her work with Fish continues to sound gargantuan in scope, pushing her closer towards arena stages with each of the album’s slick offerings. From the epic scope of the earwormy ‘Guardian’ to the hammer-blow heart of the electronic-flecked ‘Unravel’; the scorched frenzy that introduces ‘Dying To Forget’, to the album’s breathless, metalcore-drenched title track, ‘Empty Hands’ feels defiant in its ambition but never disingenuous or forced. An album unafraid to continue reaching towards the huge spaces not often reserved for this genre.