Empty Nesters’ debut hardcore EP, Deaf Monks, dropped July 11, 2025, via symphony.to—and it doesn’t so much ask for your attention as demand it. What began with two experimental tracks—“Deaf Monks” and “Nomad”—soon evolved into a full-blown sonic purge. Years removed from their ambient and shoegaze roots, the Canadian artist found a new home in the fire and fury of the hardcore scene. “Something kept pulling me back,” they explain. That pull became a mission: to turn burnout and identity crises into catharsis. The result is a genre-blurring, seven-track jolt that belongs on any hardcore, punk, or post-punk playlist.
The EP is rooted in exhaustion—personal, cultural, emotional—and in the clarity that comes when nothing is left to lose. “It’s about letting it all out,” Empty Nesters says. And let it out, they do. Deaf Monks plays like a body exorcising grief, confusion, and rage in real time. Collaborators like Tashiina Buswa (Ribbon Skirt), Sasha Cay, and Fraud Perry—most of whom hail from outside hardcore—amplify the emotional bandwidth, offering screams, verses, and textures that make this EP feel less like a solo project and more like a collective reckoning.
Sonically, Deaf Monks is a controlled detonation. Hardcore’s punch is there, but layered with shoegaze haze, doom metal dread, and moments of post-punk reflection. Think GEL or Turnstile, but with deeper shadows and sharper corners. The sequencing is deliberate—meant to be played top to bottom, like a mental spiral that eventually straightens itself out. Mixing and mastering credits go to Shae Brossard and Will Killingsworth, respectively, with Matthew Galamaga’s drums giving the record its heartbeat—a relentless, pulsing reminder that you’re alive, whether you want to be or not.
The process was fully independent and completely immersive. Empty Nesters, together with contributors like Victor Complex and Clay Pigeon, tore down genre gates and built something radical in its place. “It’s rare to hear these voices in this space—especially in Canada,” they say. The EP serves as both art and activism, challenging who gets to scream in the punk and hardcore scenes. It’s not just an album—it’s an invitation for more Asian and POC artists to claim sonic space and not ask for permission.
With Deaf Monks now live, Empty Nesters is hitting the stage. Catch them July 12 in Montreal (La Sotterenea) and July 13 in Toronto (Nono Room), performing alongside Tachyon and Workers Comp. These shows are more than sets—they’re sermons. The fan response so far? Resonant. Raw. “Listen from first track to last,” they urge. And for once, that’s not marketing speak—it’s essential to feel the full weight of the project’s arc.
The future looks loud. A new album is already in the works, with more shows and collaborations planned. “This EP is the most honest thing I’ve made,” Empty Nesters says. Honesty, in this case, sounds like distortion, sweat, and emotional exorcism. For fans of Pig Pen, Primitive Blast, or any artist who turns pain into momentum, Deaf Monks is a must-stream. Find it now on Spotify or at ffm.bio/emptynesters.
“Thank you to everyone who’s screaming along with us,” they close. Deaf Monks isn’t just something to hear—it’s something to feel in your chest, like a second heartbeat. Loud, messy, alive—and very, very real.