The Empty Page: Death On Our Side
(Self-released)
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Manchester’s very own independent champions of post-grunge with real social bite, The Empty Page, kickstart 2026 with their new single Death On Our Side which Louder Than War proudly present here as a Video Premiere. It’s a typically hard-hitting take on yet another important social angle sound-tracked with all the power and fuzzed up energy that demands your attention.
The Empty Page are a band who have a real penchant for exploring the human experience but always with an angle which has a real social connection we can all relate to. This is something which shone through their most recent album Imploding in 2024 which delved deep into the complexities of life but always in such a way that should resonate with us all, helping us to understand that we are not on our own if we are not feeling OK about life and the world around us. The Empty Page are a band who always have something important to say about things that need to be heard. And there is little doubt that the music that surrounds the message is always delivered with passion, energy and a whole load of magnificent noise.
The band’s most recent single When We Gonna Run?, released in November 2025, heralded the band’s first new music for 18 months since the release of Imploding. This was the first in a series of single releases recorded at Nave Studios, a former church in deepest Leeds, with producer Matt Peel (Eagulls/ Dream Wife/ Bodega). As vocalist and bass player Kel explained, “We’ve long been fans of Matt’s work, so it was great to work together finally. The studio is so cool, and Matt’s references from Radiohead to Smashing Pumpkins align perfectly with the songs we’ve been writing.” And now we get the second single to be released from these sessions entitled Death On Our Side which Louder Than War presents here as a Video Premiere.
With Giz on guitar and Steve on drums alongside Kel, Death On Our Side really hits home with its seamless blend of punk, shoegaze, grunge and a psychedelic style ritualistic rhythm, all underpinning swirls of ethereal vocals which impart a real sense of hopelessness. Death On Our Side once again typifies the band’s exploration of diverse issues as they lament the woes of a generation of people with no pension plan other than to die before they need to rely on one. It’s a song with a dark and sombre mood which befits the stark message within its narrative as Kel laments “Small lives are plundered and underfunded.” It’s a desperate message which suggests no real faith in the future but this is real life and it’s a message that will resonate with so many.
Death On Our Side once again reaffirms my view that The Empty Page are one of the most important bands to listen to right now. They have have some upcoming live shows which are listed below so do yourself a favour and go check them out:
January
22 – Manchester – Gorilla – supporting Marky Ramone
31 – Leeds – Brudenell – Handfest [SOLD OUT]
March
07 – Brighton – Prince Albert – supporting Shallow Honey
14 – Manchester – Academy – Louder Than War Live Festival
May
02-03 May – Shropshire – Loopfest
You can get tickets for live shows here.
You can stream or download the single here.
You can find The Empty Page on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bandcamp.
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All words by Ian Corbridge. You can find more of his writing at his author profile here.
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