Crown the Empire, the Los Angeles-based two-piece band, has officially unleashed their infectious new single 'violet' via Rise Records. Masterfully blending hard-hitting alternative rock with atmospheric electronic textures, 'violet' encapsulates the emotional tension of being trapped between intense heartbreak and lingering hope. The track is dark, vulnerable, and undeniably powerful, artfully balancing quiet moments of inward reflection with explosive, anthemic energy.
To accompany the track, the band has launched an interactive online video game titled "Violent Violet," which fans can play directly at ViolentVioletGame.com. Right from the start, players are plunged into an eerie house modeled directly after the location featured in the single's official music video, setting up a race against the clock as they attempt to escape in time.
Speaking on the meaning behind the new music, Crown The Empire shares:
“’violet’ illustrates a toxic relationship. When someone completely isolates you, brainwashes you into believing you're a horrible person and that they're the only one who really cares about you, you slowly start to lose who you are. It's an obsessive, possessive kind of love rooted in the mentality of ‘if I can't have you, no one can.’ You're being controlled by someone who demands absolute devotion and threatens destruction at the thought of losing you. It's about recognizing how dangerous that kind of love can become, but somehow still finding yourself drawn to the very thing that's destroying you.”
This new entry follows the release of their haunting single 'raw' earlier this year, which served as the initial introduction to the band's updated sonic direction and what they define as their final form. While 'raw' explored the intoxicating allure of danger, desire, and self-destruction, 'violet' exposes the living nightmare hiding just beneath that attraction, showing how an experience that once felt exciting and irresistible can degrade into a manipulative death sentence.
Over the past decade, Crown the Empire has steadily cemented its position as one of the most enduring forces in modern alternative and heavy music. Currently fronted by Andy Leo alongside guitarist Brandon Hoover, the duo has accumulated nearly 700 million combined streams throughout a discography spanning five studio albums. Their breakthrough release, The Resistance, debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Rock, Hard Rock, and Independent Albums charts, and the group went on to claim the award for Best Breakthrough Band at the 2014 Alternative Press Music Awards. Expanding far beyond underground circles, they have secured prominent tour slots sharing stages with major acts including Slipknot, Pierce the Veil, Underoath, The Used, and Asking Alexandria.
Moving forward, Crown the Empire remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of their signature sound while continuously strengthening their bond with one of the most passionate fanbases in modern rock.