It’s no secret that rap rock is back. After its undeniable heyday in the 1990s and 2000s, it is going through a renaissance of sorts, with artists like Machine Gun Kelly and the late Lil Peep putting a darker, almost emo spin on it, along with a fusion of punk elements to create an angst-filled, fresh sound that is quickly rising in popularity among a much newer, younger audience.
Among these new artists though is the up-and-coming San Diego-based artist Embers, with a style fuelled by anger, harsh tempos and rhythms.
His newest single “scratch my name” is a perfect example of this style, with the subgenre’s trademark thumping drums and electric guitars, along with angst-filled, angry vocals. The lyrics, however, are all too familiar for anyone who has been in, and tried to navigate, a tumultuous relationship.
“I wrote this song while on the road and dealing with the ups and downs of trying to maintain a relationship,'' the singer said of this new song.
He then went on to state that he “wanted to capture the sound that reminds me of singing along to my favorite bands in the car, but with the lyrics of an emo revenge banger.”
And he definitely captured the sound, as the whole song feels like a middle finger to everyone that has wronged the narrator, and feels like an outlet of frustration for him, all while reminding listeners of that “screaming in the car” sound.
The music video captures this too. It starts with the singer hiding in the bushes before spotting a bright pink Jeep, presumably belonging to someone who has wronged him in the past. He then breaks in, trashes it, pees in the gas tank, and fittingly, scratches his name into the side of it.
But, this recent song and music video are not the only efforts put out by the rising artist. He already has a sizable discography, with several singles and an EP already out. This is made all the more impressive by the fact that he has only had music on Spotify since 2022, showcasing his musical proficiencies as well as his consistent output.
But that’s not all, as he has an EP coming out soon, titled “To The Moon.” Furthermore, his label has described it as an A-list collaboration, which is leaving listeners and fans of the artist curious as to what sort of collaborations and music the piece holds.
On top of that, he is set to play an array of live performances as well. On Oct. 28, he will be playing the Music Box in San Diego, an upscale live music venue. The venue holds quite a reputation as well, with performances from other well-known independent artists like Del Water Gap, Phillip Phillips and Beach Weather all being held there as well.
While he is still fairly new to the music scene, Embers is growing quickly, spreading like wildfire with his angst-fuelled, angry rap-rock style. But above all, he has made it clear that he is here to stay, and does not plan on slowing down anytime soon.
