"Monsters" pushes the band's sound in previously unexplored directions while showcasing their ability to write lasting alt-pop hooks." PopMatters
"...a musical orgasm!" Boy George
"Tear-streaked New Wave featuring twinkling synth pads and drum machine hits so wet (from the crying, presumably) that they’d throw Phil Collins into a jealous rage." Idolator
"Like M83, Purity Ring and CHVRCHES, artists Isaac Howlett and Adam Relf draw from pop and cinematic scores in equal measure and come up with a big dramatic sound that swoons ecstatically between the nostalgic and immediate." KCRW
“Lots of people have been messaging me saying, play Empathy Test! We love Empathy Test! Now I know why...”
- DJ Rusty Egan (ex-Rich Kids, Visage etc.)
“A set of songs lovers of 80s synth pop will be drooling over the minute the first verse has been heard. More Visage than Mode, more pop than dance and not a smudge of eyeliner in sight." Louder Than War
"Gorgeous, sumptuous future pop which arrives dripping in synthesised sounds, there are nods towards Depeche Mode here alongside 21st century producers such as Purity Ring." Clash
PRESS ARCHIVE
Please note these items link to outside sources and we are not responsible for their content or continued availabilty.
- Live Review: Eastside Festival 2024 Day One [German], Monkey Press, July 2024
- Live Review: Empathy Test + Supports at The Garage - London (UK), Verdammnis, April 2024
- Empathy Test 10th Anniversary UK Tour With Special Guests Black Nail Cabaret, LeftLion, April 2024
- (SOME OF) MY FAVORITE VOCALISTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL / GOTH FIELDS, Brutal Resonance, March 2024
- Top Dark and Electronic Music Releases to Watch in 2024, The Norwich Radical, March 2024
- News: Empathy Test Frontman Releases Debut Solo Single [...], ReGen Magazine, February 2024
- Empathy Test’s Isaac Howlett releases his solo debut, Synthpop Fanatic, February 2024
- Empathy Test frontman Isaac Howlett launches solo debut single ‘House Of Cards’, Side-Line Magazine, February 2024
- Isaac Howlett reflects on 10 years of Empathy Test, Soundsphere Magazine, January 2024
- Empathy Test: When Science Fiction Parallels Reality, Slug Magazine, October 2023
- British Synthpop fast risers EMPATHY TEST reissue catalogue through SPKR, Soundsphere Magazine, September 2023
- Empathy Test announces North American tour with NITE... - ReGen Mag, September 2023
- Empathy Test Reissue Catalog and Tour North America - Chain D.L.K., September 2023
- Empathy Test Reissue Catalog and Tour North America - MK Ultra, September 2023
- EMPATHY TEST - Reissue Catalogue and Tour North America - Reflections of Darkness, September 2023
- Empathy Test Re-Release Their Four Studio Albums - Atomium Magazine, September 2023 [Spanish]
- Britisch synthpop act Empathy Test reissues catalog and tour North America - Side-Line, September 2023
- British Synthpop fast risers EMPATHY TEST reissue catalogue through SPKR - Soundsphere Magazine, September 2023
- Live review: SYNTH-POP TRIFFT AUF DARK ROCK iIn German and English] - Angrabyte, September 2023
- Live review: Wave Gotik Treffen 2023, Day 3, Reflections of Darkness, June 2023
- Live review: Aesthetic Perfection + Empathy Test at Petit Bain, Verdammnis, May 2023 [French]
- Live review: Aesthetic Perfection + Empathy Test at Petit Bain, Acta Infernalis, May 2023 [French]
- Subjective Lexicon, Records Worth Having Episode 39: Empathy Test's "Losing Touch", February 2023 [Polish]
- Live review: Köln, Blue Shell, 07.02.2023 [German]
- VampireFreaks Announce First Dark Force Festival in 2023 - ReGen Magazine, October 2022
- Live review: Empathy Test in Augsburg and Jena - Hanover.Live, October 2022
- Live review: Memory of a Festival /036 /Infest 2022 - A Model of Control, September 2022
- Live review: Infest Festival 2022; Bradford, UK - Epitome of Epic, September 2022
- Live review: Empathy Test & The Foreign Resort in Oberhausen, May 2022 [German]
- Live review: Aesthetic Perfection / Empathy Test in Berlin - DeepGround, May 2022 [German]
- Live Review: Aesthetic Perfection in Hannover, - Sharpshooter-pics.de, May 2022 [German]
- Live review: Aesthetic Perfection / Empathy Test in Oberhausen - Monkeypress.de, May 2022 [German]
- "We are mere mortals playing Synth Pop" - Interview [Spanish] with Polvora, March 2022
- Now Hear This: Empathy Test - Morbidly Beautiful - January 2022
- Video Interview with Isaac Howlett - Darker Side of Music, December 2021
- Live review: Sinner’s Day 2021: Sunday - El Garaje de Frank, September 2021
- FAME Torun, Poland Live Review - Musobar.pl, October 2021
- Live review: Prague Gothic Treffen - Reflections of Darkness, September 2021
- Live review: Prague Gothic Treffen - death-rock.de, August 2021
- Best Synth Pop music videos of 2020 - Electrozombies, January 2021
- 9/10 Review: Empathy Test - Monsters - Ukrainian Gothic Portal, January 2021
- Review: Empathy Test - Monsters - ReGen Magazine, January 2021
- Sounds and Shadows Top Postpunk/Synthwave/Darkpop albums of 2020, Sounds and Shadows, December 2020
- LISTMANIA 2020: A Year-End List From Seb Painchaud - No Clean Singing, December 2020
- The Best 64 Albums of 2020 - Periodic Table of Synthpop, December 2020
- 2020 Albums of the Year - The Electricity Club, December 2020
- 100 Best Synthpop Tracks of the Year 2020 - Synthpop Fanatic, December 2020
- The 10 Best Synthpop Music Videos of 2020 - Synthpop Fanatic, December 2020
- Monsters - 90% album review - Sanctuary, September 2020 [Czech]
- Live Review: NCN Special 2020, Un Art Magazin, September 2020 [German]
- Live Review: Empathy Test + SONO in Gelsenkirchen, Reflections of Darkness, September 2020
- ‘Click Interview’ with Empathy Test : ‘Both Brexit, And Now Covid 19, Will Cripple The UK Music Scene’ - Sideline, July 2020
- The 15 Best Synth Tracks of June 2020 [Empty Handed] - Magnetic Magazine, July 2020
- Monsters - album review - The Electricty Club, July 2020
- I’ve got the monsters: The 10 best albums of 2020 so far - Synthpop Fanatic, June 2020
- Monsters - 8/10 album review - Sideline Magazine, June 2020
- Monsters - 9/10 album review - Release Magazine, May 2020
- Monsters – album review - Rockportaal, May 2020 [Dutch]
- Monsters – album review - XS Noize, May 2020
- Monsters – album review - Monkey Press, May 2020
- Monsters – album review - Hymn, May 2020
- Brits in Hot Weather Presents: Empathy Test - PopMatters, May 2020
- Empathy Test’s first music video, “Monsters,” was worth the wait - Synthpop Fanatic, May 2020
- Monsters - music video feature - Electrozombies, May 2020
- Video premiere: Empathy Test share the anxiety-inducing visuals for "Monsters" - Earmilk, May 2020
- Monsters - 9/10 album review - Brutal Resonance, May 2020
- Monsters – album review - Altvenger, May 2020
- Track Of The Day :: Empathy Test - Monsters - Little Indie Blogs, May 2020
- 10 best synthpop songs of April 2020 - Synthpop Fanatic, April 2020
- Empathy Test return with haunting new single ‘Monsters’ - XS Noize, April 2020
- Monsters - album review -The Movie Sleuth, April 2020
- Empathy Test vypouší před třetí deskou singlové monstrum - track feature - Sanctuary [Czech]
- Track Review: Empathy Test - Monsters - Backseat Mafia, April 2020
- Empathy Test's "Monsters" Highlights Their Haunting Electropop - Premiere - PopMatters, April 2020
- Empathy Test Monsters Album Review, Sounds and Shadows, April 2020
- Live review: SoCalMusicToday.com September 2019
- Live review: Glasse Factory September 2019
- Fresh Faves - Fresh on the Net, June 2019
- Tracks: June 24th, 2019 - I Die: You Die, June 2019
- Empathy Test - 'Empty Handed' - Review, Analogue Trash, May 2019
- Empathy Test - 'Empty Handed' - Review, The Electricity Club, May 2019
- TRACK PREMIERE: Empathy Test – ‘Empty Handed’, May 2019
- Empathy Test Announce Release of Empty Handed EP - Peekaboo Magazine, May 2019
- Empathy Test Announce Release of Empty Handed EP - The Noise Beneath the Snow, May 2019
- New Music Friday, Strangeways Radio, May 2019
- Empathy Test Announces New Release, Bloodlit Radio, June 2019
- Gig Review: VNV Nation / Empathy Test, Manchester, February 2019
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All It Takes Empathy Test Premiere, Atwood Magazine, November 2017
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10 bands to check out if you love the Stranger Things soundtrack, Metro, October 2017
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Live Review: Amphi Festival - Cologne 2017 (Day 1), August 2017
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Atmospheric synthpop touches the soul - Bare My Soul, The Electricity Club, April 2017
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This weeks Top 5 emerging and self-releasing artists - Bare My Soul, Music-News.com, April 2017
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Track Of The Day: Empathy Test - Bare My Soul, Little Indie Blogs, April 2017
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Listen Empathy Test - Bare My Soul, The Daily Listening, April 2017
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Songs To Learn And Sing – Marnie, Black Fly, Empathy Test, St Jude The Obscure, The VPME, April 2017
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EP Review: Empathy Test - By My Side, Lost in the Manor, February 2017
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The Unbearable Lightness Of Being: Throwing Stones With Empathy Test, I Die: You Die, February 2017
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Friends of I Die: You Die Year End Round-Up 2016, I Die: You Die, December 2016
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Unknown Pleasures #99 ft. F.Y.D. Star, Empathy Test, Phono Ghosts, Get Into This, September 2016
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New Music: Seeing Stars - Empathy Test, Candid Magazine, September 2016
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Tuesday Ten: 270: Tracks of the Month, A Model of Control, August 2016
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Approved: Empathy Test, Complete Music Update, September 2016
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Empathy Test – Demons / Seeing Stars (single), Kemptation, August 2016
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Track of the Day: Empathy Test – Demons / Seeing Stars, XS Noize, August 2016
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Empathy Test – to Release New double A-side single Demons / Seeing Stars, XS Noize, August 2016
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Best New Music: Empathy Test – Demons [WPGM Premiere], We Plug Good Music, August 2016
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Introducing: Empathy Test and their Demons / Seeing Stars EP, CelebMix, August 2016
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Premiere: Throwing Stones (Black City Lights Remix), The Sights And Sounds, August 2015
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Premiere: Here is the Place (We Are Temporary Remix), Brutal Resonance, July 2015
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Premiere: Hope For Me (Figures of Eighty Remix), Punchland, July 2015
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Premiere: Throwing Stones (Aeon Rings Remix), Kaltblut, July 2015
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Premiere: Throwing Stones (Minuit Machine Remix), PopMatters, June 2015
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Premiere: Here Is The Place (Thomas Datt Remix) Earmilk, May 2015
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Live Review: Wave Gotik Treffen - Leipzig 2015 (Day 3), Reflections of Darkness, May 2015
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Best New Indie Songs - Week 51, We Are the Guard (formerly BitCandy), December 2014
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Empathy Test at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London (Live review), Walloh, December 2014
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Empathy Test - Throwing Stones EP (Review) Brutal, Resonance, December 2014
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Empathy Test Will Break Your Heart with New EP Throwing Stones", IX Daily, December 2014
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14 Under-The-Radar Synth-Pop Acts We Loved In 2014, Idolator, December 2014
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Track Premiere: Empathy Test — “Here Is The Place”, KCRW, November 2014
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Empathy Test’s “Holding On”: Idolator Premiere, November 2014
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Empathy Test Release Bright New Single "Throwing Stones" From Upcoming EP, IX Daily, October 2014
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Premiere: Empathy Test - 'Throwing Stones', Clash, September 2014
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Empathy Test, Sebright Arms (Live review), Louder Than War, September 2014
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Empathy Test, Losing Touch EP (2014), Synthema.ru, February 2014 [Russian]
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PRE-RELEASE / Empathy Test: Losing Touch, Wavepress, February 2014
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Music:: synthpop :: Empathy Test, Just Can't Get Enough, February 2014
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Empathy Test - "Losing Touch", FLOWKY, February 2014 [French]