Empty Nesters is the brainchild of musician Eric Liao, a Montreal-based musician who started the band as a solo project back in 2016. "The current lineup rotates between a few close collaborators: Matthew Galamaga (drums), Kamyar Karimi (bass), Matteo Fabre (bass), Noah Wightman (guitar), and Brendon McGuinness (guitar)," Eric tells No Echo who is still handling vocal duties.
As Eric explains it, Empty Nesters has evolved its sound throughout the years he's been woodshedding the material. "What started as garage-rock gradually shifted through indie and shoegaze before landing in the hardcore realm—it’s the sound that resonated most with us in live settings and has felt the most fun and honest.
"Influences range from bands like Scowl, SPY, and Knocked Loose, to hardcore pioneers like Bad Brains. Loud, fast, and sometimes groovy."
That sound can be heard on Empty Nesters' newly released EP, Deaf Monks:
"Deaf Monks is the most collaborative release I’ve done. I recorded all the guitars, bass, and vocals myself, with Matthew Galamaga on drums. I brought in artists from different genres—indie, folk, punk, hip-hop—like Sasha Cay, Tashiina Buswa, Victor Complex, Fraud Perry, and Clay Pigeon, all of whom stepped outside their comfort zones to scream over hardcore tracks. Shae Brossard at Hotel2Tango mixed Shangri-Nah and mentored me through the rest of the mixing process.
"Lyrically, the EP explores themes of identity, burnout, cultural alienation, and existential dread—trying to survive in a world that rarely reflects you back. It’s about breaking form and finding your voice in the noise," says Eric.
Empty Nesters has clearly been a huge focus for Eric, but that's not the only passion he's been pursuing. "Aside from music, I also make my own vegan chili oil as merch. inspired by Sichuan flavors—it’s been getting a lot of love at our shows.
"So if you see some at our shows, have a free sample and if you like it buy a jar! I think it's definitely a unique chili oil compared to most Chinese restaurants."
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Deaf Monks is out now across music streaming outlets. You can find all the links for Empty Nesters here.
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