HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD Release “Heart Of A Champion” ft. Jacoby Shaddix (PAPA ROACH) & Spencer Charnas (ICE NINE KILLS)
16th October 2020Platinum certified Los Angeles quintet, Hollywood Undead have announced the second instalment of their critically-acclaimed two part opus, New Empire. New Empire Vol. 2 produced by Matt Good (Asking Alexandria, Sleeping with Sirens) will be released on Friday, December 4th via BMG/Dove and Grenade Media. New Empire Vol. 2 can be preordered here.
In addition to the new album announcement, Hollywood Undead have also released a new version of fan-favourite track, “Heart of a Champion” featuring special guests Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach and Spencer Charnas of Ice Nine Kills. The long-overdue collaboration was created in January this year in anticipation of the three musical titans hitting the road in Europe. That release was subsequently delayed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which ground the touring world as well as their own highly successful European Tour, to a halt. Today, the long-awaited collaboration has been finally unleashed on the world.
Speaking on the track, Hollywood Undead’s Johnny 3 Tears says:
“Heart Of A Champion is about digging in deep when things appear at their worst. Finding the strength to overcome any and all odds against you.”
Jacoby Shaddix adds:
“As soon as Johnny and Charlie and the boys floated the idea, we were in. The video shoot was like a reunion too – Last time we all saw each other we were blowing the doors off a show in Germany 7 months ago.”
Spencer Charnas adds:
“I’ve always been a fan of Hollywood Undead and when we toured together this past winter we hit it off immediately. It’s an honor to be part of such a strong song and having Jacoby on it as well is just the icing on the god damn cake.”
Accompanying the new Heart of a Champion track is an official music video, reminiscent of 16-bit video game classics like Street Fighter and Mortal Combat. The video also features the debut of a new addition to the Hollywood Undead collective, but you have to watch to the end to find out who that is.
The first part of the New Empire duo, New Empire Vol 1 was released in February of this year and spawned hits “Already Dead”, “Time Bomb”, “Heart Of A Champion”, and “Nightmare” to great acclaim with Consequence of Sound claiming “New Empire Vol. 1 finds the band in a much heavier setting than usual”, Inc. Magazine stating “Fifteen years in, and in an industry where careers are often measured in months, [they’re] releasing a killer new album,” and Billboard asserting “Hollywood Undead shows no signs of slowing down.”
Since the release of the first half of the two part opus, the band has released two singles from the newly announced New Empire Vol. 2 including the genre-bending smash hit “Idol” featuring none other than preeminent rapper Tech N9ne and the evocative single “Coming Home”. Speaking about New Empire Vol. 2, Johnny 3 Tears shares:
“New Empire began with the deconstruction of the society we live in today, taking it apart piece by piece. New Empire will end with reimagining a new world. The bell will be tolled signaling the end and ultimately the beginning of a brave new world.”
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
New Empire Vol. 2
Track Listing
- Medicate
2. Comin’ Thru The Stereo (feat. Hyro The Hero)
3. Ghost Out
4. Gonna Be Okay
5. Monsters (feat. Killstation)
6. Idol (feat. Tech N9ne)
7. Coming Home
8. Unholy
9. Worth It
10. Heart Of A Champion feat. Papa Roach & Ice Nine Kills
Bonus Tracks:
Idol (feat. Ghøstkid)
Idol (feat. Kurt92)
Formed in 2005, Hollywood Undead inched towards mainstream dominance under the radar with unprecedented success for a modern band. Preceding the current playlist-hopping genre-less boom, they defied stylistic boundaries from day one. Integrating rap, rock, and electronic, the seminal 2008 debut Swan Songs went platinum. 2011’s gold-selling American Tragedy bowed at #4 on the Billboard Top 200 with Notes from the Underground soaring to #2 in 2013. Day of the Dead [2015] and Five [2017] brought the group’s total streams past 1 billion and New Empire Vol 1. seeing their combined streams across Spotify and YouTube hit a staggering 2 billion. Along the way, they sold out tours on four continents and garnered acclaim courtesy of Rolling Stone, Billboard, Consequence of Sound, Alternative Press, Revolver, and more.
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