Rising out of the ashes of Liers in Wait, the Atlanta-based goth-rock band that build up a loyal following in the late '80s and early '90s, Empire 44 tries to reinvent the group's sound for the '90s, but still sounds a bit behind the times. Their debut album's opening track, "Veins of Time," starts off promisingly, with an ethereal electronic sound that suits their moody style, but singer Olga Jazmin's melodramatic vocals and Goth 101 lyrics push it over the edge into the realm of cheesiness. On "Reflections," the programmed beats sound like something Nine Inch Nails might've done in its early years, but Erik Sizemore's voice is restrained by the song's glossy sheen. Only on brief instrumentals like "To Check Messages" and "Message One," which match throbbing tribal grooves with warped psychedelic textures, and the shimmering "Hidden," which sounds like a more pop-minded Dead Can Dance, does Empire 44 finally break free from the anachronistic chains that bind them. — Bret Love, All Music Guide
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