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Take it in stride. Work through the pain. Shrug it off. We have a lot of ways to say one thing: We’re built to strive. You’ll find that idea at the center of “Matador,” the new single from Mississippi indie-rock outfit Empty Atlas.

Epic yet intimate, fierce yet vulnerable, “Matador” picks up and runs with the signature sound and lyrical flair of “Kairos,” Empty Atlas’s 2020 LP. It also marks the group’s third team-up with award-winning producer and mixing engineer Tyler Spratt (Pierce the Veil, Dave Matthews Band, The Brevet).

“I know for me, this was the song I needed right now,” vocalist Micah Smith says. “Putting your whole heart into something can be draining, whether it’s music or work or relationships. But when it’s worth the fight, you keep fighting. That’s what ‘Matador’ is about to me.”

Empty Atlas is:
• Micah Smith (lead vocals and rhythm guitar)
• Alex Ingram (bass and keys)
• Brennan Michael White (lead guitar and vocals)
• Robert Currie Hansford (drums)

Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Micah Smith formed Empty Atlas in Jackson, Mississippi, in 2014, first releasing “Anniversary,” a double EP of his earlier recordings. The members at that time weren’t able to tour, so Smith frequently hit the road for solo shows, all while writing music for a full-length album.

In December 2016, Empty Atlas released its debut album, “Hestia.” The album was also the catalyst for creating the group’s permanent lineup.

Longtime friend and bassist Alex Ingram had just moved back to Jackson from Nashville; guitarist Brennan Michael White asked Smith about potentially joining at the album release show; and drummer Robert Currie Hansford had met the other musicians only a few weeks prior to that while playing with another band.

After one meeting to see if they would click, the outfit walked away having played through most of the new album and having written their first material together. By the end of December 2016, Empty Atlas was officially a four-piece act.

Listen to Empty Atlas now on all major music platforms.