Empty Chair Anthem

Alt-rock / punk ballad with driving mid-tempo drums, gritty palm-muted guitars, and a bassline that stays tense through the verses; verse one is close and raw, pre-chorus opens up with gang shouts and rising toms, chorus hits hard with shouted doubles and a simple sing-back hook, bridge drops to voice and lone guitar before the final chorus comes back bigger. Close-mic lead vocal, cracked and intimate in verses, ragged yell on hooks, with delay throws on key lines and a wide, punchy mix.