The Empire Hideous at the Red Party at Mercury Lounge

Myke Hideous

In New Jersey in 1988, Myke Hideous founded the gothic rock band The Empire Hideous, fronting the band, composing all its music, and conceiving its theatrical staging. The band quickly developed a regional buzz, not only for its music but also in part because select performances featured Hideous being whipped between songs, donning a crown of thorns, or inserting hypodermic needles into his flesh. After numerous personnel changes over its 10 years, the band split in 1998. Hideous moved on and fronted the Misfits as lead singer for three months, saving the band from cancelling its pre-booked South America and European tours. Upon his return to the states, Hideous formed his punk rock/goth-a-billy/death lounge band, SpySociety99, and sang lead for the Bronx Casket Co. In 2002, Hideous reformed the Empire Hideous with new musicians, with himself as the one original member. The Empire Hideous' fourth and most recent studio album is 2011's The Time Has Come.

The Empire Hideous made its return to the New York City stage, performing at the long-running monthly goth party known as the Red Party at Mercury Lounge. The new Empire Hideous focused entirely on music, foregoing its former shock rock tableaus. Hideous embraced dark lyrics and a rich, ominous vocal delivery, backed by a solidly rocking quartet (veteran Hideous guitarist Jeff Austin, guitarist Fred Haze, bassist Joe Rossi, and Hideous/SpySociety99 drummer Byron Barbieri) that played thick rhythms and hard beats. The interplay between Austin and Haze created a mysterious aura that permeated numerous songs, swirling ethereally above Hideous' deep vocals. With much of the dark music scene currently gravitating to synthesized music, hearing a gothic rock band perform live was refreshing.