Photo by Sarah Kim
Celebrated British guitar phenom, Ben Poole, is pleased to announce the release of his new single “Empty” released on Friday July 31st via Gypsy Soul Records. The single is available on all streaming platforms HERE.
Watch the official “Empty” lyric music video on YouTube HERE.
“Empty” is the second single taken from Poole’s forthcoming album Post-Midnight Behaviour– his first studio album of brand-new material in eight years, following 2018’s critically acclaimed Anytime You Need Me. Rooted in blues rock, the new album also sees Poole explore new musical territory.
Released Friday September 25, 2026, the new album is available to pre-order on CD and vinyl HEREand to pre-save digitally HERE.
“Empty was one of the first songs we wrote for this new album and really helped shape the direction we took going forward with the songs from that point,” says Poole. “I wanted there to be a mix of darkness and light throughout as I’ve always valued dynamics both emotionally and musically in music.”
“I honestly feel this is one of the strongest songs I’ve ever written. We poured so much time, care, and energy into every detail, musically and lyrically, and I can’t wait for people to hear it. I really hope listeners feel the passion behind it and connect with it on a much deeper emotional level.”
Poole also reflects on the writing and recording process of the emotionally compelling new single, “Empty.”
“I’ve always loved that rush you get when a song lifts from minor to major, and it was exciting to really push that idea in ‘Empty.’ The verses sit in this solemn, emotionally heavy E minor sequence before everything opens with a dramatic dynamic and musical shift as that huge E major chord kicks off the chorus.”
“I employed a similar approach on an older song of mine, ‘Hanging in the Balance,’ but this time I wanted to make the lift even more powerful by landing the first note of the vocal melody on a major third. It’s also a thrill to play with that contrast in the guitar solo, and I already know this is going to be one of my favourite moments to perform live on the upcoming album release tour.”
“I used my Gibson Les Paul on most of the rhythm guitars and in the guitar solo. I really love the dynamics you can get with a Les Paul when switching between fingerstyle and with a plectrum. It can be smooth to aggressive depending on the approach and the technique. We used a Volt amplifier on this one, and a key pedal in the solo sound was my Fuzzrite by Mosrite which is an incredible vintage Fuzz pedal from the 1960s.”
Venturing into broader musical landscapes, Ben embraces a more laid-back sound shaped by subtle rock grooves and hooks that flare like shooting stars. Expressive without excess and memorable without distraction, it leaves a deep impression without ever overwhelming the listener. In short, it is the perfect soundtrack for Post-Midnight Behaviour.
“I wanted this album to showcase my evolution as guitarist and singer songwriter,” says Ben.“For several years, I have performed over 150 shows a year across more than 20 countries. My guitar style and technique have developed, my singing voice has matured, and my influences have varied. The new album is a journey that combines Blues, Rock, Soul, Country, and Alternative Rock. I still get to let loose on the guitar, but within a more subdued and reflective manner. Ambiance inspired the name of the album, Post-Midnight Behaviour.”
“I have released a few live albums in recent years. They are much quicker and a time stamp on where you are at that moment. I took my time over the new album so that it would be super-realized in every aspect. My writing team and I really pushed ourselves. We dug deep to make sure the songwriting was of the highest quality, and the arrangements were carefully structured and perfectly executed. My fans are going to really like what we have created. It was well worth the wait!”
TRACK LISTING
1. No Second Chances (5:42)
2. Empty (5:57)
3. Time Has No Mercy (3:36)
4. Living On Repeat (Buried in the Background) (4:13)
5. Summer Haze (4:40)
6. Runaway Souls – featuring Elles Bailey (4:22)
7. Searching (5:30)
8. Nothing To You (3:50)
9. Start Of The End (5:26)
10. Runaway Souls – featuring Elles Bailey (Radio Version) (4:12)
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Wayne Proctor, Oli Brown and Ben Poole
Recorded at House of Tone Mix Suite & Superfly Studios, Nottinghamshire, UK
Mixed and mastered by Wayne Proctor at House of Tone Mix Suite, UK
“Runaway Souls” (Radio Version) mixed & edited by Ross Hayes-Citrullo at RHC Music, Toronto, Canada
All songs co-written by Ben Poole, Oli Brown, Wayne Proctor, and Steve Amadeo
THE MUSICIANS
Ben Poole – Guitars, Vocals
Wayne Proctor – Drums
Oli Brown – Backing Vocals, Moog
Steve Amadeo – Bass
Bennett Holland – Hammond Organ, Piano, Wurlitzer, Rhodes
Elles Bailey – Guest vocals on “Runaway Souls”
ALBUM TRACK BY TRACK
1. NO SECOND CHANCES
A dark, layered opener that sets the tone for the album. Driven by power chords and raw emotion, it follows a man walking away from a relationship that cannot be saved.
“I’ve tried to understand what you’re searching for.
While caught in the battleground of your internal war.”
It builds steadily to one of Ben’s signature guitar solos.
2. EMPTY
Subtle and sultry, this groove creates an evocative backdrop for a man confronting emptiness and fading memory. From that sense of helplessness comes a striking chorus.
“Dive into the deep unknown.
Here I go again, falling further out of the view.
Shadows that I hide within.
Here I go again, forever caught in the black and the blue.”
It rises to another of Ben’s melodic, standout guitar solos.
3. TIME HAS NO MERCY
Hard-edged and urgent, this track is about seizing the moment, believing in yourself, and proving your worth.
“There’s no need to take the easy way out.
Head back into the fire again.
Stand tall and kick back.
Time has no mercy for you.”
It’s the kind of song made for long overnight drives on empty roads when you’re racing toward whatever waits ahead.
4. LIVING ON REPEAT (BURIED IN THE BACKGROUND)
It opens with dark, fuzzy bass and surges forward on jagged, heavy guitar riffs. The song becomes a metaphor for breaking chains, resisting inertia, and forcing a way out.
“I cut and cauterize to see if I can feel this.
I’ll count the days till I’m no longer displaced.
I don’t want this taking over I’m done drifting.”
Fragmented and unsettling, it rejects a clear verse-chorus structure in favour of a single driving impulse: to escape and survive.
5. SUMMER HAZE
With shimmering pop textures and bright, glinting guitars, Summer Haze initially feels light and carefree. But beneath the surface, it tells a wistful story of fleeting love reduced to memory.
“The sun’s gone down, the tide is out.
It’s all lost in the summer haze where I once knew you.”
6. RUNAWAY SOULS (FEATURING ELLES BAILEY)
Elles Bailey delivers a guest vocal that is the very definition of rock and soul. Over a backdrop of driving guitars and thunderous drums, she sings of leaving it all behind, chasing something greater, and living without regret.
“We won’t be told we’re good for nothing.
We’re gonna be long gone.
This town won’t swallow us whole.
Kick up the dust, we’re runaway souls.”
As ever, Bailey is full of surprises and utterly uncompromising. A phenomenal performance.
7. SEARCHING
It’s 4 a.m. and sleep is a distant prospect. Few songs capture those lonely, restless hours better than this melodic, languid, and beautifully understated piece of rock. Beneath its laid-back groove lies an existential reflection on the pull of the past and the uncertainty of the road ahead.
“We’ve been searching for a way out of everything that’s come before.
I know we can’t keep holding on to nothing.
We have to believe there’s something more.”
At its heart, this is a song about hope and finding the courage to keep moving forward when the destination remains unclear. You may never find exactly what you’re searching for, but you’ll be changed for the better by the journey itself. Thoughtful, poignant, and deeply affecting.
8. NOTHING TO YOU
For those about to rock around the clock, we salute you. This irresistible slab of groove-laden rock, driven by a snaking guitar line and an infectious rhythm, is the perfect companion for the small hours when fatigue is setting in but sleep remains out of reach. Yet beneath the swagger lies a tale of longing and frustration; of wanting something that remains stubbornly unattainable.
“Keep refusing, I’m reaching the end here.
However I try, can’t keep giving it all when I’m still nothing to you.”
The object of desire may mean nothing to the singer in the end, but this song could mean everything to anyone looking for a soundtrack to those long, lonely hours. Effortlessly cool, relentlessly catchy, and impossible to resist.
9. START OF THE END
“Hijacked maniacs, emotional amnesiacs.
I see the cracks tearing our lives apart again.
It’s time to face whatever we’ve been running from.”
A desperate cry from the point of no return. Yet for all its darkness, this is a song of monumental uplift and renewal. Emerging from the wreckage of regret and denial, it embraces the moment when the first light finally breaks after a long night of the soul.
As the sun rises, pure melody and power-anthem guitars provide the perfect accompaniment, transforming despair into defiance and uncertainty into hope. And then comes that chorus—soaring, life-affirming, and utterly irresistible. What a way to greet the solar miracle that has captivated humankind since the dawn of time. Exhilarating, redemptive, and unforgettable.
BEN POOLE 2026 UK TOUR – TICKETS AVAILBLE FROM https://benpooleband.com/live
Kinross, The Green Hotel
Saturday October 31
Tickets
Glasgow, Nice ‘N’ Sleazys
Sunday November 1
Tickets
Newcastle, The Cluny
Monday November 2
Tickets
Coulsdon, The Tuesday Night Music Club
Tuesday November 3
Tickets
Oxford, The Bullingdon
Wednesday, November 4
Tickets
Frome, Tree House
Thursday November 5
Tickets
Swansea, Sin City
Friday November 6
Tickets
Winchester, The Railway Inn
Saturday November 7
Tickets
Brighton, Komedia
Sunday November 8
Tickets
Tunbridge Wells, The Forum
Wednesday November 11
Tickets
London, Half Moon Putney
Thursday November 12
Tickets
Luton, Bear Club
Friday November 13
Tickets
Barnoldswick, Music and Arts Centre
Sunday November 15
Tickets
Leicester, The International
Tuesday November 17
Tickets
Camberley, Login Lounge
Wednesday November 18
Tickets
Chester, The Live Rooms
Thursday November 19
Tickets
Dudley, Lamp Tavern Live
Friday November 20
Tickets
Leamington Spa, Temperance
Saturday November 21
Tickets
ABOUT BEN POOLEBen Poole is an internationally acclaimed force in blues rock. Recognised by multiple publications as one of the world’s leading blues guitarists, he has been cited by Guitar World alongside artists including Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray and Joe Bonamassa.
He has also been named among the world’s top 15 blues guitarists by Total Guitar and Music Radar.
Ben has appeared on the covers of numerous magazines and earned praise from guitar greats including Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Richie Kotzen, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Philip Sayce. He is widely regarded as one of the standout artists on the international blues-rock circuit.
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