Empire Bathtub – Looney Moons 3: Return of the Fuh King

Are you guys ready for the second most hyped trilogy after LOTR? The Looney Moons saga, it’s being finalized with “Looney Moons 3: Return of the Fuh King”. Empire Bathtub have prepared another dose of the silly, proggy musical adventures of Boss and T.A.R.S (Troll Ass Robot Unit) for you.

Let me start this review by saying, it took me three of these to figure out that the title is a play on Looney Tunes… Clever, but definitely flew over my Gen Z head. From the cover art (done by @swaptrap) you can see a familiar face returning – apparently, the Fuh King is alive. Well, half-alive, he’s a zombie now and onto our heroes, seeking revenge. Who will win the last battle? Who will tragically pass away swinging one last punch at Tool in their last moments? Have a listen and find out!

Something I noticed is that for this part there’s less narration, which on the one hand leaves more room for the listener’s imagination to create its own pictures based on the neat soundscapes, on the other hand the great narration is exactly what kept me invested in “2 Looney 2 Moons”. Compared to the previous one the story is shorter, more straightforward and the emphasis is on the action, so it makes sense to cut out the excess chatter. Musically it goes way heavier as well, matching the tension of a final boss battle.

Empire Bathtub – This Is Fine (click here if the video doesn’t play)

I can’t skip praising the Texan duo for the overall quality of the sound, it’s so crisp. The previous album was great too in that department, but I’ve got the opportunity to run the ultimate test with this one – listening on a crowded, old bus with cheap headphones I have in my pocket for emergencies. It was still enjoyable!

Empire Bathtub – Prepare for War (click here if the video doesn’t play)

All in all, I was genuinely excited to hear this album. It might not be the next classic on your list, but it’s a diverse and fun project that you can tell was made with a lot of love. That’s why coming back for the third part for me felt like visiting an old friend, listening to some fresh riffs and joking around for about an hour.

Tracklist:

1. The Final Prologue
2. Chapter One: Speaking Of The Dead
3. Chapter Two: This Is Fine
4. Chapter Three: Incoming Transmission
5. Chapter Four: Prepare For War
6. Chapter Five: Into The Breach
7. Chapter Six: Broken Beyond Repair
8. Chapter Seven: A Fuh King Tragedy
9. Chapter Eight: A Glimmer Of Hope
10. Chapter Nine: The Can
11. The End Of An Era