Crown The Empire's "violet": One Name on the Board, From Production to Master
What's out
Crown The Empire released "violet" on Rise Records on Friday, October 30, with an official music video on the band's YouTube channel. Apple Music pairs it with "raw," the single they put out in June, under ℗ 2026 Rise Records, Inc.
Per Rise Records' release, the Los Angeles two-piece is fronted by Andy Leo with guitarist Brandon Hoover.
The band explained the song in the release: "‘violet’ illustrates a toxic relationship." They go on: "It's an obsessive, possessive kind of love rooted in the mentality of ‘if I can't have you, no one can.’" And: "It's about recognizing how dangerous that kind of love can become, but somehow still finding yourself drawn to the very thing that's destroying you."
Crown The Empire: "violet" (Official Music Video)
Behind the boards
Apple Music's credits for "violet" put a single name on the whole back end. Zach Jones is listed as producer, mixing engineer and mastering engineer.
The writing credits are wider. Apple lists Andrew Rockhold, Brandon Hoover and Brighton Asher as songwriters, and Zach Jones and Josh Strock as composers. The names differ by source. The release credits the frontman as Andy Leo, while Apple credits the vocals to Andrew Rockhold. The video's description lists "Andy Rockhold" and Brandon Hoover as talent, alongside Megan Guthrie.
Who made the video
The YouTube description credits B.K. Barone as director, with Vizionary as the production company and Evan McGillivray as producer. Doug Porter shot it as director of photography, and Dan Henig handled production design. The stills photographer is listed as sadswim, the same name the release gives for the press photo credit.
The sound, in the label's words
I'll leave the sound to the release. It describes "violet" as "Blending hard-hitting alternative rock with atmospheric electronic textures." It also says "raw" introduced the band's new sound "and what they call their final form."
The track record
The Resistance: Rise of the Runaways debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Hard Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts for the week of August 9, 2014. That July, the band won Breakthrough Band at the first Alternative Press Music Awards, per Alternative Press's list of winners. Per the release, they have toured with Slipknot, Pierce the Veil, Underoath, The Used and Asking Alexandria.
My read
One person producing, mixing and mastering is a choice. It means one set of ears carries the track from first idea to final level. For a band talking about a "final form," that kind of control makes sense on paper.
Dani Reyes, Behind the Boards. Credits check: Zach Jones on "violet."