Singled Out: The Unknown's Graveyard of Empires

By Editorial Staff | Published: Jun 30, 2026 12:25 PM EDT

Connecticut heavy metal band The Unknown just released their new single "Graveyard of Empires", which is the title track to their forthcoming album that arrives September 4th. To celebrate we asked Aamir Syed to tell us about the song. Here is the story:

For me, heavy metal was a gateway to so many other interests, especially history. Just listen to Iron Maiden. Through metal, I found myself diving into history, art, culture, and music from all over the world.

Years ago, my wife and I were watching the Netflix documentary series Turning Point. The final episode was called Graveyard of Empires. At the time, I wasn't writing music and I didn't even have a band, but the title immediately grabbed me. I remember thinking, "That would make an incredible song title. Maybe even an album title." In the documentary, the phrase was used in reference to Afghanistan, a country that countless nations have tried to occupy throughout history, often at great cost to themselves. The phrase was powerful, and it stuck with me.

The idea stayed in the back of my mind for years. Fast forward to the early days of The Unknown while we were working on our debut album, Vanishing Point. I don't know if other songwriters experience this, but once the creative floodgates open for me, I get overwhelmed with ideas. Even while finishing one album, I was already sketching out concepts for the next. Through all of that, I never forgot the phrase "Graveyard of Empires."

A few years later, as we started discussing our second album, I began thinking more deeply about what that title could actually mean. At first, the concept was rooted in the rise and fall of nations, but eventually it became something much broader. I became interested in the fall of ideas, the collapse of peace, and humanity's tendency to destroy what it creates. That theme can apply to history, politics, technology, and even artificial intelligence. I wanted the concept to remain somewhat ambiguous because I felt the underlying message was more important than any specific geopolitical event.

That's why if you read the lyrics to "Graveyard of Empires," you won't find direct references to Afghanistan. Matt and I talked about that early on and agreed that we didn't want the song tied to one place or one conflict. Instead, we focused on the recurring themes that appear throughout history: occupation, corruption, greed, and the loss of potential. The song isn't about conquerors. It's about what gets lost when people and nations are never given the chance to flourish.

Musically, I drew inspiration from another lifelong passion of mine: Middle Eastern and regional folk music. I've always loved the way Ritchie Blackmore incorporated exotic scales and melodies into hard rock, and that approach had a huge influence on me. I wanted to take some of those sounds and place them within the framework of a heavy metal song while still making it feel unmistakably like The Unknown.

The final result is one of the most unique songs we've written. It's heavy and groove-driven, but also atmospheric and dynamic. The song opens with a tense, almost sitar-like melody that creates a sense of urgency before dropping into a massive groove that feels almost Bonham-inspired in its weight and confidence. Combined with the lyrics, the music captures exactly what I envisioned all those years ago when I first heard the phrase "Graveyard of Empires" and thought, "One day, I need to turn that into a song."

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more here