Hollow-Mordrake

Published: Absolute Underground #58 June/July 2014

HOLLOW is a symphonic black metal or melodic death metal band(depends who you ask) hailing from Montreal. They've been around since 2009 and been through the dissappearance and death of a founding member. Music kept them together and they soildered on through shows and the making of an EP. They are ready to release a full length album now. This whole album has been recorded straight off the floor with no triggers or digital tricks in hopes of it having a more early nineties feel and sound.
As soon as the first song starts you get the cradle of filth vibe off of it. keyboard and vocal wise the influence is pretty easy to hear in the first two songs. By the third song "a new life" the melodic death elements start to show with the vocals getting more growly. After that the songs start to progress into a mix of the two styles. a keyboard intro playing into melodic deathy guitar riffing and growls. "Sunriser" has a good aggressive feel to it with gutteral vocals and a fast but heavy pace straiht through. As this album goes on it leans more towards the death and melody with symphonics being used a little less. But this ties in with the more clean vocal and choir interludes. And as much as there's less keyboard you get little bits of piano here and there.
If I had just heard the first song of this release I would have thought it was just another cradle of filth song. Throughout the album the band did progress though and diversify so every song didn't end up sounding the same. Adding more layers and elements to the latter songs with shared vocal duties and solo and piano work. If you like your black metal raw and your death brutal this might not be your thing. On the other end if you like keyboards mixed in with a little choir and COF or Dimmu brogir from the 1997-2004 era check this out for sure.


Michael F. Carnage

http://www.hollowofficial.com/