Dear Hollow

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Goden – Vale of the Fallen Review

By Dear Hollow on May 16, 2024 in Reviews, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 11 comments

“New York City’s Goden embodies the spiritual successor of Winter, a quietly influential death/doom outfit who amassed a devoted cult following 1990’s acclaimed full-length Into Darkness and follow-up 1993 EP Eternal Frost. Original guitarist Stephen Flam and guest keyboardist Tony Pinnissi created the new chapter of Goden, 2020 debut Beyond Darkness (an homage to its parent act) ambushing fans and newcomers alike with mountainous riffs, frosty synths, and vicious vocals – virtually only held back by the act’s obsession with a billion synth interludes. With follow-up Vale of the Fallen, it becomes all the more crucial for Flam and company to continue its trajectory of success.” Winter is coming (back).

Black Tusk – The Way Forward Review

By Dear Hollow on May 14, 2024 in Reviews, Sludge Metal, 18 comments

“Black Tusk is one of those bands that are eternally 3.0, and I’ve always been completely content with that. My first experience with the Savannah, Georgia veterans was 2011’s Set the Dial, a veritable riff-fest of sludge to counter the swampy slogs I had only been acquainted with. In ways, the trio stood shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Mastodon and Baroness without the lofty ambition: you come for the sludge, you stay for the riffs.” Tusk and run.

Naxen – Descending Into a Deeper Darkness Review

By Dear Hollow on May 10, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, 30 comments

“Last we met Germany’s Naxen, we were deep in the swills of the pandemic lockdown here in the States. Released in June of 2020, debut full-length Towards the Tomb of Times was a solid black metal affair that I gleefully awarded a 3.5 but just never listened to again. Not that it was bad by any means, but it did not have the staying power I expected. The trio exists in the cross-section of black metal, adhering to hints of melodic black and death metal, but is pure unadulterated black metal.” Naxen, Naxoff.

Glassing – From the Other Side of the Mirror Review

By Dear Hollow on May 3, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Mathcore, Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, Sludge Metal, 97 comments

“No one does music quite like Austin’s Glassing. Nearly impossible to pigeonhole in its blend of jagged riffs and crystalline melodies, critics have conjured the likes of post-metal, post-black, post-rock, mathcore, shoegaze, sludge, noise rock, screamo, and post-hardcore to describe it – none ever quite sticking the landing.” Square pegs, round holes. FIGHT.

Big|Brave – A Chaos of Flowers Review

By Dear Hollow on May 3, 2024 in Reviews, Folk, Noise, 18 comments

“The Montreal trio has always offered what they coin “massive minimalism,” and A Chaos of Flowers represents its most minimalist offering. Big|Brave does away with earthshaking, mountainous compositions of drone riffs in favor of an evocative, simmering, and otherworldly experience.” Stop and kill the flowers.

Couch Slut – You Could Do It Tonight Review

By Dear Hollow on April 29, 2024 in Reviews, Noise Metal, Noise Rock, Sludge Metal, 24 comments

“Couch Slut does not concern itself with the prettier things in life. While the noise rock tag may be a dead giveaway, the unconvinced need only to look at the cover of the Brooklyn five-piece’s 2014 debut My Life as a Woman (not at work) to understand. The monotone theme is a spirit likewise captured in fourth full-length You Could Do It Tonight, displaying a humanity succumbing to vice, filth, and weed.” Couched in debauchery.

Ecr.Linf – Belluaires Review

By Dear Hollow on April 28, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, Post-Metal, 15 comments

“Post-black isn’t a style I would normally associate with themes of viscera or ritualism. Stereotypes and caricatures exist as Deafheaven school of thought, quite cheery affairs with sanguine post-rock melodies atop a foundation of distant blastbeats and shrieks. Ecr.Linf offers no such grace.” Grace and the hammer.

Blaze of Perdition – Upharsin Review

By Dear Hollow on April 26, 2024 in Reviews, Black Metal, 48 comments

“”Upharsin” is part of an Aramaic phrase seen in the Hebrew Bible, in which the words “mene, mene, tekel, upharsin” appear mysteriously upon the wall of the palace of King Belshazzar, which are interpreted by the prophet Daniel as foretelling the fall of Babylon and its dispersion to the Persians and the Medes. The rich religious undertone pervades the Polish Blaze of Perdition, not as a point of blasphemy but of portent.” Scripture written in blood.

ACxDC – G.O.A.T. Review

By Dear Hollow on April 24, 2024 in Reviews, Crust Punk, Death Metal, Powerviolence, 45 comments

“If you don’t know ACxDC, then what are you doing with your life? Like listening to actually good metal? Too bad for your sorry ass. The LA natives are back in black for their own highway to hell, and it’s too good to be true. For the woefully uninformed and uncultured, don’t even think alternate or direct current and Brian Johnson, you swine. It’s Antichrist Demoncore, and the peanut butter cup moniker of divine apathy is so sweet and gummy.” Vote for G.O.A.T..

Divided – Light Will Shine Review

By Dear Hollow on April 21, 2024 in Reviews, Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, 16 comments

“Throughout the tapestry of shimmering tones, weighty riffs, and desperate fry vocals in Light Will Shine, a common thread courses, of vulnerability and tension. Belgium’s Divided offers a style not unlike Glassing, Amenra, and Envy, with crystalline melodies colliding with unforgiving heaviness, with a distinctly unfriendly guitar harmonic approach. However, it professes a soundtrack for anxiety.” Unite through division.