Hollow Ground creates some sick and funky riffs with the introductory salvo from their new EP. This sound builds off of the work of acts like Alice in Chains and Corrosion of Conformity, with the tremenedous arrangements that comprise the album tattooing themselves deep into the psyche of anyone listening in. The anguished vocals that kick in after the first minute of A Way Forward provide additional credence for the legitimacy of these riffs. The band’s ability to take on a number of different time signatures provides additional replay value for this EP.
This One’s For Harri ties together the Deftones, Coal Chamber, and The Eels and freshens up the sound to allow Hollow Ground the ability to hang with acts like Avenged Sevenfold and Five Finger Death Punch. The guitar and drum dynamic that is crafted during this track showcases a different side to Hollow Ground, while the slightly more laid-back sound of the composition vis-à-vis A Way Forward will appease fans of 311 and the mid-90s California sound.
My Trendkill is one of the longest tracks on this EP, and this extend run time is essential listening for anyone that wishes to hear a distinctly different side of the band. The use of light and dark, delicate and heavy gives me hope that the band’s next full length will be able to build off of the considerable amount of styles that are broached here. This self-titled EP ends with Stranger, a more introspective and brooding cut that that looks toward Nirvana, Blur, and Bush; the raw power and emotion of the vocals are bolstered through meaty guitar licks and punctual drum lines. Check this EP out.
Top Tracks: This One’s For Harri, A Way Forward
Rating: 8.7/10
Hollow Ground – Hollow Ground EP Review / 2014 Self / 4 Tracks / https://hollowgroundmusic.bandcamp.com / https://www.facebook.com/HollowGroundMusic