Starting out as Wychbury Hill with Karl Stellar (vocals) Michael Truscott (guitar) Michael Hodgson (drums) and Theo Goslett (guitar/backing vocals) the guys disbanded in late 2012 but after honing their skills in the jam room writing and rehearsing new original material they were joined by John Hynes (bass) locked in the current line up and formed Hollow World. They are a melodic death metal band hailing out of Melbourne influenced by In Flames, Carcass, and Bloodbath as well as many others.
The 5 track EP Beneath The Frozen Sky is a brutal assault on the senses, very technical guitar work with a tone that many look for but can’t replicate, Personally, I love the drumming on this EP. Michael Hodgson in a bloody machine with the fills and double kicks pounding constantly with seeming very little effort, a definite stand out in my book, but joined with him is the bass playing to complete the rhythm section and Karl with the vocals from hell. Make Hollow World a finely tuned machine not to be taken lightly.
These boys know how death metal should be done and do a damned fine job; my only complaint – if any really – is only having 5 songs, I wanted more but I’m sure there are more jams being blasted out ready to be unleashed upon the ears of metalheads around Australia.
In saying that the 5 tracks released have been recorded and produced brilliantly, with care and time put in to make sure everything sounds the way they like, for me the stand-out track is Wychbury Hill obviously a reminder of where they started.
Hollow World has been fine-tuning their craft by playing in the venues around the county, sharing the stage with Frankenbok, Boris the Blade and Bleeding Through to name a few, these boys would definitely put on a great show, well worth supporting local talent.
At the time of this review Beneath the Frozen Sky is available for download free of charge which is very generous of the lads, wanting their music to be heard by as many as possible.
Hollow World: Facebook
Release Year: 2013
Label: self-released
Category: EP
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Adrian ‘Dren’ Barham
