As we’ve all known for a while now, this will be the curtain call for beloved Southampton metalcore band Our Hollow, Our Home. After all bar guitarist and clean vocalist Tobias Young left, he recruited a new bunch of guys to carry on the legacy but it then appears before the albums even dropped that’s turned out to not be the case.
Makes “Burial Season” what it is, his addictive melodic vocals, with the guitar licks over the top with some battering drum lines, this was the song that peaked the interest first. “Veil Walker” gets my first props to the bands new and last screamer Gaz King (formerly of From Sorrow To Serenity) and the djenty show case just seals the deal, the metaphorical cherry on top if you will. I think if I was pressed to pick a favourite it would be “Funeral Verse”, there’s tis old school retro metalcore vibe, then that ridiculously emotive chorus struck and it was a heart skipping a beat on my end, striking twice when the breakdown rings out, beyond tasty. “The Worst in Me” gets a well deserved second props given to Gaz as he gets to really showcase what he can do, which in contrast to the surprisingly less epic melody of the chorus makes it the draw.Title track “Hope & Hell” feels like a really retro track, like Atreyu back in the day with the marching drum rolls and little licks, not as powerful as some of the others but still a great showcase. “//In Reflection” is a semi acoustic, soothing and solemn 5 minutes, this song felt like a true stamp of this being the end, of it all.
There is always going to be questions from me, no offence to any of the new guys who stepped up and in, but what would this have sounded like with the full original line up? I can’t help really that I adored Connor Hallisey’s screams can I, I’m absolutely gutted that these guys have called it a day. I’ve got so many shirts, seen them many times, they never disappointed me. This Album may not be them at their ‘peak’, no that will definitely be the Burn In The Flood era, but it’s an extremely fitting send off, rest in peace guys, thanks for the memories.
