Album Review: Hollow Bones – Lionheart

Ryan May 23, 2016 202 Comments 121 views 0 likes

Hardcore music, and more generically, heavy music is an interesting subject to discuss with people; especially those unfamiliar with the scene and its surroundings. There tends to be this stigma associated to the people who listen to it and even more so, to the people who create and perform it. What many don’t seem to realize is what this style of music tends to portray over more mainstream, accepted musical genres. While the music is heavy and many themes and messages are even heavier, as a listener it’s about knowing you aren’t alone and others struggle and go through the same things. This is an important aspect of what helps the listener connect to artists on a more personal level – and this exact thing is what New York melodic hardcore outfit Hollow Bones are portraying on their latest record, Lionheart.

[tw-toggle title=”About Hollow Bones”]
Genre: Melodic Hardcore
Label: Unsigned
Release: May 27, 2016
Connect: Facebook | Twitter
Purchase: BigCartel
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The album opens on the heavier side of the melodic hardcore spectrum with a brief intro track titled “Wandering Sparrow”. While full of typical hardcore-style tropes where consistent chugging and deep, brooding growls thrive, it offers a glimpse into the albums full offerings with its’ melodic and atmospherically driven instrumentation. This same approach carries over to the albums second track, “The November Diaries” which even hears guitarist Sharon Malfesi let it all out with her higher pitched growls that act as a nice counter to lead vocalist Patrick Anthonys deeper vocals. It’s the third track, “Lionheart, Execution” and it’s fully encompassing sound where the band starts to showcase the differences between their own sound in comparison to other bands that live under the hardcore umbrella. From the opening, more technical led guitar riff to the bouncy foundation riddled between the bassline and drum fills, there’s an undeniable difference in sound making it come across as more progressive and less hardcore in style.

Hollow Bones – DRYTOOTH

New single off the upcoming album “Lionheart” Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hollowbonesny On Bandcamp: http://hollowbonesny.bandcamp.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/HollowBones_hc And Tumblr: http://hollowbonesny.tumblr.com/ All music recorded by Randy Pasquarella Find him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/randy.pasquarella?fref=ts Music video shot and edited by Michael DeFilio Lyrics: Brother where have you gone? Why have you left me?

The aforementioned differences are where Hollow Bones truly make their living throughout the entirety of tracks that make up Lionheart; within the atmosphere they create sonically utilizing their innate ability to seamlessly blend a variety of influences and genre specific sounds together. Coupled with beautifully sung clean, powerful vocals interspersed throughout many of the tracks, the melodies and harmonies shine thru in a way many bands hope to achieve. Furthermore, the message conveyed throughout the album – one about loss and how people do or do not cope with it – is something that is relatable to a large number of people.

By utilizing a variety of influences that span multiple genres – post rock to jazz to post hardcore – Hollow Bones have produced a sound that stands out for its’ uniqueness and creativity in a genre that typically doesn’t deviate and stays stale. Add in a theme and message conveyed that is unfortunately entirely too identifiable for many people and the end result is a record that will take many by surprise, but end up earning a solidified spot in many libraries.