The Pitch: St. Louis metalcore band Hollow (formerly Hollow Heart) release a djenty, catchy new full length album. FFO Architects, Parkway Drive, A Day To Remember
What I Like: The key word above is certainly "catchy." If you're not overly hardened by the extreme metal scene and are willing to still just have some fun with a little 'core comfort food, Home Is Not Where The Heart Is will have you singing along. From the bouncy guitar riffs and very Sam Carter screams to the more pop-punk clean singing and D-beat transitions, this is all carefully constructed to appeal to those in tune with their inner adolescent, right down to the Orgy-eque guitar leads on "Dis/connect" and eff the state of the world mentality. All of the performances are energetic, and even slower, moodier tracks like "Too Far Gone" mange to touch me in some way.
Critiques: So a few things here. For one, this is an album I've heard many times before. Right down to the pseudo-clever title, this is a very "safe" album. Furthermore, the lyrics, song titles, and clean singing can be a little cringy and I daresay "leftist" at times; though I'll admit my 16 year old self would have thought this was incredibly "woke" stuff. I do give them credit for at least singing on key. Also prepare yourself for a dubstep-y outro on "Dis/connect." No offense at all to the hard work these guys have put into creating this album. I just want to be 100% honest.
The Verdict: Honestly one of the few metalcore albums I have enjoyed so far this year. It's been very slim-pickins, in my opinion, when it comes to the genre in 2017. And while HINWTHI isn't earth-shattering or particularly original, I find myself continuing to come back for more. Black metal fans best turn around and walk the other way, but if you have that Underoath fan inside you like I do, give this thing a spin for sure. Get it Friday.
Flight's Fav's: Dis/connect, No Offense, The Wicked