Album Review: Ghost Hollow - Examinations of the Heart
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
Whilst listening to this latest release from Ghost Hollow, I have found my head and body swaying, moving, rocking and going a bit mad in equal measure. The 7 new songs, have something about them, and showcase the bands unique take on several genres, as they incorporate elements of black metal, death metal and hardcore alongside their imperious sludge metal sound.
“Examinations of the Heart” begins with the ear-splitting noise of “Formless Apparitions” with the relentless drumming of Mason Gills coming to the fore. It’s a formidable sound mixed with delicate bass lines from Carter Bradley as they begin their journey exploring “themes of anguish, introspection and catharsis”.
The trio from Fayetteville, Arkansas aren’t messing about with these songs, and they leave you feeling depressed yet excited about what’s to come next. The music is overwhelming and potent in equal parts, with “Unspoken” leading you astray with its more atmospheric and gentle beginning, but slowly you can feel the life being squeezed out of you, as they take a firm grip with some gruelling riffs from Sabin Hice.
I enjoyed the twin vocal aspect of their performance, with both Hice and Bradley taking turns to up the intensity with their harmonies. On “Imperfect Portrayal” we hear more oppressive noise with black metal drumming and it’s easy to see why fans will be swarming all over this release. They create raw emotion with their music and on “Lay Down the Sword” they hit the nail firmly on the head, with my favourite song on the album. It’s all gruesome sludge power, full of intensity, and a slow riff that makes me feel cold all over, before they turn things up a few levels and explode into life. With the tempo changes, it really is a very impressive song.
“Intercessor” continues along similar lines, with the drums leading from the front, yet it feels inherently more evil, which can only be a good thing. Again, the bass line is given free reign it seems and will resonate with lots of people. “The Profane Throne” has a cacophonous start before the melody hits and you are under their spell once again. The final act is the title track, “Examinations of the Heart” which, for the trio, drags on a bit, as it’s just over 6 minutes long, but it summarises the band perfectly, as it shows them at their best, combining all the honed talents into one melting pot of blackened sludge, that will turn heads when it’s released.
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