Dear Hollow

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Extortionist – Stare into the Seething Wounds Review

By Dear Hollow on October 10, 2025 in Reviews, Deathcore, Metalcore, Nu Metal, 29 comments

“Although my love for metal has its origins in the -core movement, it’s largely passed me by in the years since. New artists come and go, and the next thing I know, my favorite metalcore songs were all released in 2015 or earlier. Extortionist is also one of those bands I neglected, but when I first heard them, I immediately clocked it was not The Contortionist. With no prog in sight, Extortionist is known for their blend of deathcore, metalcore, and nu-metal, which has me running for the Tums right away.” Nice core you got there. Be a shame if something…happened to it.

Author & Punisher – Nocturnal Birding Review

By Dear Hollow on October 7, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Drone, Electronic Metal, Industrial Metal, Noise, 37 comments

“Contrary to the plethora of one-man metal projects out there, Author & Punisher’s mastermind Tristan Shone, has always stayed on this side of innovative, consistently riding the line between apocalyptic/dystopian atmospheres and the heaviest electronics since Godflesh. Much like Igorrr’s Gautiere Serre, Shone’s genius has been just as much in song construction as instrument construction, having put his experience as a mechanical engineer to the configuration of his “drone machines” and “dub machines.” This skill has allowed Shone a flexibility in his compositions, with albums like Ursus Americanus and Beastland boasting formidable anthemic brutality, while the more subdued Melk en Honig and Krüller rely on sprawling atmospheres that feel as fiery as they are dense. Nocturnal Birding takes a unique concept and spins it for a trip down Riff Lane.” Punishment diaries.

Orbit Culture – Death Above Life Review

By Dear Hollow on October 3, 2025 in Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 60 comments

“Orbit Culture is a stellar band, so 2023’s Descent should have been an AOTY contender. An all-killer, no-filler blend of melodeath and thrash with a dark industrial edge sounds like a hodge-podge in the worst ways, but the Swedes have made it their brand with a fluidity that has defined them from the beginning. In this way, the quartet showed their songwriting prowess, with tracks like “Black Mountain” and “The Aisle of Fire” leading the charge in the death/thrash riffage that we’ve all come to know and love. But while the claustrophobic mix provided 2020’s Nija a bloodthirsty darkness, it made Descent impenetrable in its compressed muck – sinking it from formidable to forgettable.” From orbit to stuck in the mud.

Igorrr – Amen Review

By Dear Hollow on September 20, 2025 in Reviews, Avant-Garde, Black Metal, Death Metal, Electronic, Electronic Metal, 65 comments

“Igorrr’s fifth full-length Amen symbolizes a logical and natural progression – a refinement of what was hinted at in 2020’s already excellent Spirituality and Distortion. While retaining everything that makes the project absolutely batshit crazy, the addition of a full cast of musicians in 2017 has borne fruit in striking balance. Sonic architect Gautier Serre draws from the longstanding undercurrent of baroque and both twists it and lets it breathe, resulting in something liturgical, haunting, and organic. What Amen proves is that Igorrr remains one of the most unique and creative minds in both metal and electronic, while also refusing stagnation in continuous development and betterment.” Insanity and genius.

Wolves – Self-Titled Review

By Dear Hollow on September 17, 2025 in Reviews, Mathcore, Post-Metal, 26 comments

“Remember when hardcore was, like, hardcore? Wolves does. The generically named yet tongue-in-cheek UK hardcore gang makes antiestablishment music cool again, but not in the tired way. It’s not the noise-and-noise-only approach of early punk’s darlings Sex Pistols or Black Flag, but it ain’t pop-punk’s catchy anthem either. It’s jerky, jagged, unhinged, and doesn’t give a fuck about your feelings – it’s angular! But it’s also melodic, heartfelt, and overwhelmingly sincere.” There are two wolves inside you. This is one of them.

Proscription – Desolate Divine Review

By Dear Hollow on September 3, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, 31 comments

“Last we met Finland’s Proscription, an overwhelming amount of promise was almost as intense as their blackened death attack. While rerecorded songs from their 2017 demo such as “I, the Burning Son” and “Blessed Feast of Black Seth” singlehandedly tamed the experience with jarring simplicity and excessive repetition killing momentum, tracks like “Conduit” and “To Reveal the Word Without Words” were elite blackened death. The promise was insane, causing a bigger stir in the underground than the music itself. While Conduit was solid, Desolate Divine promises even bigger and better.” Stick to the proscript.

Signs of the Swarm – To Rid Myself of Truth Review

By Dear Hollow on August 26, 2025 in Reviews, Deathcore, Djent, 71 comments

“I think deathcore’s lack of respect in metal circles is due to its subservience to trends. Riding waves of what’s considered too brutal or not, the recent MySpace-style revival and the inevitable shadow of Will Ramos-fronted Lorna Shore have collided to emphasize relentless brutality and utter sonic depravity. Signs of the Swarm has been a victim of this more than most, riding the coattails of the trends rather than setting them, and while offering some of the most intense deathcore offerings within the realm of the “low and slow” template, there’s been nothing to convince naysayers to give their albums a listen. Will To Rid Myself of Truth be the tipping point?” Core samples.

Abhorrent Expanse – Enter the Misanthropocene Review

By Dear Hollow on August 18, 2025 in Reviews, Ambient Metal, Death Metal, Noise, 49 comments

“How experimental is too experimental? That’s the question Chicago’s Abhorrent Expanse posits. It’s clear from the title: Enter the Misanthropocene enters to play jazz and fuck shit up, and “Bitches Brew” is on its final notes. When the Lord of the Promo Pit designated the quartet as “death-drone,” I was intrigued and gobbled up rights. It was clear from the jump that Abhorrent Expanse was not the death metal act with a mammoth guitar tone I had hoped, but an improvisational free jazz quartet that decides to do extreme metal sometimes, with death metal, grindcore, and, yes, drone metal making short-lived appearances.” Expansive ambitions.

Beheaded – Għadam Review

By Dear Hollow on August 14, 2025 in Reviews, Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, 25 comments

“I’m not sure which is worse: to release terrible or forgettable albums. Unfortunately for Maltese death metal outfit Beheaded, it has been the latter for the vast majority of their career. Always releasing competent material but nothing that sticks, their tenure within these hallowed halls has been rife with mediocrity, both 2017’s Beast Incarnate and 2019’s Only Death Can Save You lauded acknowledged for sounding like brutal death metal by the inimitable Kronos – the definition of “mixed” territory.” Some heads are gonna bowl.

Psycho-Frame – Salvation Laughs in the Face of a Grieving Mother Review

By Dear Hollow on August 11, 2025 in Reviews, Deathcore, 52 comments

“Deathcore doesn’t give a shit. There was a moment when bands like Lorna Shore and Slaughter to Prevail attempted to make deathcore more accessible to other metal fans, incorporating blackened/symphonic textures or nu-metal influences. However terrible, solid, milquetoast, or well-intentioned you found it, that’s not the spirit of deathcore. Psycho-Frame has steadily been building a fanbase around their particularly unhinged take on deathcore with the release of 2023 EPs Remote God Seeker and Automatic Death Protocol, and we’re finally faced with a full-length debut: Salvation Laughs in the Face of a Grieving Mother.” Core with no apologies.