Hollowstar – S/T
I’ve been looking
forward to receiving this album for a while now. I’ve seen some clips of them
appearing at a friends venue ‘dahn sarf’, The Rock Den in Hatfield. Check it
out, its great.
Anyway after the
clips were posted I stumped up for one of the many bundles on offer, I was (am)
that confident in their ability to deliver the goods. Hollowstar cite the likes
of Black Stone Cherry, Thunder and Slash as influences. They formed in 2014 in
the metal hotbed town of St.Ives in Cambridgeshire. Not so much of a hot bed,
more like a warming plate. 2017 saw them release their debit EP ‘Some Things
Matter’. They have built a burgeoning following due to this EP and some serious
graft and getting support slots with the likes of Stone Broken, Toseland, Dan
Reed Network and Graham Bonnet, and many more!
Straight out of
the box Hollowstar are onto something rather special. ‘Take it All’ is built
around a stonking, and spine tingling riff and you’re hoping for it to punch
you right between the eyes and ears, and does so by the bucketload. It’s a big, fat sound that belies its cost I
suspect. ‘Let You Down’ is a bit less powerful, bit still provides ‘oomph’ and
bang for your buck. ‘Invincible’ sees the twin guitar attack of Haines and
Collett in full swing, and it delivers. ‘Think Of Me’ falls into an Alter
Bridge / Bad Company groove, if Paul Rodgers fronted AB! ‘Money’ is about the
guitar sound more than the vocals and is very Red Sun Rising. ‘All I Gotta Say’
is getting on for its birthday, and was an excellent choice for whetting the
appetite for this album. Its got a cracking chorus, and has riffs as thunderous
as Thor’s Led Zep tribute band, Hammer Of The Gods!
‘Good Man Gone’ is
more classic rock old school brigade, and shows their love of 70s rock when
Coverdale was king, Blackmore had hair, and Keith Moon lost his no claims
driving his Rolls into a swimming pool. ‘Overrated’ is built on a riff that
many have used before, and Hollowstar make it work here, especially as it builds
to a high-octane guitar solo. ‘Down By The Water’ is a ‘big’ song and shows off
Joe Bonson’s vocals. Its quickly onto the last track ‘Sinner’, a full on track
that is a perfect way to finish off the album.
I'm guessing these
guys don’t have a shit load of money, so its full testament to whoever produced this,
as it sounds as if its had someone like Martin Birch at the helm. Its not a long
album for album sake, the lads have gone for quality over quantity. Hollowstar are one of
the best new(ish) UK bands I’ve heard in quite some time. It may not be long
before newer bands are citing Hollowstar as their influences.
There are a lot of
wannabees currently out there, all trying to be another Rival Sons, or Led Zep,
Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc. These guys have the potential to be the real deal. It's an impressive debut. As Diamond Dave would put it, these guys have
‘Car-asma’
Catch these guys
live in May, when these songs will really come to life. And before the venues
sell out!
Score 27 out of 33
1/3 (8/10 for purists!)
Tracklisting
Take It All
Let You Down
Invincible
Think Of Me
Money
All I Gotta Say
Good Man Gone
Overrated
Down By The Water
Sinner
Hollowstar are
Joe Bonson –
Vocals / Bass
Phil Haines –
Guitar / Backing Vocals
Tom Collett –
Guitar
Jack Bonson -
Drums
Excellent
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