Blessthefall

Hollow Bodies

Blessthefall’s fourth full-length studio record, Hollow Bodies, is another example of the group’s expert harmony of symphonicism and vicious instrumentals, and though the album isn’t an example of anything incredibly new, it is a perfect culmination of everything the group has learned in its 10 years as a band.

The album starts out with the heavy/symphonic blend the band is known for on the track “Exodus,” and really sets the pace for the rest of the record. From there, the album continues the blend with the first single, “You Where A Crown But You’re No King,” which combines the guttural vocals of Jared Warth and the soft pitch of frontman Beau Bokan. The band is also known for its tear jerking ballads, and this album is no exception with the exquisitely placed “Buried In These Walls.” One note about the album is that by the end of the sixth track, “See You On The Outside,” you feel like you’ve ridden the emotional roller coaster albums are supposed to be. It feels almost as if the last four tracks could have been their own EP.

The only other issue was repetition. The problem with the post-hardcore, Metalcore and Deathcore genres is that sometimes, when listening to an entire album, it can be hard to pick out any specific songs by names or numbers because they all sound the same. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule, and this album certainly has differentiations, but there are still moments where the songs jumble together. This is most evident with three tracks, “Youngbloods,” “Standing On The Ashes,” and “Carry On,” where, though the flow is good, the build of the three songs is a little too similar.

Overall, this album is a blistering example of why many have come to love Blessthefall and shows that, despite its hiccups, this group is still the undisputed ruler of the post-hardcore scene. This album is recommended for fans of The Devil Wears Prada and I See Stars.