Hollow Breed
Hollow Breed

August 2010
Released: 2010, HB Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Robert Williams

Formed in the winter of 2005, Hollow Breed is a four-piece heavy metal band hailing from Sweden. This past year in 2009, the band released their self titled nine-song debut CD.



"Through Fires" a modern and often melodic sounding mid-tempo number opens up Hollow Breed's album. The vocal approach of Björn Gottfridsson at times recalls Karl Kristoffer Göbel, the former singer for fellow Swedish metallers Falconer.



I wasn't expecting much going by the title of the second track "Shut Up" but what I was expecting to sound bratty and immature was a well thought out and structured, driving metal tune. "Born To Walk This Road" plays on dynamics, beginning with a clean guitar passage and building with intensity come chorus time. The backup vocals really complement Björn's vocals on this song and further showcase the band's futuristic sound.



"Ashes and Fire" demonstrate the heavier aspects of Hollow Breed's playing, with it's chugging riffs and pounding drums and a pretty memorable chorus. The vocal phrasing on "Ashes and Fire" reminding me a bit of classic Dokken, Don Dokken had/has a habit of maintaining a mellow mid-range approach no matter how aggressive the band's musical output becomes and in turn, so does Björn. "As I Speak My Lies" bears a bit of a Bay Area thrash influence in it's thematic riffing and closes out the disc in a punchy, bombastic fashion.



Hollow Breed are the kind of group I could foresee signing with Nuclear Blast or Century Media. Their blend of new school influences and album production demonstrate a band that is on the cutting edge of wherever commercial metal music may be headed for, for better or worse. I would expect this disc to garner Hollow Breed some well deserved attention and perhaps even some label offers.