Hollow Ground
2003 Demo

February 2004
Released: 2003, Independent
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Lord of the Wasteland

Hollow Ground is a hardcore act based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They are still relatively new as a band having formed in March 2003, but the musicians were pulled from other local acts First Strike and Stand Strong. The songs on this demo are incredibly short—only one track is over 2 minutes—but this is typical for this style of music. While not particularly original, the intensity and aggression in these songs is amazing. Angry lyrics are at the forefront, especially on the two best tracks, “Torn To Pieces” (“Our lives are fucked. There’s no more trust”) and “Ill Fate” (“You make me sick. Now you live under a rock, and who’s going to dig you out? NOT ME”). Hatebreed and other New York hardcore bands, like Biohazard, have clearly influenced Hollow Ground musically. The drums, though heavy on the snare (since this is a demo, perhaps this can be fixed in the final mix?), are certainly the dominant instrument on the CD. Some excellent double-bass is featured in “Ill Fate” and again on “Save Your Breath.”



Hollow Ground isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, but they pay homage to their hardcore and metal influences on this demo. It’s only 12 minutes long but you’ll spend it snapping your neck and thrashing around!



MP3s are available at http://www.hcxmp3.com/bands/250