HollowHecatomb - HollowHecatomb (2014)

Its strange to think that as popular as black metal has become these days, there's still always someone, somewhere out there that prefers the solitary freedom of creating this dark art at their own unhurried ease and with their sole artistic visions. Fortunately, Hollowhecatomb hasn't released thirteen demos (or some other absurd amount of releases) since the bands foundation in early 2013, nor does the band adhere to many of the other typical characteristics associated with black metal solo projects. Bereave such notions. In fact, with the bands mastermind, JM Sundown, having a rich musical background, quite a bit is on the platter for his debut self-titled album.

The Truth Was Within The Maelstrom kicks off the album in a grinding to mid-paced fashion, amongst ugly rehearsal styled production and throaty screams, this first song carries a total schizoid feeling rather than anything stereotypically black metal (i.e. evil), while, Ghost Sighted In The Grove, is a hysterical instrumental that instantly brings many of Ildjarn's solo jams to mind. A Poem For The Hangman opens with a sample before diving headlong into utter pandemonium, with devastating drum assaults and manic screams aplenty, whereas, Two Tokens In The Cauldron opens with various percussive sounds as it eventually progresses to a calamitous nightmarish piece of total filth; perhaps describable as drone/noise/black metal.

Cockroaches Spewing From The Smokestacks blasts relentlessly with an underlining harsh industrial quality, while the narrative-ish grumbly spoken vocals are amongst the albums most challenging, while, The Fallacy Of The Lunatic's Tower, has both its blasting black metal parts initially, but the bulk of the song is doomier, with a tale of a king's rise and fall being told through the lyrics, as the music becomes speedier and deranged, it reaches an experimental point by its conclusion. Blinded Feral From The Island Of Eyes is another instrumental that moves between bludgeoning fast paces, to slower speeds and by its near end a sort of noise/ambient percussion thing that I can't even explain (consider that a good thing). Illuminating The Empyreal Enigma Within Andromeda closes out the album as a fourteen minute dirge that could only be described as just total agony from its first bleeding moment onwards to its discordant noisy end.

Hollowhecatomb is by no means a typical solo black metal offering; from the odd lyrics to the rehearsal, although rather organic and "live" production, and the pace and variety of music that's on display and intermingled, its surely more than just another poor schlub writing bullshit in his bedroom while pretending Satan is real. No, this album feels and plays out differently, suddenly the twisted face on the cover comes to life and breaths a part of its demented inner self into you as you journey through the album. Its by no means a journey you'll "get" on the first spin, but repetitive spins will reveal itself and even something you missed previously.

Having been self-released, the album is currently available as a pro-done CDr in a jewelcase, with a four panel booklet for a mere $7, and limited to just a 100 copies. As you can imagine, I recommend it. Do so here; Facebook & Bandcamp.