HOLLOWKIN – Confessions & Failures EP

A new arrival on the metal scene in 2023, Bath based HollowKin have a sound that doesn’t pull any punches. They’re an impressively heavy unit, but unlike some of their would-be peers, they’re not just content with exploring a perfect metalcore sound, or driving forth with a world of thrash riffs which pay homage to their heroes and influences. The five tracks which make up their 2024 debut draw from a broad array of metallic fare, taking in intensive prog metal, groove metal and a pinch of doom and hardcore, along with a whole world of metalcore, creating something that’s sometimes familiar, but always without compromise.

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SLOWER – Rage And Ruin

Formed as a vehicle for playing Slayer classics at a doom metal tempo, Slower had the potential to be the greatest “novelty” band ever. They were smart, though: once you’d got past the amusement of hearing some of your favourite speed-oriented metal bangers played as funereal dirges, their debut album held up on its own merits. Fu Manchu man Bob Balch and members of Kylesa, Monolord and Year of The Cobra each bought their own unique talents to the project, and each of the tracks played out like the ultimate in classic doom and sludge fare. The result certainly wasn’t what Tom Araya had envisaged, but it was fantastic to hear a new twist on the classics.

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THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #72

Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual tracks that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This time around, we bring you a superb light indie track, a really intense slab of metal, an 80s star continuing to forge ahead with a solo career, and more besides. As always, the SB continues to mix future classics with the unexpected, and we hope you’ll find something new to enjoy…

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