Review: "Cloister of Radiance" by Hollow Corp.

Artist: Hollow Corp.
Title: Cloister of Radiance
Release Date: 9/30/2008

The term post-hardcore gets thrown around a lot these days, but there is a disconnect in the conventional wisdom on what actually constitutes a post-hardcore band or album. Some harken back to 90's acts like Dinosaur Jr. and Fugazi, others more readily identify Neurosis or Cult of Luna. Then, of course, there are the laughable emo-core panderers (eg: Vanna) who seek to disarm (read: deceive) their more testosterone-laden detractors by adopting the label as their own.

This being the case, the gents in French post-hardcore act Hollow Corp. might have to forgive any trepidation on the part of potential fans who read the decal on the front of the CD which reads "post-hardcore" and shudder at the idea of another whiny, post-pubescent she-male whining about his parents taking away his NES.

Never fear, ladies and gentlemen: This is the real deal and it is HEAVY AS SH*T.

"Cloister of Radiance" is an impressive, varied effort that drops like a sledge hammer with tracks like "Elevation" and "Sabbat", oscillates between the thicker, punishing meanderings of Mouth of the Architect with songs like "Inferno" and even engages in full-on Neurosis-worship with the nearly 12-minute "Peripherals." In fact, it would be fitting to describe their sound as a collection of shorter songs which personify some of Neurosis' more aggressive musical climaxes without all of the ambient build-up.

This isn't to say that Hollow Corp are a Neurosis clone by any stretch of the imagination, yet their sound is so massive that it almost escapes description. The bottom line here is that "Cloister of Radiance" is an immense, no-holds-barred, goosebump-inducing (in a good way), and musically complex album. This CD has to be heard to be believed. When bands put out sh*t this good, it makes life as a metalhead worth living.

Country: France
Label: Prosthetic
URL: www.myspace.com/hollowcorp