Our Hollow, Our Home – ‘Burn in the Flood’

The UK has long since been known for being home to some of the strongest metalcore bands. From While She Sleeps, to Bring Me the Horizon, to Bury Tomorrow and everything in between, our little island seems to be able to do no wrong when it comes to this particular genre. 

Enter Our Hollow, Our Home. Now on their third studio album, this Southampton five-piece are finding themselves at the top of pretty much everyone’s lists of favourite metalcore bands, having made a strong name for themselves in the eight years since their inception, and this latest venture will surely only see them further cementing their position in the scene. 

‘Burn in the Flood’ is another example of them having mastered their art to near perfection, refusing to ease you in gently and instead kicking off the record with a guttural scream from Connor Hallisey among some delightfully synthy melodies. Drummer Nick Taliadoros is given ample moments to shine, with the first coming during ‘Failsafe’ where his rapidfire drumming is enough to kick your heart into an irregular beat. It’s during this track that we’re first able to really appreciate how well Hallisey and clean vocalist Tobias Young complement one another, Young providing the sweetest of melodies to offset the otherwise relentless roars. 

There are moments that are reminiscent of other, popular bands that sit in this metalcore community, and you shouldn’t be surprised to find yourself taken back to old school A Day to Remember at times, particularly with ‘In Retrospect’. where layers are added by subtly placing the screams beneath the clean vocals to add unexpected but welcome depth to the track. Aside from the music depth, is arguably the most emotionally deep pieces, too, with lines such as, “It does get easier with time but never goes away”, reminding you of the never ending heartbreak that comes with loss.

The sombre mood that’s created here eases slightly as we’re rocket launched into ‘Monarch’. If it catches you in the wrong mood, the screaming might feel unrelenting at times, but otherwise it acts as much needed catharsis – an outlet through which you can exert any pent up anger, taking the softer moments to reflect and breathe. 

If you do happen to need more time to take a break from the mayhem, however, ‘Better Daze’ is here to help. This more accessible track gives Young an opportunity to shine, although there are moments where his delivery comes across a little lacklustre – something that persists until the song’s breakdown a little further along. While this may leave you feeling a little disappointed, it will be short lived, as ‘Nerv’ kicks in and presents itself easily as the strongest track on the record, leaving you feeling nothing but satisfied as you’re led into the last few, ambitious minutes of the album.

This ambition is never as fearless as it is during ‘Blood’, which sees the band taking on rapping and combining it with a huge build up and anthemic undertones. It’s dizzying in its approach, and while you can’t deny it’s interesting, whether the combination of all of these elements works is yet to be determined. You’ll still be trying to figure it out as the album draws its final breath with ‘Seven Years (Shine a Light on Me)’ which, in contrast, is a powerfully introspective piece that works perfectly in every way. This self-critical piece is the perfect way to draw this record to a close, and is a strong enough song in its own right to push the questionable moments of the ‘Burn in the Flood’ to the back of your mind.

Ultimately, ‘Burn in the Flood’ is a little hit and miss. There are moments of sheer wonder, leaving little to be critiqued, but these moments are interspersed with perplexing experimentation that doesn’t always hit the mark. There’s no doubt that OHOH deserve the association with their fellow metalcore mates – their potential is limitless and their willingness to experiment, even if it doesn’t always pay off, will serve them well as they progress through their career. While they’re now three albums in, ‘Burn in the Flood’ is still only the beginning, and we’re excited to follow them all the way to the end.

YASMIN BROWN