HOLLOW HAZE is an Italian band that returns with a brand new lineup and album. Following the release of the homonymous album HOLLOW HAZE went through some lineup changes and after the essential additions the band is ready to hit the stores with The Hanged Man.
The first thing I noticed as Easy Road opened the album was that it would be difficult to find a fitting label for their music. The songs are built around Ivan's vocals that come with an impressive range and a distinct timbre bringing to mind Joe Comeau from his days with ANNIHILATOR. The track is groovy with a melodic backbone that makes you hum the rhythm after the very first CD spins. Burnt Desire continues in the same pattern bearing an almost addictive groove while Coming Back finally gains some speed from the guitar based structure.
The keyboards play significant role in HOLLOW HAZE giving depth to the compositions and adding some melodic finishing touches. The Metal profile of The Hanged Man is enhanced through the down tuned distorted guitars that gently step on the Doom territory with mid tempos and hearty vibratoes like in Breathless or Lonely Dreamer. The highlight of the album is without any doubt the closing track Dark. This track is keyboard based and groovy while the female vocals play with an almost WEDNESDAY 13 atmosphere.
Generally, I admit that the album sounds interesting and fresh with some new ideas. Specifically, HOLLOW HAZE gave me the impression that they are still in search of their own musical identity. The songs have a compact structure but I think there are too many experimentations. I encourage you to visit their official website and their myspace page to listen some of their tracks.