Norse heavy metal band Hollow Peak released their debut LP Obsidian Cult on January 23, 2026. This album impressed me. It's very accessible to the average listener, for one thing. But it's much deeper than that. It's definitely a hard rock album in every sense of the word with heavy, pummeling drums, chugging guitars, and even some synths layered in the back of the track. The vocals here are also phenomenal. It sounds like something that would play on the radio here in America, mixed with the melodic driving force of power metal which is something Norway is pretty known for. The album has layers, and as those layers peel away, you're left with a fun, energetic listening experience from beginning to end. Songs like Euphoria and From Ashes Rises a Crown are two of the stand out tracks for me, and they begin the album. The vocals on these two songs especially is powerful, as are the guitar riffs which sweep you into the songs and don't let go. The leader singer's voice is great here as well, perfectly balanced with the heavy riffles rife throughout this entire record. Labyrinth is another standout track on the record. It begins with a bang; heavy, down tuned guitars roaring to life along with the heavy, frenetic drumming in the background. The melodic sound of the vocals soars over the instruments, and is almost an instrument itself.

Liberation is the most fun song on the album, featuring a perfectly balanced guitar and drum rhythmic beat which begins the album, before the vocals kick in and send you soaring. I can definitely picture bodies thrashing back and forth, dancing and moshing to this song. The most unexpected thing happened in this song too; right after the final chorus, a breakdown explodes, the guitar tune way downward, and the drums slow way down. It was the perfect insertion of such a thing that would cause so much destruction in a mosh pit at a live show. The album hasn't been as heavy up until this point, so that took me off guard.

Celest is a song off the album that gives me nostalgia for a much simpler time. The beginning beat of the drums reminds me of some of the early 2000s rock songs I grew up on, and that, coupled with the lyrics, gave me some bitter sweet memories. However this song is also very positive, about driving forward to your future, and how you decide what you make of the future. The meaning of the song is beautiful, as is the vocal performance which once again shines here; not to be overshadowed with the drums and the guitars, which create something special, something magical. This album was incredibly good, something I wasn't entirely expecting; part heavy, part melodic, part radio friendly, Obsidian Cult is going to catapult Hollow Peak into the stratosphere and I definitely can't wait to hear more from this band going forward.