As music becomes more and more fragmented with different genres fused together and passed off as something “new”, it’s rather refreshing that there are bands such as Hollow Souls taking a more direct approach to music. A three-piece band who deal in a blues-based brand of rock, this crew have delighted festival crowds this summer and are set to do the same to clubs when they take to the road later this month. As a precursor to their UK jaunt they unleash an eponymously-titled debut EP, featuring six tracks that sparkle and fizz and signpost great things.
Opening in a joyful manner with a gospel-inspired a cappella, Hollow Souls gets straight down to business with ‘Borderline’, a hard hitting number that throws it’s considerable weight around like a bear drunk on honey. Aided by a full production, ‘Borderline’ (and, indeed, the whole EP) swings with wrecking ball force and finds the band planting their flag firmly in rock’s fertile terra firma. Hollow Souls’ cup is overflowing with confidence; this is the sound of a band who know they’re onto a good thing and are operating as such. Of course, having Jared James Nichols making a guest appearance on this cut doesn’t hurt proceedings and the whole thing explodes with unbridled effervescence. Jared is one of four guest spots on these half dozen songs, and while this could easily have resulted in an uneven affair as of Chris Tapp (The Cold Stares) and John Harvey (Monster Truck) impart their personalities on these tunes, yet the band’s core sound is so strong that it creates a central pull around which everything else revolves.
Formed by long term collaborators Kris Barras and Josiah J Manning, Hollow Souls’ (not so) secret weapon is vocalist Phoebe Jane. With vocal cords that have seemingly been marinated in bourbon, Phoebe adds a sultry, smoky edge to songs such as ‘I Need The Fire’. However, it would be unfair to single out any one band member; Hollow Souls are very much the sum of their parts who come together to create a rich, textured sound. As with many bands who operate with reduced numbers they create songs that are far bigger than their individual parts. But Hollows Souls prove themselves as versatile beast with final cut ‘Chasing Ghosts’ being a balm sent to soothe our souls after the proceeding storm and ensures that Hollow Souls is a well rounded affair.
At just six tracks in twenty minutes Hollow Souls is a fairly brief affair, but true to the old adage it’ll leave you hungry for more. And I can’t wait for the next course.
- Hollow Souls is released on 10th October 2025.
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Track List:
- Borderline
- Bad Things
- I Need The Fire
- Burn It To The Ground
- Shotgun
- Chasing Ghosts
