If you had to book a show for an audience of half-Pop fans and half-Metalheads with the promise that no one would walk out, it would seem like an impossible task. But book Welsh band Holding Absence for a show like this, and everyone’s jaws will be on the floor before the first song finishes.
Anyone with a soul would be entranced by the soaring melodies and atmospheric downpours this band has been consistently delivering – without fail or decrease in quality – for the past six years. With their third full-length album, The Noble Art Of Self-Destruction (SharpTone Records), the quartet continues their streak of top-tier, pure-passion art that turns the heads of even the harshest music critics.
Holding Absence never misses with their hard-hitting vocal hooks, and hoo boy, does Lucas Woodland ever put his whole heart into them. The singer has the voice of an angel, plain and simple – but also frequently turns up the heat with gritty belts and impassioned screams that could take anyone’s breath away. No matter what song you’re listening to, there is no question of whether it came from a place of utter sincerity and persevering ambition.
It’s difficult to pick out standout tracks when every single one is a masterpiece, so just know they’re all worth listening to (along with the band’s full discography). Lead single “A Crooked Melody” set high expectations with its chilling ambience and imminent dynamics, and the rest of the songs effortlessly hold up to this standard.
Kicking off the emotional ride with the distant melodic screams of “Head Prison Blues” could give anyone goosebumps right off the bat, like a warning about the heart-rending journey ahead. Stick around long enough to make it to the burning chants of “Death, Nonetheless”, and you’ll already be rightfully convinced that this is a no-skip record.
The impending piano shimmers, vocal lines and slow-building energy of closer “The Angel In The Marble” are reminiscent of their self-titled debut album closer “Wilt”, while still feeling like something new. What hits the hardest about it, though, is its chorus’s opening line, “Well I’m breaking myself down in dust again, trying my best to make a masterpiece in the end.” This line alone sums up the entirety of the record in the most tragically beautiful way, as you can feel through its entire run how genuine this lyric is – while also taking comfort in the fact that Woodland undoubtedly succeeded in making (another) masterpiece.
Now three albums deep into their career, Holding Absence remains one of the most underrated bands of their generation. Their massive sound has arena potential, and while I’m a lover of the small intimate venues the band plays today, more people deserve to hear what these guys have to offer. If they never get to the point of selling out stadiums, it’ll only be because they prioritize heartfelt emotion and moving lyrics over following trends for media stamps of approval.
The Noble Art Of Self-Destruction is clear-cut reassurance of that. The perfect package of authentic emotion, sheer talent, and artistic chemistry this band shares is truly something that cannot be matched. If you change one listening habit this year, do yourself a massive favor and ensure that it is to listen to Holding Absence.
Buy the album here:
10 / 10
COLLEEN KANOWSKY