Formed in 2005, they set their local scene alight by playing a synth-driven technical mix of styles and genres difficult to define in a single word. The band's name was taken from the movie L.A. Confidential. They are known for their strong DIY ethic and chaotic live performances.
The band is currently signed to MNRK Heavy. They released two albums on Hassle Records: Hysterics (2008) and the Diplo-produced Cosmology (2010). After creating their own record label called Destination Moon in 2011, they released Eternal Youth, a compilation album of B-sides, remixes, and rarities from throughout their career, and their third album, 21012’s Astraea, with the first line-up change in their career. They then released two albums on Holy Roar records: Grievances (2015) and Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It (2018).
Their music has been difficult to classify simply because of the band's resistance to being identified with one single genre. Described as "like a polished chrome King Crimson for the 21st Century" they have typically been acknowledged as being mathcore, a tag which summarises the theoretical complexity of their music, such as odd time signatures like 9/8 and 13/8 and polyrhythmic drumming. They have been identified as "falling somewhere between grindcore, progressive and alternative rock and have been categorised as experimental rock, post-metal, post-hardcore, progressive hardcore, progressive rock and screamo. The band utilises two vocalists in their music, a quality which "immediately creates a rich and textured sonic world". Eva Spence's vocal style was acknowledged by Michael Wilson of the BBC as bi-polar; swapping between "fragile lullabies to blood-curdling scowls". Her singing voice is in a soprano vocal range and has been compared to the stylings of Alison Goldfrapp of Goldfrapp and Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins.
Their earlier work—such as Hysterics, Cosmology and their demos and extended plays—was known for its use of jazz breakdowns and swapping chaotically between explosive mathcore, calm atmospheric experimental music and acid jazz. Their music is also noted for sharing traits with Nintendocore in terms of chaos and sound for the use of 8-bit synthesizers. The compilation album Eternal Youth gave insight into their musical development from their 2005 demos to their latest b-side releases with Hassle records.
The band’s sound developed further into pop, ambient, shoegaze and space rock elements for their third album Astraea, and has been jokingly dubbed as cosmic-core. For one of the b-sides from the album—“Mezmerizer”—NME journalist Hamish MacBain classed it as a "space rock ballad". For the album, the band decided to base its name on the goddess of the same name, a reference to the Spence siblings’ admiration for Greek mythology and a desire to pick a title which made the album "sound big and like this proper body of work". The non-album single "Old Mystics" and the song from the album "The Scales of Balance" both make reference to the "Golden Age" declared by Astraea.
In contrast to the lighter tone developed on Astraea, their fourth album—Grievances—is frenetic and dark in its composition, utilising pianos and violins for a darker character.
Their fifth album, Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It— as described by James Spence—“continues in the vein of Grievances' darkness, but shouldn't be used to judge what all our new material sounds like."
The band's sixth album, Where Myth Becomes Memory, was released on 04 February 2022. Lyrically, it deals with "how the passage of time, miles on the road, bittersweet nostalgia and the inherent unreliability of human memory shape and reshape our experience of the art we make and the lives we live." Sonically, the music continues to "magnify the dynamic interplay between light and shade", moving from chaos to tranquility at the drop of a hat.
Current members:
Eva Korman – vocals (2005–present)
James Spence – vocals, synthesizer (2005–present)
Chris Cayford – guitar (2012–present)
Nathan Fairweather – bass guitar (2012–present)
Al Pott – drums (2018–present)
The Hollow Hour
Rolo Tomassi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The terrible and pure
What can be saved?
Preserved in hearts, keep it close
We believe we have control
But time is terminal
Cutting through, let it sting
For nothing more may lie here
Cherish this weight
It's all that remains
If we're to go on
Let it stay
It's so tragic
Let it sink in
It's so tragic
Let it sink in
It's so tragic
Let it sink in
I don't know how this is supposed to be
Conquered and confined in
Clutching to memory
I don't know how this is supposed to be
Conquered and confined in
Clutching to memory
It's played out in silence
It's haunting
Can you feel it?
Reminders are mirrored
Reflecting
Can you feel it?
It's played out in silence
It's haunting
Can you feel it?
Reminders are mirrored
Reflecting
Can you feel it?
What comes to pass, when we dissolve?
Ultimate darkness, playing out silently
In hollow hours, bring it to light
Life has meaning here
Balancing The Dark
Strike, illustrate
Cease, every moment grey
I concur
Retracting these splinters
Take, navigate
Disarm, in cycles
Crawl on
I concur
Retracting these splinters
Etched always
Lasting, reacting
In movements so permanent
I concur
Retracting these splinters
Etched always
Lasting, undying
A score unmarked
There is no way to compose the unchartered and unknown
The concept of a world without, the severity of it all
To comprehend the fragility
Lost in the harshness of endless
Cursed by what will embody
Lost in the harshness of endless
The cruelty of that which is cherished
The lyrics of Rolo Tomassi's song The Hollow Hour speak about the fragility of life and the inability of humans to control time, which is ultimately terminal. The line "If you knew what can cut through the terrible and pure, what can be saved?" is asking us about what can really be preserved from our experiences in life. The answer seems to be that all we can really carry with us is the weight of our experiences, as the singer says "Cherish this weight, it's all that remains, if we're to go on, let it stay". This implies that all our experiences, even the tragic ones, add weight to our lives and make us who we are.
The song also talks about the fear of the unknown, and the ways in which we try to cling to memories as a way of feeling like we have control over our lives. The line "I don't know how this is supposed to be, conquered and confined in, clutching to memory" is about the fear of not knowing what comes next, and the need to hold onto the past as a way of feeling secure. The song ends on a note that suggests we need to embrace the unknown, and find meaning in the present moment, even as we try to make sense of our past experiences.
Overall, The Hollow Hour is a powerful commentary on the human experience, touching on themes such as time, memory, and the meaning of life. The song challenges us to find value in our experiences, even the painful ones, and to be open to the unknown as we move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
If you knew what can cut through
What is the most effective way to process intense pain?
The terrible and pure
The unbearable pain of a loss that is untainted by any wrongdoing.
What can be saved?
What can we hold onto when everything is lost?
Preserved in hearts, keep it close
The only way to keep the memories of loved ones alive is by holding them in our hearts.
We believe we have control
We are under the illusion that we can control our lives.
But time is terminal
Death is inevitable, and time will always keep ticking.
The ache of our agony
The pain and suffering that we feel is overwhelming.
Cutting through, let it sting
We must let ourselves feel the intensity of our pain in order to process it.
For nothing more may lie here
There is nothing left to hold onto.
Cherish this weight
Hold onto the weight of the memories and the pain that comes with it.
It's all that remains
All that is left is the weight of the memories that we hold onto.
If we're to go on
If we are to keep living and functioning in this world.
Let it stay
Hold onto the weight of the memories and pain that come with them because it is all that we have left.
It's so tragic
It is heartbreaking and devastating.
Let it sink in
Let the weight of the reality of the situation hit you.
I don't know how this is supposed to be
I cannot comprehend how we are supposed to deal with this pain and loss.
Conquered and confined in
Completely overcome and restricted by the pain and suffering.
Clutching to memory
Desperately holding onto the memories we have left.
It's played out in silence
The pain and suffering are happening internally, not visible to the outside world.
It's haunting
The pain and suffering are relentless and always present.
Can you feel it?
Are you aware of the intensity of the pain and suffering?
Reminders are mirrored
The memories are reflecting back to us, reminding us of what we have lost.
Reflecting
Causing us to remember.
What comes to pass, when we dissolve?
What happens after we die?
Ultimate darkness, playing out silently
The unknown and the afterlife, which is very different to our current world.
In hollow hours, bring it to light
In moments of complete despair, there is some form of understanding and revelation.
Life has meaning here
In these moments of pain and suffering, we can find purpose and understanding.
Balancing The Dark
Finding a balance between pain and the reality of the unknown.
Strike, illustrate
Act quickly and effectively.
Cease, every moment grey
Stop the pain and find hope in the mundane aspects of life.
I concur
I agree.
Retracting these splinters
Removing the sources of pain and suffering.
Take, navigate
Find your way through the pain and suffering.
Disarm, in cycles
Remove the sources of pain in phases.
Crawl on
Keep going, even if it's difficult.
Etched always
Permanently engraved.
Lasting, reacting
Enduring, but with some form of response.
In movements so permanent
Actions that will have permanent consequences.
A score unmarked
An unknown and unknowable outcome.
There is no way to compose the unchartered and unknown
We cannot prepare ourselves for the future or the unknown.
The concept of a world without, the severity of it all
The idea of a world without our loved ones and the intensity of the pain and suffering that it brings.
To comprehend the fragility
To understand how easily life and everything we know can be taken away from us.
Lost in the harshness of endless
Completely consumed by the infinite pain and suffering.
Cursed by what will embody
Feeling tormented by the unknown and what will happen in the future.
The cruelty of that which is cherished
The pain that comes with losing something that was once so important and cherished.
Lyrics © Sentric Music
Written by: Chris Cayford, Tom Pitts, Eva Spence, Nathan Fairweather, James Spence
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind