Holding Absence

Holding Absence are a rock band from Cardiff, Wales formed in 2015. The group consists of lead vocalist Lucas Woodland, guitarist Scott Carey, bassist James Joseph and drummer Ashley Green.

Holding Absence
OriginCardiff, Wales
Genres
Years active2015–present
Labels
Websiteholdingabsence.com
Members
  • James Joseph
  • Ashley Green
  • Lucas Woodland
  • Scott Carey
Past members
  • Zac Vernon
  • Giorgio Cantarutti
  • Feisal El-Khazragi
  • Chris Smitheram

The band released an initial collection of singles in 2017, as well as a split EP with Loathe in 2018, before finally releasing their debut record, Holding Absence, in 2019. They are signed with SharpTone Records.

History

2015–2018: Formation, singles and the This Is As One EP

The band initially formed in 2015 fronted by current Parting Gift vocalist Zac Vernon. However, he soon parted ways with the band[2] leaving the door open to current vocalist Lucas Woodland. Upon Lucas joining the band in 2016, Holding Absence released their debut single and video for "Permanent".[3] The band would soon go on to follow up the release of "Permanent" with their contrasting single "Dream Of Me", gaining the attention of US-based record label "Sharptone Records".[2]

In 2017, the band signed with SharpTone Records, with a physical release of the double-A side single Permanent/Dream of Me.[4] The following few months were spent touring the UK alongside several bands, including Blood Youth and We Are The Ocean, before eventually performing at the prestigious Download Festival in Donington.[5]

Soon after Download, the band released their third single "Penance". A 6-minute long track about "the journey towards happiness".[6] Before the year was out, the band toured the UK again supporting Young Guns,[7] and soon after released their fourth single "Heaven Knows".[8]

Before the end of the year, Holding Absence announced a surprise split EP with label mates Loathe, as well as dropping their 5th single "Saint Cecilia".[9] "This Is As One" dropped in March 2018, accompanied by a unique co-headline tour with the two bands. According to Woodland, "the split came about both at a stage in our careers where we could have benefited from releasing music, but also we wanted to do something a little different".[10] This tour was Holding Absence's first foray into European territory and on the UK leg the bands opted to hand-pick the support acts for each date, including artists such as Sleep Token, Modern Error and Parting Gift.[11]

2018–2019: Line-up changes and the release of Holding Absence

Soon after returning from the "This Is As One" tour, founding member and guitarist Feisal El-Khazragi left the band,[12] it was later announced that he had joined Loathe on bass duties.[13]

A new-look Holding Absence (including future guitarists Scott Carey and Chris Smitheram) made their first live appearances at Slam Dunk Festival,[14] before jetting off to Europe again, this time to support Being As An Ocean.[15] The band went on to win the Cardiff Music Award for "Best Breakthrough Band",[16] as well as being nominated at the Heavy Music awards for the "Best UK Breakthrough Band".[17] After finishing the summer by playing sporadic UK festivals Holding Absence went on to close the year off with their biggest tour yet supporting fellow UK Post-Hardcore band As It Is, alongside Trash Boat and Courage My Love.[10]

In support of this tour, Holding Absence released "Like A Shadow",[18] the first single off the, at the time, unannounced debut album. After the uncertainty with the band's line-up earlier in the year, Like A Shadow was seen as a reintroduction to the band and their new line-up.[19]

Later in the year, Holding Absence announced their debut, self-titled record would be released on 8 March 2019.[20] They released 3 more singles before the album release, Perish,[21] You Are Everything[22] and Monochrome.[23]

Woodland mentions in several interviews how hard the song-writing process was. In regards to El-Khazragi's leaving the band he said that the "line-up change happened not just mid-album, but mid-recording" and how the band "were left having to write and record another half of the album" without him.[24] The record was also recorded in two parts, which caused the band further complications while trying to get it finished. Woodland believes that the changes benefitted the record in the end, as tracks like "Wilt", "Monochrome" and "Like A Shadow" wouldn't have existed if the band remained in its original form.[25]

Holding Absence was finally released via Sharptone Records on 8 March and was instantly received well critically and commercially.[26] Kerrang gave it 4K's stating that the album was a "brilliantly told tale of love and life, and a superb example of how to stretch the limits of what Post-Hardcore can achieve.",[27] as well as giving the album a 9/10, Dead Press expressed, though a long-time coming, Holding Absence "prove[d] that art cannot be rushed, relinquishing a stellar debut that bares the human soul, emotion, and conviction in abundance"[28]

In aid of the record release, Holding Absence started touring, playing some of their biggest UK shows to date, joined by Luke Rainsford and The Nightmares.[29] Holding Absence spent the remainder of the year touring Europe with Being As An Ocean and Counterparts in the summer, before returning again alongside Sleeping With Sirens in the winter.

Members

Timeline

Discography
Holding Absence discography
Studio albums1
EPs1
Singles9

Albums
Title Album details
Holding Absence[30]
  • Released: 8 March 2019
  • Label: SharpTone, Nuclear Blast
  • Format: Music download, CD and Vinyl

EPs
Title Album details
This Is As One[30]
  • Released: 16 February 2018
  • Label: SharpTone, Nuclear Blast
  • Format: Music download and Vinyl
  • Notes: Split EP with Loathe

Singles
Title Year Album
‘’Immerse’’ 2016 Non-Album Single
‘’Luna’’ 2016 Non-Album Single
"Permanent/Dream of Me"[31] 2017 Non-Album Single
"Penance"[32]
"Heaven Knows"[33]
"Saint Cecilia" [34] 2017 This Is As One
"Like A Shadow"[35] 2019 Holding Absence
"Perish"[36]
"You Are Everything"[37]
"Monochrome"[38]
"Gravity" 2020 Non-Album Single
"Birdcage"
gollark: With actual operators, not CC's `bit.band` and whatnot.
gollark: It's slightly incompatible in some ways, but mostly similar.
gollark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box-drawing_character
gollark: Unicode box drawing characters could do it.
gollark: You used a *dangerous explosive reactor* on a server?!

References
  1. Hofer, Tess. "NEWS: Holding Absence confirm special London gig for December 2019!". Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  2. "INTERVIEW: Holding Absence (07/05/2017) | DEAD PRESS! | It's more than "just music" to us". www.deadpress.co.uk.
  3. "VIDEO: Holding Absence – Permanent | DEAD PRESS! | It's more than "just music" to us". www.deadpress.co.uk.
  4. "Sharptone Records sign Cardiff heavyweights Holding Absence—watch their new video – News – Alternative Press". Alternative Press. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  5. "Interview: Holding Absence". 17 March 2017.
  6. "Holding Absence discuss their new track, 'Penance'". www.punktastic.com.
  7. "Holding Absence and Beyond Recall to support Young Guns on UK tour". www.punktastic.com.
  8. "HOLDING ABSENCE BRING YOU 'HEAVEN KNOWS'". SharpTone Records. 27 September 2017.
  9. "LOATHE & HOLDING ABSENCE PRESENT: THIS IS AS ONE". SharpTone Records. 5 December 2017.
  10. "INTERVIEW: Holding Absence (27/05/2018) | DEAD PRESS! | It's more than "just music" to us". www.deadpress.co.uk.
  11. "INTERVIEW: Lucas Woodland + Erik Bickerstaffe – Holding Absence / Loathe". 29 March 2018.
  12. "Holding Absence". www.facebook.com.
  13. "NEWS: Loathe enlist Feisal El-Khazragi (ex-Holding Absence) as new bassist! | DEAD PRESS! | It's more than "just music" to us". www.deadpress.co.uk.
  14. "10 Photos Of Holding Absence Tearing Up The Rock Sound Breakout Stage At Slam Dunk North – Photos". Rock Sound Magazine.
  15. "Holding Absence to support BEING AS AN OCEAN! | FrontView Magazine".
  16. "The Cardiff Music Awards 2018 in Pictures – native.fm". www.native.fm.
  17. "LOATHE & HOLDING ABSENCE NOMINATED FOR HEAVY MUSIC AWARDS UK!". SharpTone Records. 27 April 2018.
  18. "HOLDING ABSENCE RELEASE 'LIKE A SHADOW' VIDEO". SharpTone Records. 20 November 2018.
  19. Sievers, Alex. "Holding Absence Move 'Like A Shadow' On Newest Single". Killyourstereo.com.
  20. "Holding Absence Have Announced The Details Of Their Debut Album – News". Rock Sound Magazine.
  21. "HOLDING ABSENCE RELEASE MUSIC VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE 'PERISH'". SharpTone Records. 11 January 2019.
  22. "HOLDING ABSENCE RELEASE MUSIC VIDEO 'YOU ARE EVERYTHING'". SharpTone Records. 15 February 2019.
  23. "HOLDING ABSENCE RELEASE 'MONOCHROME' MUSIC VIDEO". SharpTone Records. 1 March 2019.
  24. "MUSIC INTERVIEW: Holding Absence". 6 March 2019.
  25. "INTERVIEW: Holding Absence (27/03/2019) | DEAD PRESS! | It's more than "just music" to us". www.deadpress.co.uk.
  26. "iTunesCharts.net: 'Holding Absence' by Holding Absence (British Albums iTunes Chart)". www.itunescharts.net.
  27. "Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com.
  28. "ALBUM REVIEW: Holding Absence – Holding Absence | DEAD PRESS! | It's more than "just music" to us". www.deadpress.co.uk.
  29. "HOLDING ABSENCE Announce March UK Tour Opener And Partnership With 'Safe Gigs For Women'". Down The Front Media.
  30. "This Is as One – Holding Absence, Loathe | Release Info | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  31. "TRACK REVIEW: Permanent/Dream Of Me – Holding Absence – Distorted Sound Magazine". Distorted Sound Magazine. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  32. "VIDEO: Holding Absence – Penance". DEAD PRESS! | Alternative music news, reviews, interviews and more!. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  33. "VIDEO: Holding Absence – Heaven Knows". DEAD PRESS! | Alternative music news, reviews, interviews and more!. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  34. "Holding Absence – Saint Cecilia (Track Of The Day, 12th December)". Depth Magazine. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  35. Peterson, Courtney (21 November 2018). "Holding Absence 'Like A Shadow' – Turned Up Louder". Turn It Up Louder. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  36. "Holding Absence – Perish (New Music)". Depth Magazine. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  37. "Holding Absence release new music video for 'You Are Everything'". Distorted Sound Magazine. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  38. "Holding Absence unveil Monochrome music video from debut album". RUSHONROCK. 3 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
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