Hollow Bodies

Hollow Bodies is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Blessthefall. It was released on August 20, 2013 through Fearless Records and produced by Joey Sturgis.[1][2] It is the third album to include lead singer Beau Bokan, second album to include rhythm guitarist, Elliott Gruenberg and the first to include the same members in consecutive albums.

This article is about the album. For the style of guitar, see semi-acoustic guitar.

Hollow Bodies
Studio album by
Blessthefall
ReleasedAugust 20, 2013 (2013-08-20)
GenreMetalcore
Length46:15
LabelFearless
ProducerJoey Sturgis
Blessthefall chronology
Awakening
(2011)		 Hollow Bodies
(2013)		 To Those Left Behind
(2015)
Singles from Hollow Bodies
  1. "You Wear a Crown But You're No King"
    Released: June 25, 2013
  2. "Déjà Vu"
    Released: July 30, 2013

The band announced the album on June 10, 2013 and published the album cover and track list.[3] On June 25 the song "You Wear a Crown But You're No King" was released as the first single.[4] A video of interviews with the band members in the studio was released on July 24 that also showed a preview of the second single "Déjà Vu" which was released on July 30.[5] On August 13, the entire album was streamed through Billboard.com.[6]

The album debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Hard Rock chart selling 21,888 copies in the first week, up over 10,000 from their previous release.[7] The album has sold 58,000 copies in the US as of August 2015.[8]

Background

In 2011, the band released their third album Awakening to mostly positive reviews and began numerous tours to support the album.[9] In late 2012, they revealed they had begun writing new music and were hoping to release their fourth studio album in mid to late 2013. It was announced on Twitter that Joey Sturgis would produce the album.[10] The band entered the studio in April 2013 and confirmed the album was complete on May 21.[11]

The band played at the Vans Warped Tour 2013 on the main stage for the first time and played the song "You Wear a Crown But You're No King" which was later released as a single on June 25, 2013.[12] On July 24, a studio update video was released which discussed the writing recording process. The band stated in short interviews that the album will be different than anything they've ever done; that the album takes on a much heavier mood and sound.[13]

The second single, "Déjà Vu", was streamed through altpress.com on July 29, 2013 and was officially released the following day.[14]

It was announced that Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil was working on a song with the band.[15] It was later revealed to be the track, "See You on the Outside" which was streamed through Hot Topic on August 8, 2013.[16]

On August 13, the entire album was streamed through Billboard's website, allowing fans to listen to the album before the official release date.[17]

Music and lyrics

Phil Freeman of Alternative Press wrote that "this is digitally crunchy modern metalcore" that contains "clean vocals" that "soar over beds of synth while hoarse spittle-flecked roars are bolstered by hammering, downturned guitar riffs." At HM, Anthony Bryant told that this "is another example of the group’s expert harmony of symphonicism and vicious instrumentals".[18] Andy Biddulph stated that blessthefall has "creat[ed] a perfect marriage of electronica and metalcore."[19] On the subject of lyricism, Freeman wrote that it "is overwrought but not embarrassingly so—the end of the relationship is compared to the collapse of an empire, but somehow it works."[20]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[21]
Alternative Press[20]
HM[18]
Music Connection7/10[22]
Outburn8/10[23]
Rock Sound9/10[19]

Hollow Bodies has received positive reception by music critics. At Alternative Press, Phil Freeman called it "an ambitious, impressive album."[20] Anthony Biddulph of Rock Sound affirmed that this album "isn't a simple step up, this is the album that will define their career."[19] At HM, Anthony Bryant wrote that "this album is a blistering example of why many have come to love Blessthefall and shows that, despite its hiccups, this group is still the undisputed ruler of the post-hardcore scene."[18] Nathaniel Lay of Outburn stated that the release "carries on their tradition of putting out exciting albums that are worthy of praise and recommendation."[23] At About.com, Chad Bowar called the album a "step forward".[21]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Exodus"5:28
2."You Wear a Crown But You're No King"3:43
3."Hollow Bodies"4:17
4."Déjà Vu"4:17
5."Buried in These Walls"3:46
6."See You on the Outside"4:14
7."Youngbloods" (featuring Jesse Barnett of Stick to Your Guns)2:56
8."Standing on the Ashes"3:12
9."Carry On" (featuring Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red)3:15
10."The Sound of Starting Over"4:08
11."Open Water" (featuring Lights)6:59
Total length:46:15

Personnel

Blessthefall

  • Beau Bokan – clean vocals, keyboards, piano, programming
  • Eric Lambert – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Elliott Gruenberg – rhythm guitar
  • Jared Warth – bass guitar, unclean vocals
  • Matt Traynor – drums, percussion

Other personnel

  • Vic Fuentes – co-writing on "See You on the Outside"
  • Jesse Barnett – guest vocals on "Youngbloods"
  • Jake Luhrs – guest vocals on "Carry On"
  • Lights – guest vocals on "Open Water"

Production

  • Joey Sturgis – production, mixing, mastering, programming
  • Nick Scott – engineering
  • Danielle Tunstall – artwork

Charts
Chart (2013) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[24] 15
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[25] 3
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[26] 2
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[27] 1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[28] 4
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References
  1. Kraus, Brian (April 6, 2013). "Blessthefall recording new album with Joey Sturgis". Altpress.com. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  2. "BLESSTHEFALL Reveals Album Artwork and Track Listing for New Album 'Hollow Bodies' « News «". Puregrainaudio.com. June 10, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  3. Whitt, Cassie (June 10, 2013). "Blessthefall announce new album, 'Hollow Bodies'". Altpress.com. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  4. "Blessthefall Premiere New Song, "You Wear a Crown But You're No King"". Revolver Magazine. June 25, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  5. Jonathan Barkan (July 24, 2013). "[Exclusive] Blessthefall 'Hollow Bodies' Studio Update". Retrieved August 9, 2013.
  6. "Blessthefall, 'Hollow Bodies': Exclusive Album Premiere". Billboard. October 22, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  7. Stagg, David. "Blessthefall's 'Hollow Bodies' tops Billboard Hard Rock chart". HM Magazine. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  8. "Upcoming Releases". Hits Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. Archived from the original on August 25, 2015.
  9. Grischow, Chad (October 11, 2011). "blessthefall: Awakening Review – Metalcore outfit's latest suffers from too much of a good thing". IGN. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  10. "Twitter / joeyismusic". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  11. "Twitter / blessthefall: We are done tracking album". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  12. Bird, Michele (June 25, 2013). "Blessthefall release "You Wear A Crown But You're No King" lyric video". Altpress.com. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  13. "Blessthefall post 'Hollow Bodies' studio update – Alternative Press". Altpress.com. July 25, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  14. "Song Premiere: Blessthefall, "Déjà Vu" - Alternative Press". Altpress.com. July 29, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  15. Ableson, Jon (August 20, 2009). "Vic Fuentes (Pierce The Veil) Collaboration w/ blessthefall?". Alter The Press!. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
  16. "STREAM: Blessthefall "See You On The Outside"". Infectious Magazine. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
  17. "Stream New Blessthefall Album". Billboard.
  18. Bryant, Anthony (August 13, 2013). "Blessthefall – Hollow Bodies". HM. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  19. Andy Biddulph. "Blessthefall – Hollow Bodies | Reviews | Rock Sound". Rocksound.tv. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  20. Freeman, Phil (2013). "blessthefall – Hollow Bodies". Alternative Press. Alternative Press Magazine, Inc. September 2013 (302): 83. ISSN 1065-1667. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  21. Bowar, Chad (August 20, 2013). "Blessthefall – Hollow Bodies Review". About.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  22. Album Review: Blessthefall – Hollow Bodies Aug 29. "Album Review: Blessthefall – Hollow Bodies". Musicconnection.com. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  23. Lay, Nathaniel (2013). "Blessthefall: Hollow Bodies (Fearless)". Outburn. Octavia Laird and Rodney Kusano. Nov/Dec 2013 (71): 61. ISSN 1542-1309. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  24. "Blessthefall Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  25. "Blessthefall Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  26. "Blessthefall Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  27. "Blessthefall Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  28. "Blessthefall Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
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