If you’ve ever wondered what it would sound like if Corey Glover of Living Colour had a love child with Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson, wonder no more. Just pick up a copy of American Hollow’s “Whisper Campaign“ and find out for yourself. Their style’s been labeled “thinking man’s metal” but I don’t really like the connotation. Partly because there’s a lot more to the band than just their metal elements, but mainly because I think metal blows. And American Hollow is a band that most certainly does not blow.
With lead singer Jameson (just Jameson) ably fronting a trio of talented musicians in Kyle Mullikin (guitar), Nathan Alan Gilbert (bass, keyboards) and Chronos (not his real name, drums) the band delivers a powerful debut album laced with progressive sensibilities and tracks that have “instant classic” written all over them. In other words, there ain’t a dud on it – and with the reality that even untouchables like the aforementioned Porcupine Tree record the occasional throwaway track, it tickles me to no end to tell you that.
The album’s lyrical content isn’t too shabby either, tackling issues as daunting and diverse as societal decay and political strife – but one of my personal favorites is the 13-minute epic about an alien invasion called “Prizards.” That frontman Jameson can move between such far ranging topics with ease and credibility is one of American Hollow’s greatest strengths, as is the band’s seemingly effortless ability to provide a hard-punching sonic backdrop to the lyrical themes.
Although the album title “Whisper Campaign” hints at a quiet, gradual emergence that eventually builds to a cacophonous clamor, this is one album that really deserves hollering about from the get-go.
(February 28, 2011)
Vince Font 