Strych9Hollow- For Whats To Come

Post #190

In late 2011, Strych9Hollow released their recent EP, For Whats To Come, as the follow-up to their debut, Dying for a Dream, and when it comes to melodic hardcore metal, these guys have picked up right where they left off. The 5 songs collected on For Whats To Come again showcase a talented collection of heavy riffs, melodic guitar passages, brutal blast-beat drumming, and a well balanced mix of melodic and hardcore vocals. All-in-all a potent microcosm of the essence of the melodic metalcore subgenre.

This release is every bit as good as their debut, if not as long, but what's more is the overall recording quality seems a bit improved. The songs, as they roll out of your speakers, seem crisper, sharper, heavier, and louder. S9H developed a distinct sound on their 1st album, and For Whats To Come holds true to their core sound. Track for track, this EP seems to raise the bar for Strych9Hollow. Each song seems a more perfect blend of the brutal and the beautiful.

Here's my annotated break-down of each track on For Whats To Come:
-Vital Illusion (This song fades in with melodic guitar, soon joined by blast-beat drums, heavy rhythmic riffs, and clean-vocals from singer Wit Kolo. From there the song ebbs and flows back and forth between hardcore-screams and melodic elements both vocally and instrumentally.)
-Bleed to Live (Overall a little heavier and harder than the first track, though still a well-balanced number. Sounds like it could easily be a Killswitch song.)
-Ruins (Great, catchy riffs drive this song. Another hardcore number, though the choruses become melodic.)
-Day 1824 (Picks up right after the previous song closes. If you're listening casually, you might miss the transition. Specifically, this is my favorite track on this EP. Mostly because this is the final product of the riff that was teased way back on post #98, where I shared a youtube video that featured S9H guitarist Jackie Bergjans jamming in-studio with the band. Having played the heck out of this video, it was gratifying to finally treat my ears to the final version of this song.)
-Relentless Regret (Just when you think this song is more of the same-ole'-same-ole', Strych9Hollow break it down with some melodic guitar parts, accompanied by electric guitar leads that are so dark, and mesmerizing, I find myself thinking back to the first time I ever heard 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' by Metallica. This song is critical for S9H, as it is the best example of their versatility yet!)

"In regret we are truly alone, without a light to guide us home..."


http://www.myspace.com/strych9hollow