Chosen by Monk
The Belfast alt-rock groovers prove that there is nothing #Hollow about their musical endeavours, which take on an altogether darker timbre with this latest release:
Vocalist Ryan Adair delved deeper into the songs lyrics and message:
‘Hollow’ continues exploring the themes from our debut EP ‘Servitude‘, but it pushes into darker territory. Lyrically, the song is based on the Buddhist concept of Samsara’s Wheel, the cycle of suffering where birth, life, and death are all forms of pain.
That cycle plays out in the structures and institutions we’re forced to serve. Even in our so-called modern world, we’re still caught in systems that grind us down. Institutions that once offered meaning are decaying. We’re left disenfranchised, hollowed out, and searching for something that still resonates.
We’re tackling heavy subject matter like mental health, hopelessness, and that crushing sense of being trapped. One of the standout lines is “Make me of stone, let all that I know, weigh me down as I pass through this hollow.” It captures that desire to become numb, to let the weight of existence pull you under, and the emptiness of that surrender.
Bassist Ross Hunter added:
We wanted to capture those themes visually as well. The cover art reflects these layers. The structures appear solid on the periphery but are crumbling from within, with that nothingness at the centre. It’s a visual reflection of what the song explores, but we like when people find their own meaning in it.
Guitarist Dee Cleland continued:
Musically, we wanted to match that weight and atmosphere. The song began with Tool and Kyuss-inspired riffs, with the main verse and chorus taking shape early in the practice room. The weight of the music drove the lyrics. Later sections, including the heavier climaxes and rhythmic transitions, emerged organically from jam sessions, with Marty on drums and Ross on bass pushing the track into more intricate territory.
We wanted to balance contrast at every level, pairing dreamy, reverb-soaked passages with crushing, straight-ahead metal. It’s reflective and hazy at times, then punishing and direct the next. The song was written before Jamie joined, but his guitar work in the final recording adds noticeable layers. He filled the spaces between big chords with melodic runs and harmonies that gave the whole thing more depth.
When it came time to record, we worked with Neal Calderwood at Manor Park Studio. We’d worked with Neal before in previous bands and knew he could capture that mood. We even got to use some of his vintage gear, like old ’70s phaser pedals, which helped shape the song’s tone.
Finally, Ryan commented:
Live, it gives the set room to breathe. It’s an atmospheric moment where the crowd can just soak it in before we come back with the next wave.
And we can find out the veracity of that latter statement when Solothurn officially launch ‘Hollow’ at Voodoo, Belfast, alongside Uragh and SOMA, tomorrow (Saturday 11 October).
