‘…embraces the changes that the band have most recently faced, and the result is a resoundingly triumphant evolution…’
Holding Absence have always been a band to take change in their stride. Forming back in 2015, the Cardiff post-hardcore outfit have welcomed and bid farewell to numerous members, from original vocalist Zac Vernon, to lead guitarist Feisal El-Khazragi, a name some may recognise now as the bassist for Loathe. A solid four-piece line up was established midway through the recording of their debut record, and this assembly of individuals would produce a trilogy of releases that improved with each outing.
Following their incredible 2023 record, ‘The Noble Art of Self Destruction’, the sky seemed to be the limit for this band, emerging just as wave-mates Sleep Token and Loathe had before them into the wider alternative consciousness. Another major change would arrive in 2024, however, with the departure of founding drummer Ashley Green. Not only had they accomplished a contained trilogy of records, but they were now a three-piece with none of the founding members involved; it was unclear how Holding Absence would move forwards, and in what form.
The band re-emerged this year with the announcement of their fourth record, ‘Modern Life Is Lonely’, and released a handful of singles that demonstrated that the band had, once more, not shied away from change, with a greater emphasis on electronics accompanied by sleek pop approach. Doubts of the greater project, however, were difficult to assuage; what had made Holding Absence’s sound so compelling was how organic it all felt, and one could not help but worry that these electronic elements would transform Holding Absence into nothing more than a generic Octanecore band.
It now feels perhaps disrespectful to have ever doubted this band at all; whilst not quite reaching the incredible heights of their previous outing, Holding Absence’s latest record is a marvellous reimagining of what they are capable of. All of those singles that had prompted concern felt far more alive and enjoyable within the scope of the record, and the deep cuts only improve matters even further.
Themes of distance, disassociation, and disaffection with the modern world unfurl in a landscape of digital sounds, with the band’s highly emotive sound glitching and glittering with innumerable effects. Lead singles ‘Whisper of a Dream’ and ‘Reflection’ sit alongside tracks such as ‘Like A Shadow’ and ‘Beyond Belief’ in the Holding Absence canon, with a direct pop-punk approach that places emphasis on hugely infectious choruses. ‘Lucid Love’ pushes the boundaries even further, with the snappy drum machine beats and chipmunked vocals approaching ideas from bubblegum pop.
‘Take Me With You’ borrows a lo-fi pop aesthetic, as vocalist Lucas Woodland offers a deceptively impressive, subdued vocal performance atop of a deeply atmospheric backdrop. ‘Scorched Earth’ offers a degree of bombast that one might anticipate from a band like Muse, with up-tempo post-hardcore frenzy giving way to moody synths that cruise forth alongside a swaggering, hypnotic beat. Even with all of the technological theatrics, Holding Absence ensure that the organic elements that have made them so beloved remain just as important; Benjamin Elliot and Scott Carey offer some of the band’s heaviest bass and guitar work to date, whilst Woodland demonstrates better control over his immensely powerful vocals than ever before.
This new-found formula reaches its apex with both the title track and the closing track. ‘Modern Life Is Lonely’ flirts with lo-fi pop and breakbeat ideas, as Woodland contemplates the cost of having the entire world at his fingertips. The track’s climax takes the band into the heaviest territory they have explored since their earliest days, as the pop veneer dissolves into pure metalcore aggression, Carey offering simply outrageous screamed vocals that work beautifully in tandem with Woodland’s soaring melancholy.
Holding Absence records are famed for their phenomenal closing tracks, and ‘Kyoto Snow’ continues this trend. A bold, cinematic conclusion to this album that wraps up all of its sonic ideas perfectly, birdsong flutters next to pulsing synths, whilst immense choruses crash down upon the listener as Woodland sings of a love that transcends this mortal form. The track’s climax is a magnificent eruption of everything that makes Holding Absence so beloved, Woodland belting unbelievable notes as guitars rage with effervescent power.
To have ever doubted Holding Absence now seems frankly foolish; ‘Modern Life Is Lonely’ embraces the changes that the band have most recently faced, and the result is a resoundingly triumphant evolution that befits a band of their growing size. The world may be an uncertain place, but the future of this band has never looked brighter.
RATING: 83/100
For Fans Of: Dayseeker, Bring Me The Horizon, PRESIDENT, Periphery
Physical copies of the record are available to purchase to here.
Follow the band on social media below:
Leave a Reply