Band: Molassess
Album: Through the Hollow
Label: Season of Mist
Style: Progressive/Psychedelic Hard Rock
Release Date: 10/16/2020
Through the Hollow came out almost a month ago (as of this writing) and all of this time I’ve been contemplating a review of it, but to be honest, this record is a tough nut to crack. There’s no question about whether it’s any good or not, or whether is deserves your time and attention. It most certainly is and it most certainly does. The main problem is that the more I listen, the more it grows on me, and the more I want to talk about it. If I let loose everything I want to say, this would turn into a long essay rather than a pithy review. So what follows is my attempt to bottle my observations and also review this powerful new record.
Molasses formed out of the ashes of the mighty The Devil’s Blood. They keep all the progressive and occult tendencies of that singular band but lose some of the crunchy heaviness. That’s not to say this album doesn’t rock, because it does, it just doesn’t riff your face off. The thing is, like I said up above, there is so much to unpack here. Each listen reveals new layers. Not just with the instrumental segments, but also with the lyrics and amazing vocals of singer Farida Lemouchi. This woman possesses one of the most powerful voices ever unleashed on this planet. Her vocals are at once ethereal, tough, full of mystery, pain, revelation, and triumph. I cannot stress enough how astonishing Farida truly is, and also how each successive listen uncovers newer depths to this magnetic reality. You catch subtle inflections that you might have missed before, shadings and emotions that don’t come through on a first listen. And as much as this is true about Farida, it’s also equally true about the music that surrounds her. The guitars, the bass, the drums, they all envelope her, wrapping her inside a cocoon of cosmic alchemy. Each song drifts and blazes at once, standing out as singular and yet irreparably part of a greater whole. It’s almost like a novel the way it plays out, the songs individual chapters that resonate with their own magic but also working together to create something greater. This is a band that weaves a series of spells within a grander spell. Each song surges and ebbs and rises yet again. Psychedelic, progressive, heavy, philosophical…all of these things are valid descriptors, but the band also never forget the melody and the punch. What is remarkable that, regardless of its complexities, this album is first and foremost pure ear candy. Like me, you’ll listen to this and think, “Yeah, it’s good, but nothing outstanding.” But then a day later you’ll find yourself drawn back to it. And then again, and again, until it’s all you want to listen to. Notice that, unlike other reviews, I have not highlighted single tracks or compositions. I just can’t in this case. This is something that must be experienced as a whole. In other words, put out the lights, slide on a pair of good headphones, and crank it up.
It's been something like five years since The Devil’s Blood ended, five years since its guiding light and brother to Farida, Selim Lemouchi, passed. This band carries on his legacy, but also imprint their own, unique personalities into the vinyl. His shadow doesn’t haunt this record so much as give its blessings to it. Through the Hollow is a first step in a new and magical journey, and it is a magnificent debut. Album of the year contender, no doubt.
The Wizard Has Spoken!
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