The Mariana Hollow – Velvet Black Sky

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Self-Released
Produced by Danny Russell

Having released their debut as a relatively unknown group of musicians (guitarist Danny Russell being the most identifiable due to his involvement with Season’s End), the debut album by The Mariana Hollow was critically welcomed but also an album that showed a band in the midst of a learning curve. Coma Heart was incredibly graceful but also at times difficult to translate into the live environment.

The songs that make up its long-awaited sequel Velvet Black Sky – which have made up the body of the band’s live sets for well over a year now – definitely reflect a band that want to sound more rock-orientated. From the start there is a bigger, louder sound to the band. The drums are much louder in the mix, the tempo much more anthemic and the guitars much more prone to large sounding riffs and big, epic solos than ever before.

For the most part this works exceptionally well. Lead single Your Halo, as well as other live favourites Dead Reckoning and Second To None, are quintessential alternative rock songs with catchy choruses, driving rhythms and are full of adrenaline-pumping vigour. The unique and charismatic voice of Rebecca ‘Spinky’ Spinks continues to be the band’s main calling card, a mix of Human Waste Project‘s Aimee Echo’s emotion with the roaring, technical capability of Hammerbox‘s Carrie Akre – albeit much more British and much more graceful. That isn’t to dismiss the multi-textured guitar parts, nor the tight, booming rhythm section – the combination of these elements makes for a unique, characteristic sound that should easily be winning the band new fans.

There are some drawbacks to the album, though. Whilst Coma Heart at times did lack a certain tempo to it, it was a very subtle, dynamic and introspective record. Velvet’s more aggressive approach is seemingly universal to the entire album and that becomes noticeable on the album’s slower tracks, which feel much more inferior to the upbeat rock numbers or the slower moments on Coma Heart. These songs – often also the longer songs on the album – feel a bit like filler until the next big rock number.

Thankfully those big rock numbers are worth waiting for, and that feels like what Velvet Black Sky is all about. It is effectively a mission statement of sorts, a selection of songs intended for the live arena. Some are definitely better than others. That’s to be expected, The Mariana Hollow are still a young band and are still on that learning curve when it comes to finding the balance between grace and outright rock. The results from trying to find that balance are still very good.

“ bigger, louder sound to the band ”

Tracklist: Before the Dive (Intro) / Dead Reckoning / Your Halo / Stand Your Ground / Knife to the Throat / From Falling Hands / Second to None / The Line of Fire and Blood / Breathe / Weight of the World / The Fate of Man

Written by James Donovan
More: 2012, Albums, Alternative, Female-fronted, The Mariana Hollow