Today on Sludgelord I am interviewing superb Sludge Metallers Hollow Leg who have just released their excellent second album – Abysmal. Abysmal it fucking ain’t. This is a heavy slab of brutal riffs that only Hollow Leg can deliver.
It's winning praise all over the Sludge Metal Community. Our very own Hakan recently said this about the album.
“This, the second full-length album from Hollow Leg, is the perfect example how sludgy doom should be played. First of all, they seem to have no care in the world what others think about them which allows total freedom when it comes to write and record songs. Second of all they go at it remorselessly pounding their listeners to a bloody pulp leaving thousands upon thousands dead in their trail. And that's how Hollow Leg where when I first heard them a couple of years ago and they haven't slowed down. On the contrary, they simply crush and I, for one, can't be happier.”
So lets get down to business with Hollow Leg
Q1 – Hi guys, How are things with you today. Thanks for doing this.
Thank you, everything's good on our end
Q2 – For people not in the know can you give a brief history on how the band came about.
Hollow leg originally started as a duo, Tim and Brent began jamming on the songs for what would become the first record back in 2008, INSTINCT released in late 2010, toured as a duo for a while, Scott and Tom joined in 2012, Abysmal is the first release as a foursome and that brings us to the present
Q3 – Where did you get the name – Hollow Leg from.
It's an old saying for anyone with the ability to eat and or drink a lot...the drinking bit was more why we chose the name, but it sounds good and it's easy to remember
Q4 – I first noticed you back in 2011 with your début album – Instinct. Back then you were only a duo with only Brent and Tim as members. When did you guys decide to expand and to get a new lead singer.
Spring 2012, we were on tour with shroud eater and all involved were wishing Scott and Tom were there
Q5 – How did you manage to get Scott and Tom from Junior Bruce to join the line up. Great decision expanding as you're a heavier band than ever before.
The whole process of adding them was very natural, hollow leg and junior Bruce formed a strong bond in the early days of ours bands, and that only continued to strengthen. Eventually Scott and Tom as well as junior Bruce's now drummer Jeff McAlear all became involved in the production/recording process of hollow leg, and therefore involved in the music first hand. The next step was a period of time where junior Bruce were in limbo or time off and so they're joining hollow leg just made a ton of sense
Q6 – Your new album – Abysmal – has just came out and it has won a load of praise from the Sludge/Stoner Metal Community. Are you pleased with the responses your music and album has received
The response has been super positive and were very thankful and excited that people are digging the music
Q7 – Was it a hard album to write and record for.
Yes this record was on the more difficult side from start to finish, there was a great deal of trial and error and steady touring throughout that added to a longer more choppy writing and recording process. In addition, we work out of our own studio with both Scott and Jeff McAlear manning the controls which is both a blessing and a curse. Mostly a blessing, but a curse in the sense that we are left without the parameters of a more structured recording schedule
Q8 – Is there anything you want to change about it or is it perfect the way it is.
No record will ever be perfect, and as its creators well always hold it under a microscope, but at the end of the day we except it for what it is and learn from any/all items that bother us and hopefully improve on the next body if work, but in general were very pleased and proud of our records
Q9 – How would yourselves describe your sound.
Heavy, loud, aggressive
Q10 – Which bands and artists influenced you as musicians.
Collectively we listen to a lot of different music but the main collective influences lie in 70s hard rock but modt notably of course is Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, everyone really love Pink Floyd as well, blues in various eras, 80s metal (Metallica, Iron Maiden, Motörhead etc) but since we all cut our teeth in the 90s it's probably the most influential period and bands like Kyuss, EyeHateGod, Goatsnake, and Alice in Chains are a huge part of Hollow Leg as well as 80s and 90s hardcore, we all love bad brains, but we can talk bands for days
Q11 – What is the local scene like in your home town,. Do you get regular gigs in your home town. Or do you have to travel further afield to perform regularly.
Well as a band were pretty spread out through north central Florida and the town we practice and record in the town of Deland while being a college town, doesn't have much if anything in the way of shows, but Orlando is close by and has been very good to us
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Q12 - What are your favourite bands you are currently listening to. Any bands that myself or our readers should check out.
Vista Chino, Shroud Eater, kings destroy, Clamfight, Demonaut
Q13 - Do you all have regular jobs or is being a musician your main job.
We all have "day jobs"
Q14 - What are your views of bands using websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo to fund their new album releases. Some people and bands are for it. Some are not. Would you consider doing some thing like that yourselves.
We're of the old school, the Internet has brought a lot of both good and bad to the world it changed so much, but certainly one positive is that it has made being a DIY musician a much easier feet
Q15 – In 5 words or less describe Hollow Leg live experience.
Loud, energetic, large, heavy, facial
Q16 - Has BandCamp been a big help in getting your music across.?
Don't know if its helped reach a larger Audience as far a promotion is concerned but as far as being able to physically get our music to more people in more places its been great
Q17 - What are the most and least rewarding aspects of participating with the band? Obviously, the reality of how expensive it is being in a band could be considered as a negative aspect
The rewards are obvious, it's a part of all of us that we HAVE to make music and play it it live for as many people as we can, but we all make huge personal sacrifices to do so, and the older we get, the more demanding the other aspects of our life outside of music become and we have a constant tug of war, but we do what we have to and just make music and touring happen when we can and as often as our personal lives allow it
Q18 - If you could provide words to wisdom for people wanting to start a band – What would they be.
Make music for yourselves, don't ever try to make music for any other purpose than pure enjoyment and love, those are the only things that will keep you doing it and coincidently keep it good
Q19 - What pisses you off most in music. Or do you not let the bad things in music stop you from performing and writing songs.
The "bad things" are nothing we keep with us, the whole band thing can get you down at times but just when you hit a low a high comes right on top of it and your fever is renewed
Q20 - Finally do you have anything to say to your fans.
Thank you thank you thank you, and we will be coming on tour very soon
Well guys thanks for your time. Best of luck with the album. Keep in touch and keep making great music.
Abysmal is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from BandCamp Now.
Cheers to Jared @ Haggard Trigger for arranging this interview.
Check The Band from following links.
BandCamp
