On their sophomore record (In Moment // In Memory), Our Hollow, Our Home delve into the emotions that come with the loss of a loved one. In particular guitarist Tobias Youngs father. It is hard to criticise an album that has such a personal meaning to the songwriter. Yet In Moment // In Memory is a below average metalcore record. That tries nothing new nor pushes and boundaries. In truth if you weren’t told about the emotional context of the record you wouldn’t guess it from the rather mundane songs.
The writing of music can be particularly cathartic in the time of loss. The writing of this album may have been a tool for songwriter Tobias Young to deal with his grief, and the importance of that should never be questioned. However at its heart the album lacks any substance or individuality.
While the attempt to make In Moment // In Memory a body of work by splitting the songs with interludes is admirable. The songs between these interludes are basic metalcore and leave the listener very unsatisfied with no true connection with the meaning behind this album. It’s hard to single out any track from this album as they all seem to blend into one bland song. The same basic blueprint is followed for each song. It feels outdated.
The style it follows is the type metalcore that was made popular by Killswitch, Trivium and co. This record doesn’t even come close to those bands. The choruses lack any real hooks and the verses are instantly forgettable. With the riffs and musicianship being to simple. The breakdowns feel forced. Ultimately this isn’t that good of an album.
It feels bad to criticise an album that has such a personal meaning to its songwriter. However this album as a piece of music lacks any real quality. It is below average metalcore and unless you have a personal attachment to this record , it is unlikely you’ll get anything out of listening to it.