“We are incredibly proud to present our debut album ‘Lionheart.’ It took us over a year to get everything we wanted, and although it was a long wait, we couldn't be happier with the final product. We hope that the passion we put into making this album rings true with people who are looking to find solace in music. We hope that people hear the words we are saying and are inspired to take action, or are relieved in knowing they are not alone and that others have felt the way they do and that there is reprieve. Our mission from the beginning has always been, and will always be, to find people who are as passionate about music as we are about creating it. Promote what you love, and use music to heal.”

Hollow Bones is a New York metalcore and post-hardcore band. They are named to reflect the beauty, function, and delicate nature of a bird's skeleton. Having shared the stage with bands such as Periphery, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, and After the Burial to name just a few, these up and comers have a lot of potential. It is clear from this self-release, Lionheart, that this is a band with passion and commitment, with plenty of talent to carry a very personal message.

This album definitely hits a soft spot for me, because it totally takes me back to melodic metalcore bands like Underoath and It Dies Today. Such nostalgia, but without a hint of being a forced throwback. Rather, the music strikes such a chord due to the genuine energy of the musicians and their connection to the material. More on this in a second, but let me talk a little about the drums and guitar first. The latter play with some killer technical riffs that veer almost into djent, but offset this heavier style with lighter, post-rock riffs that absolutely soar. The drumming similarly bounces between a time-signature free-for-all and punky D-beat.

But as much as I love the music, they wouldn't reach such heights without the compliment of the vocals. We get two stellar people to work with on Lionheart: Patrick Anthony and Sharon Malfesi (who is also on guitar). Patrick handles the majority of duties with peircing screams and a few spoken word outbursts a la August Burns Red or early Killswitch Engage. His delivery is always gut-wrenching, which shouldn't be surprising given that tracks like "Drytooth" (one of my favorites) were written about personal strife, in this case the death of his brother.

Sharon provides a strong counterpoint to Patrick, screaming occasionally, but more often engaging in beautiful sung melodies that I am not ashamed to admit get me singing along and tearing up just a little. "Altruistic Lung" is a personal favorite when it comes to her performances, though "I Watched the Snow Fall and Bury Your Bones" is certainly up there as well. She gives off a bit of an A Day to Remember vibe. Or maybe you're secretly ashamed of listening to Paramour and wish there was a band with a bit more substance to back such a lovely voice. Whatever the case, the interplay between these two is beyond blissful.

So there you have it. I was concerned that the bold move of releasing this album on the same day as the better-known Architects would cause them to be overshadowed, but I am hooked enough on this music to feel like these guys can hold their own. It's just up to real fans putting the word out. Yes, that was me volunteering your ass. Get out there. You're already on Facebook/Twitter/Reddit whatever daily, so take a second to share this review or any of their music videos to get it out there to the public. I can't wait to see where this wandering sparrow flies. Full stream available at Loudwire.